Issue 3, Volume 2

May/June 2004

Inside this Issue

Online Survey Doubles as Marketing Tool
Hostedware Discounts
Do Crucial Market Research For Free, On Your Own
Sending Email Invitations
Hostedware Continues to Improve

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Editor's Letter

Greetings!

In each issue of Hostedwire, we bring you secrets, resources, tips and techniques designed to maximize your survey and test results. Today, we give you some ideas for conducting your own market research on a small budget.

Settle in and get comfortable--you've got an issue packed with great how-to advice on the surveys and tests you create.

Continuing your peek behind the Hostedware scenes, today you'll meet Paul Chan. Paul works on the technical end of Hostedware--ensuring the hardware works flawlessly and reporting goes smoothly.

Introducing Paul Chan

Paul and I first met on another project a few years back. I was so impressed with his work that I asked him to join Hostedware in 2000.

"Since then," Paul says, "Hostedware has changed in so many different ways. And yet, the foundation of the company hasn't changed at all. Customer service has always been our focus. As the applications we offer grow and develop, we never lose sight of the customer."

Paul says with so much competition in the survey field, he's proud to work for a company that shows such a high level of customer service. "Most of the survey tools out there are just commodities," he says. "They focus on the features--how reports are generated, how results are tracked, that sort of thing. But, for the most part, the features don't change from one system to the next."

"What does change is how the companies respond to individual customer needs. How quickly they answer questions, resolve problems, and get surveys up and running."

"And I'm so pleased to be part of a team that puts the customer first. We've worked hard to become the number one name people think of when they need a survey done."

Get to know Paul yourself. Contact us today to start your first survey.

Sincerely,
Dennis Frayne
dennis.frayne@hostedware.com

P.S. Need to present the data for a big presentation in a way your boss can understand? Let us help. We can use your survey data to create a PowerPoint presentation that'll wow your boss.

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Contact Hostedware

Hostedware Corporation | 16 Technology Drive, Suite 116 | Irvine, CA 92618

USA & Canada: 800-211-6967 | Local & Int'l: 949-585-1500 | UK: 0800-032-2342

customerservice@hostedware.com

www.hostedware.com | www.hostedsurvey.com | www.hostedtest.com

Online Survey Doubles as Marketing Tool

Valmont Research provides market research for the dental industry. When a client was looking for ways to grow its membership and visibility in the dental community, Greg's team created a series of three online surveys to gather the necessary details and market the association.

Breaking project down into manageable bites

Greg broke the project down into two crucial steps. The first step was to offer two surveys: one of current association members, the second survey collected data on previous sponsors of association meetings.

Valmont Research's client needed the results back in less than three months; it was that deadline, coupled by the far-flung respondent pool (which stretched across the entire US and through Canada), that cemented the decision to offer the survey exclusively online.

After gathering data for two weeks from the first two surveys, Greg and his team went to work crafting the third survey.

The third survey was designed to gather information about prospective meeting sponsors. "We wanted to use the third survey to gather information from respondents, of course," Greg says. "But we also wanted to give our client additional value by expanding their visibility."

Question structure makes the difference

To maximize the third survey's marketing potential, Greg's team used questions that "described what their experience would be like if they did decide to sponsor an association meeting.

"We followed up several questions about the experience by asking respondents to rank their interest in receiving these benefits."

Maximum marketing in a survey?

Throughout the process, Greg and his team put themselves in the participant's shoes. They sought out ways to engage respondents and used language that emphasized the benefits offered by the association.

"We wanted to know how many respondents in the third group [of potential sponsors] had heard of the association. But we also wanted to create positive connotations. That meant keeping the survey very focused on the respondent throughout."

They also branded the survey to increase name recognition and exposure.

"Because of the ease of branding a survey with Hosted Survey™," Greg says, "My team was able to offer our client an additional benefit that they hadn't considered.

"The survey didn't just gather information--it also functioned as a powerful marketing tool each time someone started answering the questions.

For best results, give back

From his background in marketing research, Greg knew that offering participants an incentive to take the survey consistently produced the best results. "You should always find a way to give back to your participants in a meaningful way," he says.

For this group of surveys, the association knew members would see the opportunity to provide feedback as a valuable incentive for participation.

For maximum marketing impact, get permission

Finally, Greg and his team made sure to close the survey by asking for permission to contact respondents again. With 50% of participants consenting to receive additional information from the association, Greg's client now has a database of potential sponsors who are genuinely interested in finding out more.

Three-way survey provides maximum value

Greg says, "the survey provided a well-rounded perspective on the association's stakeholders, increased satisfaction and loyalty among members and sponsors, helped the organization refine its strategic and financial planning, and raised awareness and increased credibility among potential sponsors."

Wrapping up the survey, the client had increased brand visibility, a database of ready, potential sponsors, and the information they needed to make future plans.

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It's Your Turn in the Spotlight

You've run some outstanding surveys or tests. It's time you shared your success (and the lessons you learned along the way) with Hostedwire readers.

Along with great exposure, you'll also be helping out a community of survey givers. So, go ahead, sign up for your turn in the spotlight. Just send an email to Dennis Frayne, Editor of Hostedwire, and tell him you'd like to be featured.

FAQ: Hostedware Discounts

Q: What discounts do you offer?

At Hostedware, we're committed to providing you with top quality features and service in as cost effective a way as possible. That's why we offer several special discount programs for specific types of customers and industries:

• Academic: Programs include 20% off all products and services; special Academic Editions of select software licenses for accredited educational institutions; and, discounts and special student packages for thesis research and dissertation studies.
• Non-profit: Programs include 20% off all products and services; and a channel partner program for membership associations which includes further discounts and cash rebates.
• Government: For government organizations, we offer a flat 10% off all products and services.
• Small* Businesses and Individuals: For small businesses and individuals, we offer 10% off all products and services on pre-approved projects.

*We define a small business as one with fewer than 10 employees and less than $1M in revenues. This program is intended for individual professionals, consultants, authors, trainers, coaches, researchers and early stage entrepreneurs.

What if I don't qualify for one of the above programs?

We also offer a program called Preferred Account Status that many of our customers benefit from.

Preferred Account Status: All customers are eligible for our 'preferred account' pricing on response packages and special discounts on other services. This is one way we reward customer loyalty, and there are four ways to qualify:

1. Purchase a cumulative 10,000 responses across any number of surveys, tests or polls, over any time period.
2. Purchase a private label license and annual maintenance package for any of our software products.
3. Hire us to perform professional services, outsource or collaborate on two distinct projects.
4. Maintain your active account status for three consecutive years, while making at least one response package purchase of any size during that period.

Do you offer any pro-bono services?

To ensure we are able to serve the research and assessment communities as effectively as possible, and to give something back to the communities who have given so much to us, Hostedware does offer a limited number of pro-bono accounts for qualified non-profit and academic research.

These services include: pre-approved collaborative research studies, and some higher education and K-12 classroom projects.

By offering pre-approved pro-bono services, Hostedware demonstrates our commitment to research, academia, education and the world community in which we live and serve.

Ready to get your special discounted Hostedware program? Contact our friendly customer support team at customerservice@hostedware.com, toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

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Survey Novice?

You're lost and confused--there are so many survey options out there. Some of them are downright cheap, and some are super expensive. They don't all have the same features, and by now you'd just like to bury your head in the sand and decide not to decide.

Relax. Your choice is easier than you might think. You can experience Hostedware's fantastic customer service, top of the line technology, and dazzling experience for yourself at absolutely no cost.

Just fax us your draft questionnaire at (949) 585-0050 and you'll receive a demo of your first 11 questions to see for yourself that we offer the solutions you need.

Questions? We'll be happy to answer them. You can reach us at customerservice@hostedware.com, toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

Do Crucial Market Research For Free, On Your Own

By Shel Horowitz, Author of Principled Profits
http://www.principledprofits.com/aboutshel.html

Is market research only for big corporations with deep pockets? No, actually any business can put simple market research into place, and get about 80% of the benefit of the big, complex, expensive methods, without paying a penny.

Why market research will help your business

In my own one-person business, I've used informal market research to:

• Determine where ad dollars were effective, and where they were wasted.

By tracking which yellow page ads draw customers, I know which ads to renew and which to cut. If I weren't tracking, I could still be paying every month for directories that didn't produce for me.

• Get crucial feedback on new products, packaging, price points, and more.

The title and cover of my newest book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First, are vastly better than the originals as a direct result of soliciting feedback. Even the price point was based on research.

• Understand why some marketing approaches succeed while others fail.

Early market research, for instance, helped me understand back in 1995 why the mall and bulk e-mail models don't work well online for me.

Methods of no-cost marketing research

Let's look at my new book as an example, because it illustrates a number of different types of market research that you can do on your own, without spending any money.

When I got the idea for the book in August, I sent notes to business and publishing discussion lists to gauge, in general terms, whether there was sufficient interest to do the book. In the past, I'd received lukewarm response to some of the products I was thinking about creating, and this helped me decide to put my energies elsewhere.

This time, feedback was very positive, so I started writing. I thought I had a great title, but was unsure about the subtitle. When I asked for subtitle feedback, people surprised me by writing they didn't like the main title for the book.

I scrapped both the title and subtitle, and started researching. By brainstorming ideas and continuing to ask for feedback, I finally arrived at Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First.

The next decision? Choosing a cover. Once again, I turned to my online support groups. My designer's covers evoked strong emotions; people either loved them or hated them. My goal was a cover that got at least a 60% positive rating from this original group.

Know when to find a new source of feedback

Because I'd been working with this particular focus group for several months on the same project, I realized they'd been over-exposed to the concept and no longer reflected the market. Fortunately, there are many places on the internet that overlap with the market for this book, so I picked a new focus group.

Meanwhile, the cover designer created a concept that received approximately an 80% approval rating and aligns well with the topic of the book. We went with it.

It's a long process, but well worth it

It was exhausting, but it was worth it. Of the hundreds of people who have commented on the final title or cover, only one didn't like it. The book is much better positioned in the marketplace as a direct result of this feedback.

>From past experience, I can tell you that the wrong title and wrong cover are very expensive mistakes for a publisher to make. An earlier book that I didn't road test sufficiently took seven years to sell 2000 copies, and I think the cover and title were a lot of the problem.

This time, not only do I expect the book to do a whole lot better, but many of the people who helped along the way will feel part of the project and will evangelize it for me, a nice side benefit of all the market research.

How to Do Your Own Market Research

Getting information from your customers and prospects is easy. Here are a few of the many possible techniques:

• Ask! If you book clients for appointments, ask how they heard about you when they make the appointment; if you run a retail store, have each cashier keep a tally of why the customer came in.
• Join online discussion groups where your customers hang out. Post to the list that you want feedback on a new product or packaging idea.
• Set up a web page on your own site to collect feedback.
• Use tools like Hosted Survey Lite, which allow you to set up an online survey, hook it to your web site, email invitations to your customer list, collect responses, view reports and download the data to your own computer.
• Try a real-life test. For instance, offer a choice of free reports on the same topic. The one that gets the most responses should be the name of your next product.
• Use codes. For example, an ad would specify a response to PO Box 1164-B1, while a rented list might be directed to PO Box 1164-N17. Web pages can have tracking codes built right into the URL.
• Check out what others are doing. Before I settled on a price for my new book, I visited several bookstores, looking at other titles appealing to the same market.

These researching techniques all require a bit of a time investment, but each is well worth it. You'll find yourself saving both time and money in the long run by finding precisely the right way to proceed with new products, packaging, and other business decisions.

If you're looking for an easy way to gather online feedback from your clients, website visitors, members, or students, contact a Hostedware representative today for details on getting your survey up and running in no time flat.

Get started now. Email customerservice@hostedware.com or call toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

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What if your data goes all haywire in your presentation?

Have you had this nightmare? You've put together all the data from your survey. You've formatted it into a pretty PowerPoint presentation. There are sound effects and great graphics.

And there you stand, in front of the board of an international Fortune 500. You flip to the first slide. And you realize: you've made a huge mistake with the data.

Stop tossing and turning. Hire Hostedware to handle all your data from collecting it straight through to compiling it.

Get started now. Email customerservice@hostedware.com or call toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

FAQ: Sending Email Invitations

Q: How do I send email invitations to my survey panel or list?

Hosted Survey's™ invitation system is designed to allow the survey administrator to send invitations manually on demand, or alternatively, to schedule them in advance, and let the system send the message at the designated date and time.

Maximum flexibility in email sending options

You can send any number of invitations, follow-ups, and reminders. In fact you have quite a bit of control over who should receive them. For example, you can send a follow-up only to those who have not completed, or perhaps not yet started, the survey. You can send original invitations only to those who did not receive the first invitation (as when new respondents are added to the list after the fact).

Sending email through the system, step-by-step

To create and schedule your invitations, select Design Survey, Invitations, Scheduled First to get started.

You can enter the date and time now, or you can wait to specify those details. The "Date Sent" field will be blank now and automatically filled in when the system sends your invitations.

You define the text, content and formatting of the emails. First, you decide whether the email should be sent in HTML or Plain Text. You can switch between the two by clicking the toggle button. If you are sending international language emails, you may wish to change the default character set to be used.

Next, specify the From Address. This is the email address the invitations will appear to be sent from. You can also specify a From Name (the optional name the email recipient will see in their email inbox), and a Reply To address. If Reply To is blank, it defaults to the >From address.

Your subject line is very important

Consider your subject carefully. We recommend being very specific, descriptive and professional. Avoid letting your subject sound like potential SPAM, and make sure you don't leave it blank. Consider using your organization's name in the subject, or try including other information that will be identified by your respondents.

For example, "Hostedware's 2004 Customer Satisfaction Survey" is clearer than "Please Tell Us What You Think!" or "Respond Today and Win a $500 Camcorder!" (Of course, there are always exceptions. Just make sure to give considerable thought to your very important subject line.)

Your message begins with an optional greeting. The "Greeting Name" field is used in combination with text before and text after. [Text before] [Greeting name] [Text after] becomes Dear John, or Hi John, etc. This is your opportunity to address each participant personally.

Two part email format maximizes flexibility

Your actual message is written in two optional parts: Part 1 is displayed above the (optional) survey URL, and Part 2 is displayed below the survey URL. The survey URL is the link recipients click on (or copy/paste into their browser) to launch the survey.

The survey URL is optional; you can alternatively send instructions to them along with their respondent ID as a password, and direct them to a specific web page that you control to launch the survey instead, and prompt them to manually enter their password to get in.

In addition, you can show user-defined respondent data on your invitation. To specify which fields, select Design Survey, Respondents, User-defined Fields from the menu.

Finally, respondent email invitations should include a footer. This footer should include: unsubscribe instructions, how to report suspected email abuse, and other contact information. A physical address should be included in many cases to keep emails in compliance with the US CAN-SPAM Act.

Two final steps, and you're done

When you are finished creating your invitation, click Save. We always recommend that you test your invitations thoroughly before they are scheduled to be distributed. Click the Preview and Test Invitations icon at the bottom of the Invitation or Survey Home page, or from the menu.

When you are ready to send your invitations, make sure that your survey is live! If you scheduled your invitations, they will be sent to your respondents automatically at the designated time.

Think of all the time you'll save using Hosted Survey's™ email features. Contact a Hostedware representative to get started today at customerservice@hostedware.com, toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

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Webmasters, do you need a custom Hosted Survey™ solution for your clients?

If you're looking for an affordable, easy-to-use method of offering your clients brief surveys, you can license and host your own version of Hosted Survey Lite™.

For all the details, contact a Hostedware representative to get started today at customerservice@hostedware.com, toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

Hostedware Continues to Improve

New pricing announcements

As the cost of technology continues to drop, and as Hostedware gains new operating and technical efficiencies, we are passing savings on to our customers. Check out this month's FAQ for additional discount eligibility.

"Lite" surveys unveiled

Have you ever needed to conduct a small survey? Thought Hosted Survey™ was just for big projects?

With Hosted Survey Lite™, you can now conduct even the smallest surveys with ease. And webmasters, you'll find the perfect solution for your own clients. You can license and host your own version of Hosted Survey Lite™

For all the details, contact a Hostedware representative at customerservice@hostedware.com, toll-free at (800) 211-6967, or (949) 585-1500.

Enhancements make your experience better

Hosted Survey™ improvements

• Completed Surveys

For multi-page surveys, responses are now deducted only when the final page of the survey is submitted (or the last answerable question if conditional branching or skip/hide logic is used). Though you'll be able to view data for partially-completed surveys, you will only be charged for completed surveys.

• More Sample Surveys

Hostedware has created a library of sample surveys you can use as starting points for your own surveys. We've also added more sample reports and reporting templates.

• Copy Survey

You can now copy a survey from our samples library directly into your account.

• Survey Code Length

We have increased the allowed length of a survey code to 40 characters (up from 20) to allow more flexibility.

Hosted Test™ improvements

• Copy Test

You can now copy a test from our samples library directly into your account.

• Test Code Length

We have increased the allowed length of a test code to 40 characters (up from 20) to allow more flexibility.

Facelift at HostedTest.com

We've given the Hosted Test web site a facelift. Come check it out at http://www.hostedtest.com, and tell us what you think. We'd love to hear from you feedback@hostedware.com.

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