Survey Questions for Market Research – with Examples

Are you wasting time and money because you don’t really know your customers? Creating products that your customers don’t want just doesn’t make sense. In any business, before you can meet your customers’ needs, you have to know:

• What are their problems?
• What solutions do they want?
• How can you introduce those solutions to them?

So, do you know your customers’ needs? If not, now is the time to analyze who your customers are and how you can give them what they want, before they seek answers elsewhere.

Luckily, doing this is easier than you may think. You can gain practically everything you need to make your customers happy by using survey questions for market research.

While there are several ways to gather customer information, customer surveys work and are one of the most effective methods to use when collecting this kind of data.

Surveys are great information-gathering tools, but to get accurate results, you have to ask the right questions in the right way.

We’ll look at the kinds of questions to ask. These questions will unlock your customers’ innermost thoughts, get you the answers you want, and even help you segment your customer base.

First, here are some general guidelines to help you prepare result-focused survey questions for market research:

1. Remember KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

When it comes to surveying, simplicity is key.

Most people are pretty busy, so they don’t have time to answer overly complex, lengthy surveys.

This is why you have to make the questions easy to comprehend. Additionally, verify that your market research survey questions are easy to access and answer.

Brevity is important. A lengthy survey likely means high abandonment rates. High abandonment rates mean you may not get the best results because they create:

• A poor survey experience.
• Responses with incomplete information.
• Less representative final data.

You want people to respond excitedly to your questions, right? A 40-minute survey won’t support that.

The bottom line here is to remember the KISS principle and apply it.

Here’s a great example screenshot of a short survey:

Instead of using a detailed questionnaire, go with plain, easy-to-understand survey templates, and rather than asking complex questions, ask simple questions with a well-defined approach.

Asking complicated questions may confuse or even frustrate respondents. When that happens, two things are bound to follow: they will either not answer the question at all, or, if they do, they will give you unclear, inaccurate answers.

By complicated questions, I mean:

• Trick questions: These are purposefully deceptive and complex so respondents often answer in a specific way.
• Long questions: These are long, convoluted questions that provide so much information that it becomes difficult to comprehend and answer accurately.
• Confusing questions: These are simply questions that don’t make sense to the respondent.

Avoid these at all costs to engage participants and obtain accurate results.

When writing survey questions for market research, the main goal is to keep things as direct as possible.

Do you know the variations of the phrase KISS? “Keep It Simple and Straightforward” and “Keep It Short and Simple” also apply here.

To get respondents to answer your questions, keep it simple, short, and straightforward.

2. Avoid Too Many Polar “Yes/No” Questions

Polar questions have only two possible answers: yes (confirmatory) and no (negative). They’re also known as yes/no questions.

Why should you avoid asking only polar questions?

Well, the simple reason is that when you ask a yes/no question, that’s all you will get. Respondents don’t have the chance to tell you what’s on their minds (which may be other possible answers that you hadn’t considered).

Closed-ended questions may lead respondents toward a particular answer which can easily create bias. This won’t unlock your respondents’ authentic answers.

Survey questions that pull respondents toward one answer can disrupt the objective of the survey. When using questions in a survey, make sure the options for responses are as unbiased as possible.

An alternative to yes/no questions is multiple-choice questions. You can ask survey participants to select one answer or “all that apply.”

Here is an example of a polar question:

Here is an example of a multiple-choice question:

Just keep in mind that multiple-choice questions may not always provide the best information, as they are still somewhat closed-ended.

However, multiple-choice questions do give respondents the chance to choose from various choices, and you may find that their preferred choice is different from what you anticipated.

To get additional information, you can always provide a space for unique answers and call it “Others – please specify” or something similar.

When asking a multiple-choice question, remember to include all the possible answers you can think of that respondents may want to choose.

You should consider using polar or multiple-choice questions in a survey when you want to:

• Offer a set number of responses to choose from.
• Collect unambiguous answers.
• Receive simple responses to simple questions.
• Create a short, quick survey that takes respondents less time.

Polar and multiple-choice questions make it easy to capture and analyze data. In other words, you’ll be able to generate more quantitative data that gives clear-cut numerical results. You’ll know exactly what respondents answer with because you’re the one that wrote the responses.

What’s more, you can give customers some freedom by asking one or two open-ended questions after polar or multiple-choice questions to gain more clarity. This leads us to my next point.

3. Write a Couple of Smart Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are a type of survey question for market research requiring the respondent to write a comment, an essay, or other types of free-reaction text. They produce qualitative data, which is a little more difficult to analyze at the end of the survey than quantitative (numerical) data. These responses will give you a lot of juicy details, though, so it’s well worth the effort.

You don’t need to make all the questions open-ended, but you should aim to include at least one or two. This will free your respondents to blurt out what’s on their minds without holding back.

Below are two thoughtful, open-ended questions culled from a recent survey by an e-commerce company:

When asking an open-ended question, you need to be careful, as some respondents may get carried away and provide you with long blocks of text.

To prevent this, provide a text box where they can write their answers, but limit the number of characters the text box can accept. That way, they’ll provide you with only the most important things they have to say.

4. Ask One Question at a Time

How do you feel when someone asks you a string of questions?

“How did you find our products? What results have you gotten by using our products? Which of our products do you find most beneficial and why?”

You probably feel like the desperate interrogator wouldn’t let you finish your sentence. That’s exactly how your respondents feel when you ask a chain of questions at once.

In addition, multiple questions make it hard for people to give precise responses, making it difficult for you to interpret those answers.

One approach to solving this issue is to aim for questions that encompass multiple things you want to ask. However, avoid this if the question becomes too long or confusing. Otherwise, providing space to respond between each question is likely your best bet.

3 Example Survey Questions That Will Help You Know (and Solve) Your Customers’ Biggest Problems

Next, we will be looking at some specific survey questions for market research that can get you helpful answers.

These investigative questions will help you discover your audience’s biggest problems. They’ll also help you know what product to create and what to share with your customers in your newsletters, walk-through guides, blogs, etc.

The truth is, as a business, your job is to solve problems and meet people’s needs. This could be by rendering a service, creating a product, or sharing helpful information and fresh content, just as we do here at the Neil Patel blog.

You cannot solve any problem without getting to know it first; thus, asking these questions is critical.

With that in mind, here are some pin-pointing, open-ended survey questions for market research that will elicit helpful answers from your audience:

1. What’s Your Biggest Challenge in ___?

Are there challenging situations that customers are facing right now in your specialization? Your customers are the best people to give you this insight.

The answers to this question will help you understand the greatest problem your customers need help with so that you know where to focus your company’s energy.

Sometimes, you may receive diverse answers from respondents; however, with the data gathered, you will find the most significant common challenge among them.

2. What Are Your Most Burning Questions About____?

You’ve been doing all the interrogations so far. Now, it’s time for customers to take their turn. Sometimes the most useful information you’ll gather comes from customers’ questions rather than their answers.

The trick is to get them to ask only their most burning questions about the niche or subject you’re dealing with.

So, that means you might have to limit the number of characters in the text box or just tell customers to ask only their most important questions.

By the way, if you do share information with your audience (through blogs, videos, podcasts, newsletters, eBooks, eCourses, etc.), the questions your customers ask here will help provide you with a bunch of content ideas you can use for a long time.

Their questions may even generate ideas for services to add to your service list, products to create, and other ways to improve your existing offerings.

But, if you want to lay it on the line, you can really tap into their wits. That’s the job of the next question.

3. What’s Not Out There? What Product, Service, Tool, or App Would You Like to See?

If you use only your own ideas for products without customer feedback, you may end up creating the wrong product. This is a product that won’t sell a piece, won’t make you a dime, and won’t solve a single problem.

Luckily, customers can help you avoid this dilemma. You can be explicit by asking this question to define what people want and need.

Surveys can make or break your start-up because they are all about how well you comprehend what your customers want to tell you. Not using them can mean taking a shot in the dark about whether a product will succeed. A product misfire can sink a company in its early stages. Even at the enterprise level, a product that doesn’t meet company needs can have severe consequences.

The answers you get here will help position you advantageously to create products that matter, thereby giving you an edge over your competitors.

2 Example Survey Questions That Will Help You Know How to Best Reach Your Audience

While the questions above will get you helpful customer-centric answers, it’s not all about knowing what your customers want. You also have to find out who they really are and how to reach them.

Here are some questions to help you do that:

1. What Level of Expertise (Beginner, Intermediate, or Expert) Do You Have in ___?

You may think you know who your audience is, but do you really? Without a basic knowledge of who you’re reaching out to, you may not be able to solve their problems.

This question is especially significant if you are responsible for training people (through in-app messages, blogging, video content, webinars, online courses, information products, etc.).

Knowing your customers’ level of expertise will help you comprehend how much support they need and what sort of content you should create for them. Also, you can easily determine which features a product needs based on customer experience and knowledge. Customers with less expertise may need features that those with more expertise don’t want.

All this information improves the customer experience and helps you better serve your target audience.

2. What’s Your Preferred Method of Learning (Reading, Listening, Watching, Practicing, or Other)?

Even if you create the best podcast that’s ever existed, it won’t matter if your customers prefer to receive information via written online content like blogs. You have to know how to reach your customers where they are.

This question is important for narrowing down where your audience exists, but it also helps you gain insight into alternative possibilities. Perhaps you’ve been focusing on helping your audience learn by listening when they really want to learn by watching.

Use the responses to this question to analyze where you’re meeting your audience’s preferences and where you may be falling short.

How to Build Survey Questions for Your Audience

So far, you know that survey questions should be:

• Simple.
• Honest.
• Understandable.
• Unbiased.

You also know that a healthy mixture of closed-ended and open-ended questions will give you the most accurate results. Also, it’s not a good idea to ask too many questions in a row before allowing respondents to answer because it can make the survey a little overwhelming.

With all this in mind, you are ready to build out your survey questions for market research.

The first thing to consider is what you want to gather from your survey results. What do you want to know, and how will this help you give your customers what they need?

Survey language is critical here because you want respondents to recognize what you’re asking so that they can give you the most accurate answers.

Second, think about your audience. What sort of experience do you want them to have while taking the survey? Respondents who can effortlessly complete a survey will likely give you better responses with more meaningful insights.

In addition to others mentioned in this blog, some survey design mistakes to avoid include:

• Poor mobile optimization.
• Too many personal or sensitive questions.
• Repetitive questions.
• Survey fatigue.

The third factor to focus on is the format. If respondents have trouble navigating the survey or selecting their answers, this will lead to a bad experience and poor survey results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

A great product and excellent customer service begin with getting to know who your customers are and what they want. For this to happen, you have to compile customer information, and surveys are one of the best methods to collect precisely what you need.

When reaching out to gather customer information, it’s essential to get it right from the beginning. The types of questions you ask play an important role in creating a successful survey.

You won’t get good responses when you ask bad questions. Pay attention to how you’re framing questions and what possible answers respondents may give to gain the highest-quality results from your survey.

If you take the time to write good survey questions for market research, you’ll be on your way to getting handy customer information that can help you drive your business in the right direction.

The next time you conduct a survey, try the tips above, ask the right questions just as I’ve pointed out, and you’ll be on your way to uncovering your customers’ deepest desires.

Do you use market research surveys? If so, what type of questions do you usually ask? Let me know below!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can entrepreneurs motivate their employees.

Motivation can come from anywhere. Motivation doesn't have to come from a specific place. All that matters is that it motivates them. Motivation is key for any business, whether it's a carrot or stick approach.

Employees are more motivated if they feel happy. This makes them more likely to do their best. You want your team to perform better. Give them the tools to feel empowered.

They must feel valued. A place where they can grow and learn. They can share their ideas freely without fear of being punished.

They need a company culture that encourages them to succeed. That's how you keep your best talent happy, loyal and productive.

To maintain the culture you have to reward the successful behaviors. This means bonuses when goals are met, offering training opportunities, increasing pay raises, and providing perks such as health insurance.

You also need to provide clear direction and communication. You must ensure that everyone understands the expectations and reasons for them.

Your policies and procedures should be written down and communicated. Ensure that someone is responsible for ensuring they are followed.

And most importantly, communicate frequently. Keep your employees informed about the current state of the organization. Let your team know about what's happening.

Communication is key, and you can help your team stay ahead of your competition by looking after them. They will take good care of you.

A bad relationship with employees could lead to big problems. Research has shown that companies with high levels in employee engagement are more productive and profitable than those that have difficulty keeping their top performers.

It is important to realize that not all employees want to work at the same speed. Some prefer to work independently while others like to work in a team. There are many ways to motivate individuals, and you can choose your own.

Incentives may work better for some, but recognition might be appreciated by others. Whatever works for your company, ensure that it is consistent with its goals.

Ultimately, it's up to you as the leader to set the tone. Be open-minded. Listen to your team. Keep in mind that if something is to be done right, it has to be done yourself.

What motivations are there for entrepreneurs?

There are three main categories of motivation for entrepreneurs. Each type has its own set of strengths and weaknesses.

The most common form of motivation is external, where an individual wants to make more money. This motivation often stems from financial concerns.

Motivation is externally driven by personal ambition, desire, and interest. This type of motivation leads to people who are extremely goal-oriented.

This is a rare form of motivation. People who have internal motivation don't seek wealth. Instead they pursue other goals such self-development, fulfillment, and service.

People with internal motivation are often called "passionate" because they find satisfaction in their work.

Finally, intrinsic motivation can be described as the least common form of motivation. Individuals who find enjoyment and satisfaction in working towards a specific goal are called intrinsic motivation.

The intrinsic motivation of a person is more powerful than the external or internal motivation.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It is based the belief people are endowed with certain talents and capabilities. They have the ability to do things no one else can.

It is satisfying and fulfilling to realize our potential and talents. It makes us feel that we are doing valuable work.

In other words, intrinsic motivation is what makes us happy. It is knowing we can do anything we put our mind to. This makes us happy.

This feeling of accomplishment keeps us going, even when it is difficult.

In fact, if you don't enjoy what you're doing, then why bother doing it at all?

Click here to learn more about the motivation of entrepreneurs.

How to motivate yourself as an entrepreneur

The best way to motivate yourself is to find someone else who is motivated to do what you are trying to do. Ask someone who is working hard for his goals about how they did it.

Ask for advice, listen and learn, but most importantly, be sure to follow the advice. If you find someone who is successful, emulate them.

To be that person, do everything you can. Take their advice. Learn from them. Follow their example.

Keep moving. Keep moving. Never stop learning. Never give up.

Never listen to anyone telling you that you're not capable. Don't listen to anyone who tells you there is no path.

You may fail, but that doesn't mean you've failed. Failure is an opportunity that can help you grow. To learn more. To push harder.

Failure is just another step in the journey to success.

So go ahead and get started. Do something today that will get you closer to your goal.

Are you still waiting?

What makes an entrepreneur a success?

There are two types: those who make money and those that make time.

The difference is in how they approach business. People who make money want to make more money. While people who make time want to make more, they are more focused on making money.

The desire to have financial freedom is what drives those who make money. Their goal is to be rich and remain rich.

They are motivated by fear, greed, and a sense of entitlement. They don't care about the long-term because they know they will have a happy life after they achieve their goals.

This person is known as a hustler. They place emphasis on the bottom line, and they find ways to increase income without regard for quality.

Some people make their own time. These entrepreneurs are driven and passionate. They are passionate about creating something meaningful that lasts forever.

Their motivation is altruistic. They want to do great things. They care about making products and services that make a difference.

These people are sometimes called dreamers. They are driven by inspiration and vision. They know success requires perseverance, hard work and dedication.

The most important trait of these entrepreneurs is their creativity. They are constantly looking for opportunities that have never been seen before.

They thrive in the unknown. They love to research new areas of interest and will often spend hours on it. They love to learn new things and are open to new ideas.

This is why they are so adaptable to change. They will take on any challenge and get dirty. They will not tolerate mediocrity.

Which type are you? Are you driven to make it big or do you want to find meaning in life?

Congratulations if you answered yes both questions. You are a successful entrepreneur.

I've met many successful entrepreneurs over the years and noticed one common trait among them: they were driven by passion.

Successful entrepreneurs aren't defined by monetary wealth alone. Their impact is what defines their success.

Steve Jobs, who was not rich but well-known for his philanthropic efforts, is an example. He didn't own a house until his mid-40s.

His ability and creativity to create products that transformed the world made him wealthy. This is what defines him.

It is not about accumulating wealth. It's not about building empires and amassing power.

Your job is building relationships with customers or partners. To build trust. To inspire others to succeed.

To make an impact. That's your legacy. Not your bank account.

And if you're ready to start building a legacy that matters, let's talk.

Social Media University will show you how to make passive income online. We'll teach you how to market your business, so it grows automatically.

What are the benefits of having an entrepreneurial mindset?

Being entrepreneurial has many benefits. First, you can become independent. You stop relying on other people.

This allows you to be your own boss and can allow you to follow your dreams. This helps you establish relationships with other entrepreneurs as you share common interests and challenges.

You gain confidence. As an entrepreneur, you're always learning new things. This gives you the ability adapt quickly and to be flexible. By thinking outside the box, you will not be trapped in a rut.

When we all start our businesses, we're no longer bound by the rules and regulations placed upon us by society. We have the freedom to decide what and how to live our lives.

You have the option to choose to go against the flow or follow the crowd. We can choose to be successful or not. You can choose to win or fail.

The freedom you have is exhilarating. But it comes with its fair share of responsibility. Because once you step into this role, you're accountable for everything that happens within your business.

If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to manage risk. Don't be afraid trying new things. If you are willing and able to learn from your failures, you will eventually reach your goals.

These lessons will help you to stay on the right track when you embark on your journey.

Remember:

• Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle choice.
• If you own your own business, then you're the boss.
• Be careful of following fashion trends.
• The measure of success is not money, but freedom.
• You must balance your personal and work life.
• Set clear expectations.
• Always be truthful with your team.
• Be persistent if it's your desire for something to happen.

What are the motivations of an entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs' three most important motivations are freedom, money, and knowledge.

1. Freedom is the freedom to do what you want, whenever you want. This is why entrepreneurs can be free from the constraints of our job or current life.
2. It is important to have money. Without it, we wouldn't even think about starting a business. Money is essential for survival.
3. The third motivation is knowledge. Entrepreneurship requires that we continue to learn. That is why we frequently find ourselves reading books and attending seminars.

This is what motivates us to achieve our goals. It gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

These three factors are what made us entrepreneurs. These are the driving forces that keep us going every day.

If any of these three items are missing, it's possible to pack up and move home. If we don't have these three things, we won't ever be truly happy.

Statistics

• According to analysts, Johnson has high appeal in all four quadrants tracked at the multiplex: male, female, over-25 and under-25. (forbes.com)
• “If you look to lead, invest at least 40% of your time managing yourself – your ethics, character, principles, purpose, motivation, and conduct. (americanexpress.com)
• I shifted my motivational point from something huge (and undefined) to improve by just 1% each day. (carolroth.com)
• “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” (oberlo.com)
• Invest at least 30% managing those with authority over you and 15% managing your peers.” (americanexpress.com)

External Links

due.com

• How to get over your fear of failure - Due


• 7 Daily Habits That Make People Extremely Productive - Due

entrepreneur.com

• Don't be Afraid to Charge What You're Worth


• The real failure rate for small businesses

kabbage.com

• My Business Will Grow


• Kabage Funding

cnbc.com

• This is the inspiring quote Jeff Bezos keeps on his fridge


• Richard Branson, a Billionaire: These are my top 10 secrets to success

How To

There are 10 methods to motivate employees

Motivating employees can be one of the most challenging things you'll ever have to do. It requires a lot of patience, perseverance, sacrifice, and effort. It's important to learn how to motivate people, and get them to work hard.

If you don’t know what motivates someone you won’t be able get them/her to do anything. You can't help but wonder why your employee wants to make a change. This article will show you how to motivate your employee through different methods.

1. You can motivate employees by making them feel important. If you can give your employees this feeling, it will let them know they are important and valuable. They should be able to believe that their efforts are being recognized and appreciated.

2. Give Them Recognition -People like recognition. They are happier if they get it more often. Recognize your employees from time to again if you want them to be motivated.

3. Respect them - Respect is an important component of any relationship. To motivate someone effectively, you must first respect them. Respecting others means you show your appreciation for them.

4. Encourage them to be open with you -Openness can also help motivate people. Sharing information with employees encourages them to learn new things. When they learn new things they feel happy and proud.

5. Reward excellence - People who do good work are encouraged to work harder. Before you award them, make sure to check if they did a good task.

6. Set Clear Goals -Setting clear goals helps motivate your employees by giving them something to aim for. Give them a goal to help them be better workers.

7. Tell Your Employees About the Company's Plans - It's easy to think telling employees about the company’s plans would be a waste of their time. It can motivate them, however. Telling them about the company's plans lets them know what they should focus on next.

8. Give Feedback - Feedback can be a great way for employees to feel better. Even though giving feedback takes some time, it's worth it.

9. Allow Your Employees to Know Their Boss - Another powerful way of motivating your employees is to let them know who their bosses are. You will make sure they are well-informed and know where they can go to get help.

10. Ask for help - Last but not least, asking for assistance is a great way to motivate your employees. Asking them for help lets them know they can count on you. They know you care about them, and they trust you.