Remarkable Research is Polite
A noticeable use of manners goes a long way when practicing remarkable research. Remember to be respectful of those who are participating in the research; an occasional “please” or “thank you” helps keep them genuinely engaged. In the invitation or survey opening, use polite text to set the context and invite them to participate (remember, they’re doing you a favor). The same applies at the conclusion of the research process. Always thank the participant for their time and let them know that their input is valuable and will be used. Still not convinced? Here’s a link to recent research on the importance of saying thanks: LINK.
Common things that strike participants as rude:
- An online survey closes abruptly after the last question, without any expression of gratitude.
- A customer feedback session ends without advising the client how the results will be used. This can leave participants with the suspicion that their valuable time was wasted.
- An online community discussion that demands a lot of typing by participants forgets to repeatedly thank the participants for their help.
- An online, single question poll simply closes after a vote is submitted instead of sharing the results to date on the next screen. Many poll participants say they want to see how their peers voted. That information is their incentive, and your way of saying thanks.
[This is the twelfth article in a series of 20 mini-posts titled, “Principles of Remarkable Research.” Don’t want to miss this series? Subscribe to our blog via email or RSS.]
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