5 Perfect Times to Ask for User Feedback (+ Why You Should)

Do you want to learn the best times to ask for user feedback? If so, I have you covered!

Customer feedback is something business owners and marketers across all industries need to consider if they want to succeed. Our brands are able to grow and thrive because of the people who invest their time and energy into our products and services.

If you don't actively work to exceed their expectations, you could find your lead list getting shorter and your customer count dwindling. People want to feel like their opinions matter. But listening isn't enough; they also need to see their suggestions come to life.

Asking for feedback at the right times is key to gathering actionable information about the needs, goals, and pain points of your target audience. Today, I'm going to share some of the best opportunities you have to gather feedback and how you can use this data to fuel your success while creating a positive customer experience.

Let's dive in!

When They Join Your Email List

Gathering feedback from subscribers as soon as they join your email list is one of the most important things you can do. Many people decide to subscribe to newsletters and other types of emails because they think the content and offers will be relevant to their needs. I believe this is a big reason why 61% of consumers prefer to interact with businesses through email.

This sentiment is reflected in shopper surveys, with 80% of people saying they prefer to interact with brands that personalize emails.

Asking for feedback early in the process helps you understand their motivations for signing up.

For example, a pet store might ask subscribers to tell them what type of animals they own. If a subscriber says they have two dogs, the business can segment them into the appropriate list. As a result, their emails will be dog-focused, which means they're more likely to take action.\
People are more responsive to emails that resonate with their needs and interests, so this makes total sense. It's a great way to build rapport and show new subscribers that you're interested in offering a memorable experience tailored to their needs.

All you have to do is come up with 2-3 questions and include them early in your welcome email series. Many CRMs can automatically sort users based on their responses.

After a Customer Service Experience

Another excellent time to ask for feedback is after a customer service experience. People will engage with your support team for many different reasons, including technical problems, billing questions, and simple guidance on a product that's right for them.

If you want to get the most value from these interactions, asking for feedback is a best practice I highly recommend. You can learn a lot about how your users feel about your product, customer service experience, and brand as a whole.

Here's some context so it's clear why this matters: Around 80% of shoppers claim they would stop interacting with a business for good after just one negative customer experience. However, if you know when an incident occurs, you have the opportunity to step in and make things right.

I also like reviewing customer support feedback because it helps us better understand what people expect from our brand. But it also helps us find success gaps, which are areas that are preventing customers from getting the maximum value from our products.

The two most common ways to ask users to share their thoughts are by mentioning it and including a link in the chat, or you could send them an email after the conversation has ended.

After a Purchase

If you don't ask for feedback after a purchase, you're missing out on a significant opportunity to connect with your customers and identify how your product is used. You can do this by sending a feedback form, reaching out via your success team, or by showing a popup the next time they use your tool (if you're in the software space.)

Many new business owners think the sale is the end of the road. I'm here to tell you that this is not the case. Building a loyal customer base is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. You are able to grow because people keep coming back, and new customers join every day.

Getting in touch with your customers after their purchase can also help you get more reviews on your site and social media. When you consider that 88% of people trust reviews over traditional advertising, it's easy to see how this strategy can benefit your company and future customers.

The time you send a post-purchase will vary based on what you're offering. Software companies should wait 2 weeks to 1 month, while brands selling physical products should try to reach out within 1-2 weeks of the customer receiving the item.

Follow-up After a Live Event

It's not uncommon for businesses to host events on social media and their website. People often come to webinars, Q&As, and other events because they want to learn a little more about the brand or the products or services they have for sale.

At the end of the presentation, make sure everyone in the audience gets a chance to fill out a feedback form. You can add it to the chat of the event, send an email afterward, or both! I suggest using this questionnaire to find out what people think and learn how to improve for next time.

For instance, if a few people say they feel like they didn't have enough time to ask questions at the end, you could give 45 minutes for attendee questions instead of 25. Optimizing your events based on how your audience feels will help you expand your reach and grow a dedicated following.

When Customers Stop Engaging with Your Business

It doesn't matter what industry you're in; customers will eventually start to drift away from your business. Some people, you won't be able to bring back. However, many users can be convinced to keep engaging with your business.

Regardless of the outcome, asking for feedback can be a valuable tool. If the person decides there's nothing you can do to keep them around, you can at least learn what happened. If they had a poor experience, you'd want to figure out what happened and correct the issue as soon as possible to prevent others from having the same problem.

On the other hand, some people can be saved by offering them a cart discount or gift with their purchase. When users have technical problems, like having trouble checking out, you could offer to help them through the process. Then, use what they say about their experience to optimize your checkout process for future customers.

Emails, direct messages, and basically any private, personal contact are your best bet for this type of feedback. We often ask for input as the user is unsubscribing from our lead list or after they abandon their shopping cart.

Back to You

There you have it!

As you can see, there are plenty of excellent times to ask your customers to share their thoughts. The situations I outlined today are where we get some of our best feedback, whether it's learning what we do well or where we can improve.

In my experience, taking the time to listen to the people who shop with you is one of the safest, most effective ways to grow your small business.