The Use Of Mobile Surveys For Lead Generation

In a 2013 survey by InsideSales.com, almost three-quarters of the businesses that responded indicated that generating more leads was their greatest B2B marketing challenge.

The second highest ranked challenge? Improving lead quality.

As such, businesses are pouring increasing resources and effort into raising both the quantity and quality of leads they receive. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, and more customers using online channels to self educate prior to purchase, it’s important to take a look at the latest lead generation techniques and technologies to assess if these can be applied to your business.

In this edition of Mobile Matters, we explore how the use of mobile surveys is gaining traction as an effective lead generation method, and how the careful integration of business generating questions into continuous customer feedback channels can create a powerful sales tool.

Why mobile?

One of the driving reasons behind the trend towards using mobiles for feedback and lead generation is that, simply put, more and more people are using these devices – and this number will only explode into the future. According to AIMIA, almost three-quarters (70 per cent) of Australians own either a smartphone or tablet – and nearly a third (32 per cent) have both. Additionally, recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show there were 20.3 million mobile handheld subscribers in Australia as of 31 December 2013, an increase of 3 per cent from June that year.

That usage, coupled with the fact that mobile offers an unprecedented opportunity to capture ‘in the moment’ feedback when fresh in the customer’s mind ensures that mobile research is a trend too compelling to ignore. Certainly, the growth in use of mobile devices in Australia is without question – but why does that mean businesses should be considering mobile as a lead generation platform? The key benefits that content delivered through mobile hold revolve around speed, convenience and the removal of hassle for the consumer. For example, the time that lapses between the sending of a marketing email and the recipient opening it is 20 per cent shorter on smartphones when compared to PCs and tablets, according to research from Apsis.

Mobile is now front and centre as a tool of choice in the modern marketer’s toolkit, and as recent examples show, the applications of mobile surveys for lead generation are many.

Mobile surveys as a lead generation tool

According to the KPCB Internet Trends Report people check their phones 150 times a day on average, making mobile research a perfect rapid response channel. But how can such feedback also generate leads? We discuss 4 examples below.

1.Referrals and ‘friend get friend’ incentives.

Mobile surveys are an excellent way to collect feedback in a timeframe as close as possible to when your customer interaction occurred. They are also a great way to fully leverage the benefits that a happy customer can bring while their positive experience is still fresh in their mind.

Take, for example, the hospitality industry. Upon hotel departure, reception can trigger an SMS invite to their guest as soon as they have checked out. The SMS takes the guest to a short 10 question survey, optimised for their mobile (as likely to be completed in transit – eg. in the taxi on the way home or at the airport departure lounge). If the guest indicated they had a great experience they are branched to a final page of the survey that only happy guest’s see advising of the hotel’s ‘Refer a guest’ promotion where the guest can receive 25% off their next stay just for referring another guest to the hotel.   This is a great example of capturing the benefit of positive sentiment when the ‘glow’ of the customer’s experience with you is still present.

 2.  Inquire about other services / products

We have a legal client that specialises in a handful of industries where executives are known for being ‘on the go’, and definitely not desk-bound. As such mobile was deemed an appropriate feedback channel for their clients.  In the legal firm’s mobile-optimised, post-service customer satisfaction tracker, the survey branches off their ‘happy’ clients to a new section that asks if they are aware of some of the other services the firm provides. A list of services is shown, and clients can tick a box next to each service to instantly receive a PDF introduction to that service. A ‘lead alert’ email is also automatically sent to the head of that department. To date, over 220 leads from current clients over the last 12mths have been received. The average sale value for this firm is $25,000 and on average 1 in 8 leads results in a sale. That’s $687,500 in additional annual revenue from current clients as a result of their mobile-optimised, post service survey. A pretty compelling approach don’t you think?

3.   Testimonials

Any marketer knows that a strong bank of authentic testimonials and case studies can be a goldmine when it comes to reinforcing your credibility and building trust.  By integrating an open-ended free text satisfaction question into a post interaction mobile survey, and enabling respondents to tick a box to signify whether or not they are happy for their comments to be shared and published, marketers can build a database of client testimonials that builds up each day as each customer response rolls in.  Often the most genuine reactions are gained as close as possible to the event occurring – hence post transaction ‘in the moment’ mobile surveys are perfect for building a base of authentic testimonials which are then used to entice new prospects into using your service.

4.   Up-selling existing clients.

Upsells are another proven lead generation tactic you can deploy through mobile surveys. A customer’s purchase doesn’t have to end as soon as a transaction is completed. On the thank you page of a mobile survey you can flag a special complementary offer, or promote a discount voucher such as free shipping for those who buy a related item within a given time. Once again, mobile surveys can be a great way to up-sell your audience soon after their most recent transaction with you.

According to a survey last year by Jumio, around three-quarters (72 per cent) of respondents said they kept their mobile device within five feet of themselves the majority of their day.  There is no doubt that if mobile surveys are executed well and consistently, there is definitely a goldmine of potential for the generation of both feedback and leads on a systematic basis.

Happy surveying!

Ready to run to your next research project?

We’d love to speak with you to see if we can assist with your next mobile research project – please give us a call on +61 2 9232 0172 and ask for an obligation-free quote from one of our Business Solutions team members. Alternatively, drop us a note.