Welcome back to another solo episode of the Wear Wag Repeat Podcast. This one’s all about diving into when to use audience surveys.

If you caught episode 282, you remember we discussed the immense value of connecting with our community through well-crafted pet business surveys. Today, we’re expanding on that foundation, exploring where and when these tools become invaluable for your brand.

But first, some exciting news! I’ve collaborated with the amazing Kati Keyes from Max Pat Marketing for something truly special.

Do you ever feel drowned out in the pet industry noise? Kati and I both know that feeling, and that’s why she’s has created a brand-new mini-course: How to Stand Out & Win Over Pet Owners.

This course is absolutely FREE to enroll in. Inside, you’ll unveil strategies to genuinely connect with your audience, rise above the noise, and make them excited about your pet brand journey.

And for those wanting more, hold onto your leashes! This September, Kati is re-launching her successful Pet Brand School, offering deep dives into powerful brand-building strategies. Get insights, feedback, and snag the early bird discount (a whopping $500 off when you enroll before Sept 1st!).

And because I can’t resist adding in extra support: sign up for Pet Brand School using my affiliate link, and get FREE access to my “Pinterest for Petpreneurs” Masterclass (valued at $147)!

Since Kati’s program is all about understanding your audience, it’s the perfect segue into today’s episode about using surveys in your pet biz.

12 Examples of When to Use a Survey in Your Pet Business 

Audience surveys are a fantastic way to tap into the heartbeat of your community, ensuring you’re catering to their wants and needs. Let’s delve into some prime scenarios:

Here are 12 prime scenarios to use an audience survey:

1. New Product/Service Launch: Before introducing any new product or service, a survey helps gauge the landscape. For example, if you’re making dog treats, you can gather insights about preferences for things like if organic ingredients matter to your audience, if their pet has any allergies, or flavor likes and dislikes, plus what the ideal price point is.
2. Website and User Experience: For anyone with a website, feedback about site navigation, clarity, and the general experience can be so informative. Whenever I give my website a makeover, I ask a few people in my audience to thoroughly test the site and give me feedback before announcing the update to the general public. This helps me know if I’m clearly communicating what I think I am and to make sure all the links work.
3. Post-Purchase Feedback: Post purchase, be it a grooming session or a product sale, it’s important to understand your customer’s satisfaction. What was the check out experience like, did they get the help they need, will they be returning, etc.
4. Bi-annual Check-ins: Regular feedback, like bi-annual surveys, will help you know your audience as it grows. Hopefully you’re always growing your following and subscriber lists, so sending out a twice a year survey can help you stay relevant as your audience grows.
5. Event Feedback: Held a pet event? Post-event surveys can fine-tune future experiences, from venue choices to promotional efforts, activities and entertainment.
6. Market Expansion Research: Thinking of tapping into a new market? Surveys can offer clarity. If a cat toy brand ponders expanding into dog toys, understanding their audience’s dog ownership and buying habits is invaluable.
7. Brand Perception Insights: It’s essential to know how your audience perceives your brand. For example, a holistic pet treat brand might want to understand if customers truly recognize and value their organic ingredients and the health benefits they promise. Surveys can determine whether the brand message resonates with consumers or if there’s a disconnect in what the brand believes they’re offering versus what customers perceive.
8. Training Feedback: If you have employees in your business, communication is key. You can make them feel heard, and get valuable feedback by sending a survey after their training and onboarding. You’ll want to make sure that they understand everything you taught them so they can provide the best service to your customers.
9. Subscription Insights: For those offering monthly subscription boxes filled with curated pet toys and treats, feedback is crucial. Surveys can uncover what items were a hit, which were misses, and any other items subscribers might wish to see in the next box. Additionally, feedback about box customization options or delivery frequency can be invaluable.You could send this survey out after each box is delivered.
10. Digital Content Feedback: For anyone who creates content online, surveys can guide strategy, from desired topics to content frequency. If you’re a pet blogger sharing dog hiking trail reviews, you might want to find out which trails readers have tried based on your recommendations, what other trail aspects they’d like you to cover, or if they’re interested in related topics like dog-friendly camping spots.
11. Community Building: Let’s say you’ve established an online community for rabbit enthusiasts. Surveys can gather feedback on preferred topics, desired features like monthly rabbit care webinars, or interest in real-world meet-ups.
12. Pricing Insights: Feedback can help strike a balance between customer value and profitability. If you’re a pet portrait artist, before adjusting your rates, sending out surveys can shed light on what customers value most in your service. Understand if they’re paying for the likeness accuracy, the unique art style, or even the quality of materials. This can help set competitive rates that reflect the value customers see in your work.

In every case, respect your audience’s time with clear and concise surveys. Your goal is to gather insights to improve and resonate with your pet-loving community.

If you need advice on how to craft a great survey including what to ask and how to use the data you gather, listen to part 1 of this 2 part series on Best Practices to Create a Pet Business Survey.

OVERVIEW OF THIS EPISODE:

• Importance and value of audience surveys 
• Examples of when to use surveys, including new product launches, website user experience, and event feedback
• Gathering post-purchase feedback to understand customer satisfaction and improve future experiences
• Conducting regular check-ins with an audience through biannual surveys to stay relevant as you grow
• Utilizing surveys for market expansion research in order to tap into new markets

QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE:

• “Surveys can help you determine whether your brand messaging resonates with your customers, or if there is a disconnect in what the brand believes and what you believe that you’re offering, versus what the customers perceive.”
• “Your survey should be very clear and as short as possible, and you should really respect your audience’s time. So make your questions easy to understand and very easy to answer, then you’ll get the most responses and the most valuable data.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• FREE COURSE: How to Stand Out & Win Over Pet Owners from Max Pet Marketing
• Enroll in Kati’s Pet Brand School with my link to get Free access to Pinterest for Petpreneurs ($147 value)