Survey Dependence is a bad thing

Why the fascination with surveys?   The other day I conducted a webinar on Implementing Dynamic Content.   Big crowd, and at the end the attendees submitted questions.  About 20% of those questions had to do with Surveys in an email.  Basicly looking to ask subscribers what they want.

Not out of hand a bad idea, but something that you should not be entirely dependent on.

Why?   Well surveys can give you some data.   They are great to collect facts, things like addresses, age, gender….Basic Demographics.   But what about the other stuff people usually want to ask in surveys?   

You may have heard me say before; there are only three things you can learn about people:

1) Demographics;  where you live, where you work, age, income…that sort of thing
2) What people say.  As in: What people say they want.
3) Behavior.  What people do.

Guess which one is the best indicator of the future?   Right: Behavior!

I finished the new book BLINK last week.  Interesting note from a study of Speed Dating.  Before the event they survey attendees about what they are looking for in a partner.  Then at the end they compare to who they actually picked.   Think there was a close correlation to the two data points?    HA!