08.08.07
Phone it in
Feedback from your customers allows you to make informed decision for your business. It is also an important component of market research. While there are a variety of ways to gather information from your customers, nothing beats the old-fashion way of simply picking up the phone and calling them.
At this point, probably more than one person reading this is cringing at the idea. A hound of hungry telemarketers calling at bedtime probably flashed through your mind and your heart started beating a little faster. Banish the thought!
It’s important to remember that we aren’t talking about selling your products or services over the phone. These people are your customers and have valuable insights that you want to tap.
Telephone interviewing is one of the most cost-effective and fastest ways to get answers to your questions. In most cases, they are nonintrusive and easy to set up.
When setting up a telephone interview campaign, follow these general guidelines:
- Know who you are calling (i.e. your target audience).
- Create a questionnaire and conduct a few mock interviews.
- Make the calls at convenient times for your audience.
- Keep it brief and to the point.
- Reasurre the caller you are not selling them anything. You just want information.
