Unlocking Customer Insights: How to Use Surveys to Drive Growth
If you’re running a business, you’ve probably heard how important it is to “know your customer.” But what does that actually mean in practice, and how can you turn customer insights into a full-funnel growth engine? That’s exactly what we discussed in a recent crash course with KnoCommerce, where we dug deep into the actionable ways brands are using post-purchase surveys to grow their businesses.
Here’s a breakdown of the most impactful strategies discussed, and how you can implement them in your own business.
1. Use Surveys to Track Attribution
Understanding where your customers first hear about you is key to optimizing your marketing spend. One of the simplest yet most powerful uses of post-purchase surveys is to gather attribution data directly from your customers. By asking, “How did you first hear about us?” right after purchase, you can get immediate feedback on which marketing channels are actually driving conversions. For example, one beauty brand used post-purchase surveys to track the effectiveness of their TV ads. By asking customers directly, they were able to see a steady increase in revenue from TV as their spend in that channel grew. Over time, they scaled this new channel from 0% to over 10% of their total revenue, all while maintaining a 3x ROAS.
Tip: Add a simple attribution question in your post-purchase survey. Track the channels where your customers are discovering your brand and adjust your ad spend based on what’s working.
2. Optimize the Purchase Experience
Post-purchase surveys don’t just tell you where customers come from they can also reveal pain points or areas where you’re leaving money on the table. A great example of this comes from another beauty brand that discovered a significant insight through surveys: many of their customers buying gift sets didn’t actually want the expensive packaging that came with the set. By turning the gift packaging into an optional add-on, the brand not only saved on shipping costs but also generated additional revenue by making the box a paid feature. This insight turned a cost center into a profit driver.
Tip: Use surveys to ask about specific product features or buying experiences. You might find ways to reduce costs or increase profits by tweaking small elements of your product offering.
3. Leverage Insights for Retail Expansion
If you sell both online and in retail, surveys can provide critical data to help you pitch your products to brick-and-mortar stores. A beverage brand used post-purchase surveys to gather insights about their customers’ shopping habits. They found that 27% of their online customers were buying from the website because they couldn’t find the product in local stores. With this data, the beverage brand was able to approach retailers with hard numbers, proving that there was demand for their product in physical locations. As a result, they successfully expanded into new retail chains.
Tip: Use survey data to gather insights on where customers would prefer to shop. If they’re buying online because your product isn’t available locally, this data can be a powerful tool in your retail pitch.
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4. Turn a Single Purchase Into Multiple Sales
Sometimes, a simple post-purchase question can unlock new sales opportunities. A brand that sells hats used surveys to ask customers if they were interested in custom bulk orders. 21% of respondents said yes, and from there, the brand triggered an email sequence that led to new bulk sales. This turned a $50 hat purchase into multi-thousand-dollar custom hat orders, all from a single question in a survey.
Tip: Use surveys to ask customers if they’re interested in additional products or services. You can trigger automated email flows based on their answers, driving new revenue from existing customers.
5. Drive App Downloads or Social Follows
Surveys are also a great way to prompt customers to take specific actions. For example, A UK-based brand added a question to their post-purchase survey asking if customers would be interested in downloading their app. Over 60 days, they generated over 1,000 app install clicks, simply by asking. Another brand used a similar strategy, prompting customers to join their referral program at the end of their survey. This led to over 112,000 referral clicks, turning satisfied customers into brand advocates.
Tip: Add a question to your post-purchase survey asking if customers want to take a specific action, like downloading an app, following on social media, or joining a VIP program. You’ll be surprised by how many say yes.
6. Inform Product Development
One of the most powerful ways to use surveys is for product development. By asking customers what they’d like to see next, you can make data-driven decisions about what products to launch. For example, A cookware brand discovered through surveys that 30% of their customers grilled more than five times a month. With this insight, they developed a summer grilling line, which became a hit among their customer base. Similarly, they found that 60% of customers baked frequently, prompting the launch of a new line of baking products.
Tip: Use surveys to ask customers what products they want to see next. These insights can guide your product roadmap and ensure you’re launching products that meet real customer demand.
7. Increase LTV by Understanding Your Audience
A bracelet company discovered through surveys that 40% of their purchases were gifts, often bought by parents for their children. This insight helped them fine-tune their marketing, targeting both the buyer and the end user. By understanding who is purchasing versus who is using the product, you can better tailor your messaging to resonate with both groups.
Tip: Use surveys to understand who your customer is buying for. This can help you adjust your marketing strategies and create campaigns that speak to both the buyer and the recipient.
Final Thoughts
Customer insights are the key to driving smarter business decisions, and post-purchase surveys are one of the easiest and most effective ways to collect them. From optimizing your marketing spend to developing new products, surveys provide actionable data that can fuel growth across your entire business.
Start small by adding a single question to your post-purchase survey. Whether it’s asking how customers found you, what product they’d like to see next, or if they’re interested in bulk orders, the answers will help you build a more personalized, data-driven approach to growing your brand.