I just got an email from Sam’s Club that’s linked to a survey.
It will not get as many responses as it could have gotten, due to “several” flaws.
Click on the image to enlarge it and see if you can add any more tips that Andy Plaukovich and Joe Pilatta could use to increase response next time they attempt to get customers to do their work for them.
First off, how in the heck do you get to be Senior Strategy Manager for Sam’s Club or V.P. of Research for a company contracted by Sam’s Club and make mistakes that even entry level internet marketers should know better than to make ?
Tip #1 – Make me want to respond by giving me a “reason why”. What’s in it for me. Way back in 1904 John E. Kennedy knew you had to give a reason why, when using printed copy. That’s 104 years ago and neither one of these fine young men has bothered to read their marketing history lessons…as of yet.
If they had simple given me a 10% to 20% off coupon, even on one little item, for successfully responding, I’d have taken the survey and so would thousands of others.
How much more effective would the findings be based on a little ol’ increase in response of, say, 350% ? All it would have taken was a simple “reason why“.
Tip #2 – Tell me how many questions or how long it’ll take. If they had simply written ” This short survey is only 10 questions long and takes less than 2 minutes on average…”, I’d have been more likely to take the survey and so would thousands of others.
Another possibly large increase in response that would not have taken much more effort.
I’d be a lot more likely to take this survey if it had been written out in a conversational tone, rather than as a directive, especially since all it’s going to do for me is ” …make your shopping experience and membership benefits even better ! ”
Tip #3 – How about a case study of what was accomplished after the last survey ? Maybe a short, conversational paragraph like this would help boost response:
” After last year’s survey we increased the number of bacon wrapped sausages we give out in Aisle 13 by 42%.
Because you told us you wanted them, we started offering tube socks in bulk and our customers have taken home 3,000,000 gross in the last 9 months alone !
We also listened to you and removed the silly drink cups from the checkout line, because nobody had bought one in 2 years. ”
Think about it. How much more likely would you have been to respond and respond thoughtfully, had the message been written in a short, conversational tone ?
I’m guessing they could increase response an easy 150%. Easy. Would that type of response be worth the 10-15 extra minutes effort ?
Maybe, just maybe, the marketing minds at Sam’s Club will drop by and let us know.
Maybe they’ll even ask me to write their next survey.
I’ll guarantee a bigger, better response or I’ll take no fee. The three tips in this post are free. The others I know are fee. Not much, just enough to make you want to pay attention to the lessons.
I doubt BIGresearch offers that guarantee.
What about it Sam’s Club ? Want me to run an ASK campaign for you ?
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{ 85 comments… read them below or add one }
Mike,
If this is really a screen shot, it’s also ugly and spammy. If it showed up in my inbox I would doubt it was really from Sam’s Club.
I want to see an A/B test of yours vs. theirs, because you’re right, a better letter could knock all 3,000,000 of their (tube) socks off!
Regards,
Kelly
Maximum Customer Experience Blog
Maybe, just possibly, Sam’s Club isn’t interested in the professional, spam-level survey takers. For many of us, we know what Sam’s Club offers. We appreciate the bulk and seldom-seen niche items. For me, the survey was a way to give back to Sam’s Club, to help them continue be a trusted place for me to shop.
@ Kelly – Yes, this is an actual scree shot of the email, which I saved for posterity.
Thanks for stopping by and taking time to join in.
@ Brad – You’re a real gem and they’re lucky to have a customer like you.
Funny you should think this wasn’t spammy, as it clearly looks like SPAM and every email I’ve gotten about this said as much.
I love Sam’s Club, which is why I’m on their email list. I’m not denouncing the Club, just this very juvenile email survey technique.
I initiate survey based marketing campaigns every week for clients and every one of them will pull more and better responses than this one will.
Every.Single.One.Of.Them.
Thanks for adding you opinion, Brad, even though we don’t agree with you in any way, we’re glad you’re here.
BTW Kelly, I subscribed to your RSS feed. I liked your blog and will add it to my Blog Roll.
I agree wholeheartedly. Even loyal customers need incentives from time to time.
I hope they read this post.
Regards
Shane Arthur
Me too, Shane, but readin’ and believin’ are two different things.
I’ve got three teenage or older daughters, so I know for a fact that you can give humans facts and they’ll ignore them if they don’t want to believe
Mike,
Thanks! I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while (loyal email subscriber). I don’t get fired up enough to comment near as often as I should. Hope Sam’s gives you a call!
Regards,
Kelly
Well I received this Sam’s survey today, and I took the survey without so much as a thought of “what’s in it for me?”.
And I will tell you why: I love Sam’s Club and don’t mind taking a couple of minutes to help them out with what their customers are thinking. The same would apply if I hated Sam’s Club or some aspects of it: I would reply to the survey, partly to get it off my chest, and partly in hopes that it would reach someone like Andy Plaukovich. I certainly would never get to talk to him directly about my feelings concerning Sam’s Club, right?
I also did it so I could make some personal comment about what brings me back again and again, in hopes that they’d keep up the good work. Costco could learn a few things from Sam’s Club and their marketing strategies.
Just a few quick thoughts (it’ll be hard to concentrate since all I want to do now is go shopping):
I think more companies should invest – money, time, personnel – in their online presence. A totally inept campaign, such as this survey, reflects on the company. Whether that’s fair or not doesn’t matter. It makes them seem behind the times and that’s the last image any company should want to create these days.
Sam’s sends out slick, handsome catalogs in the mail, and in doing so they create a wonderful image for themself. At least the same amount of attention should be paid toward their online image.
It’s funny, sometimes people think that saying something critical about a biz is attacking them or trying to hurt them. In fact, the opposite is true – it’s trying to help them and make them better.
One of the best e-mails I ever got was from a young man who told me that my rss feeds on one of my blogs was screwed up. I was able to fix it and potentially salvage countless visitors. I actually sent him an online e-card to thank him rather than just a “Thank You” reply!
When he e-mailed me back, he said I was the first person he’d ever told something like this to that didn’t get offended or get mad. I told him that the way I looked at it, a person can either get offended, get mad, or get better.
His response? “Do you have any other blogs? I’d love to read them.”
Oh, and before I go shopping – in case anyone from Sam’s is reading this, I really, really, really don’t like lack of trust you show in your customers when you examine their purchases when they’re trying to leave the store. What’s next, a pat down?
Not cool. You should treat your customers like guests, and I would NEVER ask to see my guests pockets before they leave my house. Neither would Target, neither would JC Penney, neither would Macy’s, neither would Best Buy, neither would Staples….
Hey Joi and bigmutt,
Thanks for dropping by and leaving some of your knowledge.
My blog’s better because you took time to leave some of yourself behind.
Hi: I shopped, got a receipt – decided to be helpful by doing the survey and possibly win a shopping card but no, this is crude and doesn’t even look like a survey – I cannot click on the survey part and bring it up – what gives? The KISS message to the right of this page is very offensive….
To Andy & Joe? I don’t think you are real.
Hey B.L.,
Who’s Andy? Who’s Joe?
Maybe you should go back to watching Britney video’s on YouTube.
Lack of trust??
Joi, my Sam’s has a sign that says they want to make sure I received everything I paid for….such a long haul from the checkout stand and all.
After a SAMS Club member for almost 25 years, I just joined Costco. Why?
* They quit carrying Starbucks cause they got a better deal from Dunkin Donuts.
* They quit selling the toner that goes in the printers they still sell !
* I tried to buy flowers over Christmas and couldn’t find them. An employee said, “It broke a couple months ago and the manager hasn’t gotten around to having it fixed.”
I wrote Sams to say goodbye and they offered me a year free. Turned them down.
It’s not about the money – it’s about the service.
I for internet
K for Kangaroo
E for Elephant
A for Apple
very weird
SAM’S CLUB SAVES ME A LOT OF MONEY
I love ‘em too, but the survey still sucks.
i went to sams to fill a heart medication and always use the exit door.never had a problem because it’s closer to the pharmacy. my doctor says you don,t need a card. we do have a card . the man at the door named ed was very rude we can,t believe you hire people like this. weve used this sam,s for many years and now we will change to cosco you lost a good money spending custumer. is this the way you treet old people. my doctor and i are very close and i told him he will not call to sans again and will also tell everone he knows me too the store is in overland park ks. on 95th street. i will also contact the BBB and AARP will let everone know that i can on the internet.
If I’d been there, I’d have sent you away too.
Go to Rite-Aid, they deserve you.
i have a receipt from Sam’s Club for 3/9 /2009. on this receipt it says to go to http://www.survey.samsclub.com, but when I typed it in I could not find the web site I was looking for. How I am I to fill out a survey if I can’t find the web site. Thank you for your time in looking into this. Josette C.
Ummm, I’m not looking into it Josette and I won’t be spending any time on it.
This article was written to complain about the survey, not to help with the survey. I don’t work for Sam’s Club.
The worst part of this is this – the URL you entered is the survey, there’s no looking involved.
Either you get there or you don’t and if you can’t figure it out, you ain’t gonna be of any help anyway.
my experience at sam’s was as usual great. Found everything I needed plus extra’s. Kudoo’s to Sam’s
Good for you Geri. Thanks for stopping by.
I’m not complaining about the shopping experience, I’m complaining about the survey.
For instance, I just received another request to fill out a survey.
It was from SIRIUS and they offered me $50 to fill it out.
Tha’s a heckuva lot better than what Sam’s offered, which was nothing.
You have recently opened a store on hwy.441 in Lady Lake…we formerely shopped in Ocala. The prices in this new store have risen dramatically from Ocala. What’s the deal in these trying times…for instance; bird seed…from $14 to almost $23 in one year?? Can’t blame fuel anymore , generally everything in the store is more expensive…and we have been a member for years and we never got a $40 dollar credit for signing up…Is that fair?? Hope costco opens soon….JMB
Joe,
This site/blog does not belong to and is not affiliated with Sam’s Club.
I happen to be comlaining about them in the article you read so poorly to think it’s their’s.
Look at the title up there. It’s called Simplenomics.
Do you really think Sam’s would have a site with that name?
They would probably want you to go to Costco just to not have to deal with you.
Bird seed ? Are you complaining about a non-essential’s item’s cost?
I could see you complaining about milk, eggs, bread or gas…but bird seed ?
Good luck to Costco !
THIS IS VERY WEIRD…. Not Sam’s way or quality of Sam’s
Sam’s philosophy doesn’t include the word quality, G. Rhodes, it’s based on quantity. Maybe you missed that when you walked around on the bare concrete floors, while looking at the big boxes.
This dumb, not worth my time or energy…. and certainly not a help to Sam’s
Did you THINK I was trying to HELP Sam’s ?
That’s the whole point of the blog post, G. Rhodes, Sam’s wants help, what’s in it for me, why should I help, etc, etc.
Thanks for the correction< mike…must be hard being perfect ALL the time…would be nice to express criticism once in a while without some know-it-all jumping down one’s throat…Joe the Bird Seed Man
There are 3 types of people in the world Joe the Bird Seed Man:
1) Those who know what’s going to happen next.
2) Those who know what’s going on right now.
3) Those who wonder what the heck just happened.
It’s easy to see which group you’re in.
If you’d known where you were, how you’d gotten there or who you were criticizing, I would have been nicer. As it is, you need to back away from the mouse and go back to the remote. Keeping up with a TV will be easier for you.
Concrete floors are s omewhat offensive but what do you want for cheaper pricees?
I am not put off by the concrete floors Anne. I was merely distinguishing between quality and quality-minded stores and their strategy.
The previous comment was about Sam’s quality and that’s not their focus.
I enjoy shopping at Sam’s as I can get quality products in volume. But as to survey this is where I ended up. My cash receipt number is TC#xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx, dated 4/15/09 How do I get to survey?
I wouldn’t know Bonnie and obviously you didn’t read any of the comments or the post itself.
Sam’s, duh! I, a lowly (paid) ex-teacher joined Sam’s at no cost ever about 25+ years ago when it was new, all American, and begging for members. ( WICHITA, Kansas.) Ten+ years later they gave me a new card and a year after that renewed it and the same every year since for $40.00 each year. They make money but I don! t. Tricky business!
we go to sam club about twice a week
every thing is always clean
we can find thing very good
keep up the good work
I’m sure they’ll continue to do their best Clarice. They appreciate your business.
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST… I REALLY DO ALL MY SHOPPING THERE AND WE DO SAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY…THANKS VERY MUCH..WE LOVE YOU GUYS KEEP UP YHE GOOD JOB… :0)
Hey, on every receipt I get from Sams club, there is a site listed to enter to possibly win something… My problem is “How do I get to the site to do the survey for a chance at the $1,000 gift card, Haven’t yet been able to get on the site. Anyone know how????? Write Loveableyou2@peoplepc.com if you know the secret to get to the site, I could use that card, feeding and supporting Daughter and Granddaghter on my social security, could really use the help!
We were dismayed over a cracked cake for our son’s graduation but Sam’s Club bakery replaced the cake AND reimbursed us for the cake and all in time for his party even though you were swamped with other orders. You are wonderful! Thank you!
I’m not Sam’s Pam, but I’m sure they love you!
Would have saved a lot of time if the check-out procedure had been easier and the sign-up clerk more informed.
Next time you need to be ready to educate their employees, Don.
You don’t think they have time to bother with training people to be able to do their job…do you?
Seriously, Don. This isn’t a Sam’s Club website…look at the domain name.
You’re no better than they are!
Sams club is a great place for small business owners to shop. Great selection and prices
Charles Clark
sams club is a very good place to shop. with exelent prices
Sam’s Club is a great way to save money and help with the many things needed. It is quite a distance for me to go but do appreciate the quality of items that are in the store along with the savings.
6-16-09 today was the first time in 5 visits to sams club that you had the big bag of peppermint losenges, so i bought 3 of them. if you wouldn’t have had them by november, i would have probably not renewed my sams club membership
I’ll bet Sam’s is jazzed about that Larry. This site does not belongs to Sam’s Club in any way, shape or form.
Maybe you should go threaten them on their own site, not mine.
Why do you suggest on my receipt to go to this site to take a survery to win $1000 dollors and then you just give answeres to other things people have said. This is a waste of my time and who ever you paid to do this.
Lawrence Williams and yes I am a club member that is not happy
This isn’t an official Sam’s site you #$@&%, it’s a blog called Simplenomics. Can you even read?
You got here by using a search engine, rather than entering the URL they gave you.
I happen to outrank them for their own terms, but you outrank a lot of people for *&%$#@.
You say you’re not happy, Lawrence, well, a little more education, the ability to read and less time in front of the idiot box might lead to your being a bit happier.
Myself, I’m happy I don’t live or work anywhere near you
Thanks for being kind enough to drop by.
will love to do survey
The people who operate Sam’s Club don’t need no customers input. They fill up the store with all kinds of stuff that don’t sell , any suggestion makes them mad. They simply don’t care if the store makes money or not.
Well said Eme.
Fry customer for years……Jeanne Hash
I’m sure that tickles them to pieces, Jeanne.
Thanks for dropping by.
Have tried to figure out how to take the actual survey. Think it would be interesting to do so but can not open the site.
Sam’s Club has been a wonderful place to shop and I have enjoyed it for a long time. Would love to have one closer to where I live though. Just send me a survey to complete and I will do just that.
Perhaps some of us need a little better instructions or more time to read. I do not think anyone deserves to have the language used on them that is in the previous answer. Even when we are wrong. There is an old saying that says you will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar. Try some honey in your language. It is offensive to me and am sure to others also!!!!
Betty, I’ll ask you the same thing as I’ve asked others:
Why would you read an “article” on a domain called Simplenomics and think for one second that you’re on Sam’s site?
With all the comments about that not being the case, you still commented 3 times and took way too long to figure out that you’re nowhere near a Sam’s Club website.
I’m not trying to “catch” you guys, I want you to leave, you just won’t do it!
Please accept my apologies for what I write on my own site that you read uninvited.
Produce is priced high. Seldom buy any at Sams. Some items such as spices are way to big for home use. We do like your meat and meat prices and are quite pleased with it’s quality. Because we live 45 miles away we do not shop as often as if we were closer.
Hi there N,
I’m assuming you can’t read or chose not to read or you’d have seen that this isn’t a Sam’s Club site.
You and all the others who comment here amaze me with your lack of ability to discern where you are or what’s going on.
PRODUCE NEEDS A PRICE ADJUSTMENT ACCORDING TO SEASON.
I agree Ann, but why tell me?
Why don’t you actually go to a Sam’s club site and tell them.
I’m assuming you can’t read a lick or you’d not bother me with that stupid stuff here on this site.
Please be so kind as to remove my name and email address from your list. You see I would much rather be associated with a person who is kind hearted and not curt, cutting and demeaning when giving a response even when I am in the wrong. I am sure others feel the same way.
Yes, we all make mistakes and mine was not reading all the information, even so I do not care to be treated in the manor that has taken place here. Thank you for taking my name off your email. I can honestly say I am glad this is not a part of Sam’s Club because if it were I would never shop there again.
Betty,
I have removed your last name from the four, not one, not two, but four “comments” you’ve left here on my site.
You came by willingly, added your thoughts, added your whole, entire name and email addy all of your own volition.
You have not been added to any email list, nor has your email addy been captured to any extent beyond what you asked for.
Please be more careful in the future with your name, your thoughts and your email addy, but most importantly, with the pieces of your mind that you’ve shared with me.
what a waste of my time to try to follow instructions on the sales ticket to reach this “so-called” survey. it appears that SC does not really want interaction with customers just acknowledgement that we shopped there and responded to the offer. PRS
You didn’t “follow the directions on the sales ticket”, Phillip, or you wouldn’t have ended up on my site.
What you did follow was a herd of fools who preceded you in ending up here and not reading one single thing.
You got what you deserved….nothing but having your name up in lights that say…”I didn’t read anything before I shot off my mouth”.
Whenever my family reports me missing (I’m 81) They just say “Oh she’s probably at SAM’S.. ” and they’re usually right! I love Sams,
buy a lot there and get my daily excercise, too. I love to flash my
card to the friendly greeters, who of course, know me..and just
take my time browsing..to see what’s new, go back and sample
the ‘whatevers’, maybe have a slice of pizza &a soda.. Sometimes
I find a cute shirt, or the latest popular book, or DVD. All the
vegetables are so nice and fresh! Of course my RX’s come from
there, too, so it’s good to be known there! I’m just 7 minutes from Sams!
Thanks for taking time to comment Joyce!
I’m sure Sam’s loves you as much as you love them.
When I bought my membership I was told that my sister could pay with her credit card when she accompanied me to the store and since have not been allowed to do this. We live 60 miles from the nearest Sam’s club so therefore we don’t get there often and it is not cost effective for both us of who live alone to get our own membership. My membership expires Sept. 6 2009 and I will not be renewing at the point as I was given false information.
You know what Carol Ann, just the fact that you left that comment here, on this site, which has nothing to do with Sam’s Club, makes me glad for them that you won’t be bothering them anymore.
If you’d actually read this post or the comments on it, you’d have not given me the opportunity to tell you that you got what you deserved.
Live long and help others prosper by giving them your money…quickly!
I had typed a c omment b ut youmerased it. Trying to make an entry for a c hance to win a card, but you will not let me get to it. Thank youVernie Whittaker
There isn’t anyplace to enter or win anything here Vernie.
This site doesn’t belong to, nor is it associated with Sam’s Club.
Be a sweetie and move along now.
sams is a super place to shop, they stand
behind their products.
SAMS CLUB IS A SUPER PLACE TO SHOP.
THEY DO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.
THEIR ASSOCIATES ARE VERY COURTIOUS
AND HELPFUL.
I didn’t see any place to take a survey, wasted my time for nothing
No Lois, you didn’t waste your time, you used it to become just another lost ball in high weeds.
Thanks for not reading anything at all and for not having a clue as to what’s going on.