WE'VE MOVED!

We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co

What is a good way to obtain customer demographics?

rookapsrookaps subscriber Posts: 10
edited September 2007 in Marketing
I am having a difficult time identifying who my key buyers are.  I would like to start gathering some demographic info to improve my marketing. 
From my current order form, I can obviously obtain location and gender.  I am thinking of putting a form on the site asking customers age group, profession, how they heard about us, etc?
Would such a form be practical after the checkout process?  Or perhaps as a follow-up email? 
As an aside, I just finished a web analytics course and one of the things that stood out in my mind was the fact that Amazon has made their checkout form as less busy as possible.  They found that excluding menu buttons, etc. helps customers focus on the checkout procedure only.  They were previously losing a signficant amount of folks during the checkout procedure -- too busy and cumbersome.

Comments

  • carrieScarrieS subscriber Posts: 1
    Hello,
    I have a "How did you hear about us?" Section on my sign up form and a lot of my clients fill it in. I agree with the section about keeping your check-out form as simple as possible, but one extra box is not to much.
    Checking out your website, it seems like your product is one of those that customers go on the internet and google to try and find it. I saw you in alot of the google results as a sponsored link. 
  • ArtVersionArtVersion subscriber Posts: 0
    Charlotte,  my suggestion for you would be creating the survey,  I learned from my practice that people usually like surveys specially if give them small gift for filling it up.  Small gift can be anything, depends on your budgets but perhaps Pen imprinted with your company name or 5% of the next order.Good luck.
  • DaleKingDaleKing subscriber Posts: 141
    Charlotte,  my suggestion for you would be creating the survey,  I learned from my practice that people usually like surveys specially if give them small gift for filling it up.  Small gift can be anything, depends on your budgets but perhaps Pen imprinted with your company name or 5% of the next order.Good luck.
    ArtVersion, you beat me to the punch, but I agree. That`s exactly what I would do, create an informal survey and offer a free gift to encourage customers to partcipate. Keep it lighthearted and short, but a survey is definitely the way to go.
    Dale KingDKing2007-9-22 19:56:49
  • DaleKingDaleKing subscriber Posts: 141
    The simple checkout is the key ... it`s the age-old KISS principle.
    I totally disagree. Leave your checkout alone. ArtVersion nailed it. Create a survey.
    Dale KingDKing2007-9-22 20:47:4
  • Fred333Fred333 subscriber Posts: 0
    I would also look in using a nice analytics program. They can usually tell you a lot about your customers.
  • rookapsrookaps subscriber Posts: 10
    Thanks for all of the advice!!!!
    I have attempted survey form.    I am thnking I would have customers land here after completing a purchase-- so as not to bog down my order form.  Good idea?
    Please visit and critque:   http://www.rookaps.com/query.htm</A>
     
     
     
  • rookapsrookaps subscriber Posts: 10
    nhgnikole-- 
     I will definitely revist my form.
    Regarding the request for friends` email addresses... is it offensive to ask?  I don`t care if only 1 person provides me with email addresses, because any lead is valuable.  However, I don`t want to ask if it is offputting.
    Web analytics... true.  I am actually working towards my Web Anaylitics certification right now by the way. 
    Thanks for the feedback!rookaps2007-9-29 20:52:44
  • rookapsrookaps subscriber Posts: 10
    Also: You know who uses your product - people who use those USB things. Call the companies that manufacture them (the ones with the big budget, eh?) and ask them about demographics.
    Great Idea! 
  • rookapsrookaps subscriber Posts: 10
    Please expound on the "tell a friend button."
    Web Analytics certification... a  learning certificate earned after taking a series of expert level courses covering the many aspects of web analytics.   They actually call it "Award of Achievement."  For more information you can visit the Web Analytics Association website. If you are doing any work in Web Analytics you might be interested in joining WAA.  I`ve been a member for some time and finally decided to take advantage of some of the courses they offer.  Taking the courses has far exceeded what I had learned from reading books.rookaps2007-9-30 7:15:55
  • seoconsultantseoconsultant subscriber Posts: 0
    I agree with the section about keeping your check-out form as simple as possible.
Sign In or Register to comment.