TL;DR
Sending out email surveys comes with many benefits. While website surveys get the highest completion rates, this distribution method comes a close second.
If you embed a survey into an email, you will be able to:
- get high response rates, as email embeddable surveys are very engaging
- identify respondents and follow up with each customer individually
- run follow-up marketing campaigns and set up marketing automation based on survey responses and customer feedback
- connect survey data to the tools you love and use to acquire, engage and retain customers, and more!
So, even if you merely write emails to ask about customer satisfaction, we can count it as an email survey. But, fortunately, technology allows us to do more and with less effort.
Read on to discover:
- the types of email surveys;
- email survey examples and templates;
- the advantages and disadvantages of email surveys;
- and how to send your first email survey.
What are email surveys?
Email surveys are questionnaires distributed via email to collect information, opinions, or feedback. They allow you to reach a targeted audience directly in their inboxes, making it easy and cost-effective to gather data.
By using email as a distribution method, you can personalize the surveys for better response rates and save a lot of resources by quickly reaching respondents through a channel they use daily.
However, the saturation of emails in inboxes can lead to lower open rates, and your messages may end up in spam folders.
To craft an effective survey, you need careful attention to design and content to prevent survey fatigue and make sure the data you get is reliable. Your questions should be clear and concise, and surveys should be optimized for various devices, especially mobile, to provide a seamless user experience.
An email survey can be sent from inboxes like Gmail or integrated with e-mail marketing software or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools such as:
Types of email surveys
Email surveys can be divided into two types, based on their distribution method.
Embedded email survey
Embedded email surveys integrate the initial survey question or a set of questions directly within the body of the email. When recipients open the email, they can see and answer the survey questions without needing to click on a link or navigate to a separate webpage.
This method increases response rates by reducing the steps required to participate; recipients can provide feedback instantly, making it more likely they'll complete the survey. It's ideal for collecting immediate feedback on a specific question or topic.
However, embedded surveys typically support only simple question types like multiple-choice or star ratings. Not all email clients support interactive content, which may affect how the survey displays or functions.
Additionally, embedding interactive elements can raise security concerns for some users or email providers.
Email redirect survey
In contrast, email redirect surveys include a link in the email that directs recipients to a separate webpage or survey platform where the full survey is hosted. Upon clicking the link, respondents can complete the survey in their web browser.
This method supports a wide range of question types, including open-ended responses, drop-down menus, and complex branching logic. It allows for more extensive customization to match your organization's branding and offers better protection for respondent data when hosted on secure platforms.
However, the need to click a link and the fact that these surveys are often longer may result in lower participation compared to embedded surveys.
How to choose the right type of email survey?
When deciding between the embedded email survey and the email redirect survey, consider your goals and audience.
Use embedded email surveys when you need quick feedback on a simple question, aim to maximize response rates by making participation as easy as possible, and the survey content is brief without requiring complex question types.
On the other hand, opt for email redirect surveys when you need to ask multiple or complex questions, require advanced features like skip logic or detailed branding, and when data security and privacy are top priorities and require a secure survey environment.
Both methods have their place in your email surveying strategies. Sometimes you should consider using a combination of both to maximize engagement and data quality.
The most popular email surveys
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) survey
CSAT surveys, or Customer Satisfaction surveys, gauge how pleased customers are with your company's products, services, or overall experience.
They typically ask customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale—like 1 to 5 or 1 to 10—with higher numbers indicating greater satisfaction. These surveys help you understand what you're doing well and where there's room for improvement, providing actionable insights to enhance customer loyalty and retention.
Sending CSAT surveys via email allows you to reach customers directly and conveniently, making it easy for them to provide feedback at their own pace.
To maximize the effectiveness of your CSAT email surveys, keep them short and focused to respect your customers' time. Ensure that the questions are clear and straightforward, and optimize the survey for mobile devices since many people check their emails on smartphones.
Sending the survey soon after a customer interaction can also provide you with more accurate and relevant feedback, as the experience will be fresh in their minds.
Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey
NPS surveys measure customer loyalty and satisfaction by asking customers a simple question: "How likely are you to recommend our product or service to a friend or colleague?"
Customers respond on a scale typically ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood to recommend. Based on their responses, customers are categorized into promoters, passives, or detractors. This classification helps you understand overall customer sentiment and identify areas where your business can improve.
NPS email surveys require little setup as you already have a list of customers’ emails available in most cases. Additionally, by placing the first scoring question in the body of your email, you are guaranteed higher response rates to at least that first question.Including an optional open-ended follow-up question like "What is the main reason for your score?" can provide valuable qualitative insights.
Post-purchase survey for e-commerce
When shopping online, you most likely noticed pop-up surveys appear on your screen once you’ve completed your purchase. While these are great, the answers they collect tend to be mostly about the purchase process and the quality of your website.
Email surveys have one advantage over website surveys: you can send them after a certain time following the purchase.
At that stage, your customers have a full overview of the quality of your services, from website to shipping time, packaging, and first interactions with the product they had bought.
Post-purchase surveys can also be used to gather information on your product to help you identify potential issues or bugs.
Surveys embedded in newsletters
If you regularly send out a newsletter to your customers, you should ask your recipients how useful or relevant its content is to them or suggest different topics to include in your next newsletter.
This also offers a possibility to gather information on what individual newsletter recipients like or want to be updated about and personalize your communication in the future.
Incorporating surveys into your newsletters can offer several advantages.
First, it leverages an existing communication channel with an audience that has already expressed interest in your content by subscribing. This means recipients are more likely to be receptive to participating.
Surveys within newsletters can also boost engagement by prompting your readers to interact with rather than passively consume content. This interaction can deepen your relationship with your subscribers and foster a sense of community.
Trial satisfaction survey
Most SaaS companies face the same problem: their trial or free users don’t convert into paying customers. It’s a huge headache, and they do their best to limit it with great onboarding strategies and support. Oftetimes, it’s not enough.
Collecting feedback from trial users can be crucial to understanding how to move forward. This is where email surveys come into play.
By sending a satisfaction survey at the end of the trial period, you can capture feedback while the experience is still fresh in the user’s mind. This timing is crucial because it enables you to address any concerns quickly and potentially prevent users from abandoning the product after the trial.
These surveys also provide insights into customer motivations and pain points. For example, if many users express satisfaction but choose not to convert to paying customers, the survey can highlight whether pricing, features, or other factors are influencing their decision.
Additionally, trial satisfaction surveys can signal how well onboarding processes are working. If users report confusion or difficulty in using the product during the trial, it may mean you need to create better tutorials or provide more effective customer support.
To maximize your chance of success, keep the trial surveys concise, with clear and direct questions that focus on key aspects of the user’s experience.
Post-event visitor satisfaction survey
The satisfaction of event attendees is one of the crucial factors for organizers (or at least it should be). In fact, some conferences share their NPS as proof to show potential visitors that the event is worth attending and participants love it.
And is there any easier way of collecting their post-event feedback than via email surveys? We don’t know any. Since all participants are on your mailing lists already, you can distribute the survey quickly and with no extra effort required. You can also send a link to a survey, but as we already mentioned, the response rates is likely to be lower.
The collected insights will show you what to improve and make the next edition of your event even better than the previous one.
Increasing mobile app retention
Mobile app developers face a similar problem to SaaS companies whose trials don’t convert into customers – people download apps and then don’t use them. Only around 25% of apps are used only once after being downloaded, and then never used again.
Finding a way of activating and engaging more users is a million-dollar question for developers. What do email surveys have to do with that?
If you require the user to create an account using an email, you can employ email surveys to find out why people don’t activate. Of course, you can also use traditional surveys, but let’s be honest – how many people who chose not to use your app will be willing to sacrifice their time to fill out a long questionnaire?
Probably not many. In-app surveys might not work either – after all, people would need to open the app to be able to take part in a survey. So, we’d recommend using email surveys.
5 email survey examples and questions
To make sure your surveys get completed, you should stick to the types of questions that require just one click to answer.
You can, for example, use either scale questions or single-answer ones. The first question included in an email can be either a whole survey or just the first question in a survey that appears in a new browser tab when the reader clicks on a link. If you want it to be the first step, ensure this question provides you with insightful data.
Example: don’t ask, ‘Would you like to participate in a short survey?’. Instead, ask the first question right away.
Even if people answer that question only and then bounce off from the survey landing page, you might still be getting that response, depening on the tool you use. So, it's important to check if the tool you want to purchase comes with that functionality.
Below are some of the most popular questions to ask in an email survey. Scroll further down for ready-to-use emails that you can just copy-paste.
How likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?
The Net Promoter Score question is probably the most popular question used in email surveys, and there are tools specializing only in it. Why? Because NPS provides companies with lots of information valuable for marketing and support teams.
Don’t forget to ask this common follow-up question: ‘What’s the main reason for your answer?’. Using this pair of questions, you’ll not only find out how people assess you but also what are your biggest advantages and disadvantages.
How satisfied are you with…
Ask about your product’s trial, interactions with your support team, or the quality of support materials. Don’t forget to ask the same follow-up questions as in the previous example – ‘What is the reason for your answer?’. You can use the same scale as in an NPS survey or smiley faces.
How likely are you to…
You can ask about anything here, like using a mobile app, buying or attending again, etc. Up to you, your industry, and needs. Be creative!
Why did you…
Ask about reasons for certain actions (like not using your mobile app, choosing you over competitors, etc.)
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Survey
Email Subject: How was your experience with us?
Email Copy:
Hi [Customer's Name],
We hope you're enjoying [Product/Service]! We'd love to hear how your recent experience with us was. Your feedback helps us improve and make sure we’re always delivering the best service possible.
Please take a minute to answer this short survey:
Question:
On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied were you with your experience?
1 - Very Unsatisfied, 5 - Very Satisfied
Feel free to share any additional thoughts below. We appreciate your input!
Thank you,
[Your Company]
Net Promoter Score (NPS) Survey
Email Subject: How likely are you to recommend us?
Email Copy:
Hi [Customer's Name],
We’d love to know how you’re feeling about your experience with [Company Name]. Could you spare a moment to answer one quick question?
Question:
How likely are you to recommend [Product/Company] to a friend or colleague?
0 - Not at all likely, 10 - Extremely likely
Optional Follow-up:
What’s the main reason for your score?
Thank you so much for your feedback—it really helps us improve!
Best regards,
[Your Company]
Product Feedback Survey
Email Subject: How do you like [Product Name] so far?
Email Copy:
Hi [Customer's Name],
Thanks for choosing [Product Name]! We’d love to know what you think of it so far. Your feedback helps us improve and develop products that better suit your needs.
How would you rate [Product Name] on a scale of 1 to 5?
We appreciate your time and insights!
Warm regards,
[Your Company]
Post-Purchase or Transactional Survey
Email Subject: Tell us about your recent purchase!
Email Copy:
Hi [Customer's Name],
Thank you for your recent purchase! We’d love to know about your shopping experience with us. Could you take a moment to answer just one question?
How would you rate your shopping experience with us?
Your feedback helps us enhance our services for customers like you!
Thanks again,
[Your Company]
Event Feedback Survey
Email Subject: We’d love your feedback on [Event Name]!
Email Copy:
Hi [Attendee's Name],
Thank you for attending [Event Name]! We hope you had a great time. We’d appreciate it if you could share your thoughts on the event to help us make our next one even better.
Questions:
- How would you rate the event overall (on a scale of 1-10)?
Optional follow-up questions:
What did you enjoy most about the event?
Do you have any suggestions for improvement?
Thanks so much for your input, and we hope to see you at our future events!
Best,
[Your Company]
Advantages of email surveys
High response rates
Since they require little effort to answer, email surveys often have the best response rates.
Good survey tools, such as Survicate, record partial responses. This means that even if the respondent doesn’t answer any follow-up questions, you’ll still be able to analyze data based on any information they did provide.
Survicate automatically records the response as soon as the respondents clicks on an answer in the email. If they answer the remaining question(s), you’ll also be able to find those responses in your Analyze tab within the Survicate panel.
Good start for a longer survey
Email surveys are a great start for a longer survey. You can collect responses for the first question, even if the participant decides not to partake in the rest of the questions on a landing page.
Easy survey automation
Email surveys can be integrated with mailing or marketing automation software to automatically send surveys after certain actions performed by a user or customer to send a targeted and contextual survey. It also gives a possibility of enriching customer or leads profiles with collected answers.
Easy survey targeting
Email surveys can be integrated into automation software to automatically send targeted surveys to customers after they perform a specific action.
No coding skills required
In contrast to website surveys or live chat, email surveys don’t require adding any code to your website. Support managers can push the decision to start using mail surveys more easily, and the IT team won’t complain about additional work since there is none.
Disadvantages of email surveys
On the other hand, no solution comes without its downsides.
Firstly, you can only distribute email surveys to customers or subscribers. You need an active email address for each potential respondent.
Secondly, you are limited by the question type of the first question. You can’t use complicated drag-and-drop, matrix, or open-field question types in email surveys.
And lastly, creating an effective survey requires some knowledge about email marketing. Writing catchy subject lines is crucial for securing high open rates and directly translates into the number of answers you collect.
It’s also a good idea to look into how to write a good survey introduction. It’s not enough to just say, “please complete the survey”!
How to send a survey via email
Choose the best email survey tool
Choosing the right survey software means first deciding how you will use it. If you are aiming to collect NPS, then many tools out there might seem like a good choice until you aim to personalize every aspect of your communication towards the user with your survey.
Likewise, you need a tool that allows your users to give personalized feedback and the basic score.
But do you really need to limit yourself to NPS-type surveys only? Why not go for advanced capabilities from the start?
Since profile-building capabilities should be your focus, as well as possibilities to design your survey, personalize it with styles, fonts, and logos, and make it fit your email and communication strategies, make sure to choose the right survey software - such as Survicate.
Survicate provides templates for over 30 email platforms such as HubSpot, Intercom, ActiveCampaign, MailChimp, Marketo, and more.
Survicate collects partial responses, so all clicks are recorded in a database of your email survey tool, and you can efficiently analyze all collected results. You can see how many surveys were distributed, how many people answered, and their answers.
Create a survey that you can distribute via email
To embed a survey in an email, start by signing up for a free Survicate account. Now you can test our premium features for free on a 10-day trial. If you already have an account, simply log in.
Choose the “email and link survey” distribution method. Now you can either create your own survey with the help of AI, or use one of pre-made templates. Either way, your survey will be ready in mere seconds. Make sure the first question is one of the following types:
- Single Answer Selection
- Smiley Scale
- NPS
- Rating scale
- Welcome Message
Then, configure your survey by connecting with your email marketing tool and connect any necessary integrations.
Retrieve the HTML code to your email survey
Head over to the Share tab and click “get your code”.
Copy the provided HTML embed code.
Send the email survey to your users and newsletter subscribers
Paste the HTML code into an email editor and send out the survey via your email marketing tool. Survicate integrates with over 30 email marketing tools, including Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo, and more.
You can also embed your Survicate surveys in your HubSpot email templates.
In Mailchimp, you can paste the code straight into a content block after you set up your email campaign.
Just choose the “code” type. The survey preview will show up on the left. You can also preview the survey email in your browser.
Responses will automatically flow to your Analyze tab in the Survicate panel.
Most of these tools allow setting up automation and follow-up emails based on responses and customer feedback. Send a survey reminder email only to respondents who did not fill out the survey the first time you reached out.
Analyze your feedback
Sending your email survey is not the last step. Neither is receiving feedback. You must close the feedback loop by following up with customers or updating your processes. That way, you are getting the most of the gathered feedback.
Just remember that while most people don’t mind participating in a few website surveys if they visit your website frequently, they are likely to get fed up with email surveys if you send them too often.
A rule of thumb is that you shouldn't send more than one survey a month, or to people who don't complete them. If surveys are sent based on user activity (like trying new features in a SaaS tool), they can be more frequent, but be reasonable.
Send your first email survey with Survicate
Now that you know why and how to run email surveys, it’s time to put that knowledge into practice.
Launching your first email survey with Survicate couldn't be any easier: simply sign up for your free trial and you’ll be up and running within minutes.
You can connect your tool stack with survey responses with native, no-code integrations, and automate recurring surveys in your CRM to get continuous feedback.
With Survicate's email surveys, you'll also be able to:
- Reduce the clicks needed to leave feedback with questions embedded into the email to increase response rates;
- Create branded surveys with an intuitive editor in a few clicks;
- Understand customers better by analyzing full and partial responses linked to customer profiles;
- Keep up with new survey responses with condition-based email and Slack notification.
Start collecting actionable feedback across the entire user journey today!