13 Unique Approaches to Engage Customers for Product Feedback
To uncover innovative ways of engaging customers for product feedback, we sought insights from a range of professionals, including Directors of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officers. From hosting virtual “Product Feedback Cafés” to developing gamified interactive surveys, here are thirteen unique approaches shared by these industry leaders.
- Host Virtual “Product Feedback Cafés”
- Organize Feedback Parties or Roundtables
- Utilize Instagram Stories for Feedback
- Send Sample Boxes for Review
- Partner Customers with Advisors
- Engage Audience with LinkedIn Polls
- Gather Feedback Through Personalized Emails
- Found an “Insiders Club” for Feedback
- Hold Product or Service-themed Feedback Sessions
- Adopt the Experience Diary Approach
- Build a Strong User Community
- Create a “Feedback Quest” Game
- Develop Gamified Interactive Surveys
Host Virtual “Product Feedback Cafés”
Hosting virtual “Product Feedback Cafés” is a unique and effective approach for engaging customers. In these online sessions, we invite a select group of customers to join in a casual, interactive environment.
During the “café,” products are discussed, upcoming features or ideas are shared, and open and candid conversations are encouraged. This format encourages customers to provide feedback, ask questions, and share their experiences in a relaxed setting. It not only fosters a sense of community but also yields valuable insights that shape product development.
By creating this unique space for dialogue, rich, unfiltered feedback has been gathered that has proven invaluable in refining products and services.
Fahd Khan
Director of Marketing and Technology, JetLevel Aviation
Organize Feedback Parties or Roundtables
One approach I’ve found effective is hosting “feedback parties” or virtual roundtables. We invite a select group of customers to a virtual session, offering them exclusive previews of upcoming features or products. In return, we ask for their candid feedback. This makes them feel valued and part of the product’s journey and provides us with invaluable insights. Plus, it strengthens our relationship with customers, making them more invested in our success.
Khurram Mir
Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Kualitatem Inc.
Utilize Instagram Stories for Feedback
Polls via Instagram stories are a really helpful way to quickly gather customer feedback. Surveys can sometimes be too lengthy, losing the interest of customers halfway through. The feature on Instagram stories, where people can pick one option over the other, is a fun and engaging way to know whether or not a customer liked a certain product.
Offering options for what could be changed about it is beneficial and quick for customers to respond to. Convenience is key when it comes to getting customer feedback from their perspective, so using this Instagram feature is a great option.
Scott Evans
Co-Founder, Pink Self Storage
Send Sample Boxes for Review
A unique approach that we’ve found quite effective is sending our customers a sample box filled with a variety of our sticker paper materials. This allows them to get a real feel for the quality and variety of our offerings before they actually make a purchase. In essence, they can review and test them out firsthand, which gives us valuable feedback and also helps them make a confident, informed decision without having to spend money upfront.
When customers haven’t invested their own money in a product yet, they tend to be more open-minded and generous with their reviews. They’re not evaluating whether they got their money’s worth, but purely the merit of the product itself. This can result in more balanced, reasonable feedback, which can truly be beneficial for us to refine and improve our offerings.
David Rubie-Todd
Co-Founder and Marketing Head, Sticker It
Partner Customers with Advisors
By partnering your customers with an advisor throughout their process, it’s easier to build a strong relationship with them and gather feedback, among other things.
If you can provide customers with an advisor, there’s also a better chance that you’ll exceed customer expectations and provide the best service possible. So, the idea of doing this can be extremely beneficial to businesses.
At Alloy, we’ve introduced the use of advisors when it comes to our customers, and it has been extremely beneficial. Our customers have direct contact with our company. It helps build solid relationships, and it has helped us gather feedback as well.
Brandon Aversano
Founder, Alloy
Engage Audience with LinkedIn Polls
One effective method for both engaging your audience and gathering feedback is to utilize LinkedIn polls. Given that the platform’s user base consists of professionals, people are more inclined to share their opinions, which in turn gives them a sense of authority and expertise. This strategy is regularly employed in business.
Jason Vaught
Director of Content, SmashBrand
Gather Feedback Through Personalized Emails
Engaging customers through email is a unique approach to gathering product feedback. Begin by sending a personalized email to customers, expressing gratitude for their support and asking for their feedback on the product.
The email should be conversational, friendly, and engaging. Open-ended questions that encourage customers to share their thoughts and experiences are recommended. After they’ve had some time to try out the product, follow up with them. In business, it’s common to ask customers to provide feedback on different channels, primarily on the Google My Business listing.
A friendly reminder can be sent, and incentives like discounts or freebies can be offered as a token of appreciation for their feedback.
Steve May
Owner, Number Plates 4 You
Found an “Insiders Club” for Feedback
One unique approach for engaging customers to gather product feedback is to create an “Insiders Club.” Members of this exclusive group receive early access to new features or products in exchange for detailed feedback. This creates a sense of community and ownership among participants, encouraging more thoughtful and comprehensive responses.
This approach not only provides valuable insights but also turns these customers into brand advocates. Their early exposure to new offerings makes them more likely to promote your product, combining customer engagement with effective word-of-mouth marketing.
Content creators online use platforms like Patreon to offer higher tiers for their most loyal customers.
Chris Stott
Director, Seven Marketing
Hold Product or Service-themed Feedback Sessions
Incorporating sleep-science principles into the process is a novel method for engaging consumers to provide useful product feedback. Being aware of the importance of sleep quality for overall health, including productivity and creativity, is crucial.
Consider holding “Sleep Feedback Sessions.” Invite a select group of consumers to virtual sessions during their bedtime routine. Encourage them to use your product prior to bedtime and provide real-time feedback regarding their experiences, comfort, and sleep-related observations. This strategy capitalizes on the private moments before sleep, when users are most in tune with their product experiences.
This not only fosters a unique, personalized connection with your consumers, but also enables you to collect genuine feedback in a casual, unfiltered environment. Prioritizing sleep shows a real desire to improve their life, which can lead to loyal and engaged customers.
Martin Seeley
CEO, Mattress Next Day
Adopt the Experience Diary Approach
One effective method we’ve adopted is the “Experience Diary” approach. We invite a group of customers to document their daily interactions with our product over a specified period. This diary captures their real-time reactions, challenges, and highlights.
Afterward, we review these entries, gaining a chronological and in-depth understanding of their experience. This method not only provides richer feedback but also fosters a deeper connection with our customers, making them feel integral to our product’s evolution.
Jon James
CEO, Ignited Results
Build a Strong User Community
Build a strong user community around your product to encourage interaction and get feedback naturally. Create an online forum, a social network group, or a chat platform where customers can connect with one another and with your team. Moderate the community to ensure fruitful discussions and to showcase the contributions of customers.
Create a “Feature Request” section in which people can submit and vote on new ideas. Hold live Q&A sessions or AMAs (Ask Me Anything) with your product development team regularly to answer questions and collect suggestions. Recognize and reward active community members with badges, unique access, or early product updates.
This technique not only collects input but also generates a loyal consumer base that feels closely engaged in the progress of your company.
Gerrid Smith
Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics
Create a “Feedback Quest” Game
Creating an interactive and gamified experience is a novel method for engaging consumers in order to collect product feedback.
Create an electronic “Feedback Quest.” Create a visually appealing, user-friendly online platform or application where consumers can embark on a virtual journey relating to your product. As they progress through various segments, they encounter feedback opportunities.
Each stage could represent a distinct characteristic of your product, such as its features, usability, or design. For sharing insights, suggestions, or even identifying potential issues, customers can earn points, badges, or rewards. You can also add surveys or polls to make the content more interesting.
This method not only makes providing feedback more pleasurable, but also promotes active participation and a feeling of accomplishment. It makes feedback fun and increases customer satisfaction and loyalty through gamification.
Jessica Shee
Senior Tech Editor and Marketing Content Manager, iBoysoft
Develop Gamified Interactive Surveys
Create interactive surveys with gamification elements. These may include badges, challenges, points, and leaderboards. Gamified surveys are a highly effective way to gather feedback from customers, as they make the entire process more exciting, engaging, and enjoyable for participants.
Also, thanks to gamification, your customers will likely spend more time on the survey and provide thoughtful responses. This leads to higher data quality and gaining more actionable, deeper insights.
Gamification taps into people’s intrinsic motivation to compete, achieve, and earn rewards. For that reason, customers feel motivated to participate and give detailed feedback.
Last but not least, if you have an ongoing feedback process, you can use gamification to keep customers engaged over time. For example, you might have a monthly leaderboard for top contributors, fostering community and ongoing participation.
Agata Szczepanek
Community Manager, MyPerfectResume
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