My struggling journey of getting feedback from users
Throughout my career as a product designer, I have learned the crucial importance of user feedback. It is essential for the success of any product, as without customer feedback, you're essentially building a product for yourself.
Although this can sometimes work if you have extensive experience in that problem space or if you are the target customer, it usually leads to failure.
So, why am I bringing this up?
Since launching EmailEmu.com I have encountered difficulties in getting user feedback. It has been extremely frustrating. Over the years, I took for granted the advantages of having a research team to gather participants and an actively engaged user base.
Over the last 8-9 months, I've experimented with various methods of collecting feedback from current and target users, each with varying degrees of success:
Methods I Tried
Reaching Out to My LinkedIn Network
I reached out to marketers and founders I already knew to see if they would join a short 15-30 minute call for feedback. Often, these were people I had previously worked with or those who had heard about my product through my network. This method worked well.
Direct Emailing Account Holders
I reviewed the list of accounts on Email Emu and personally emailed users to request feedback via a short call. Out of 75-100 emails, about 5 agreed, making this method moderately effective.
Messaging People in a Slack Group:
I'm part of a small Slack channel primarily consisting of my target user group. I reached out directly to active members or those who had signed up for Email Emu. This approach yielded about 15 successful calls.
Posting Questions on LinkedIn:
I posed questions within regular LinkedIn posts to engage my network. This had low success; I might get 1-2 responses, but not consistently.
Asking Questions on Twitter:
I asked questions to my followers and used hashtags to increase reach. This method yielded no results, leading me to reduce my use of Twitter due to overall low engagement.
Sending Google Surveys via Email:
I sent emails emphasizing the importance of user opinions, including a link to a Google Survey. Typically, I received only one response per mailing, despite high email open rates.
Hosting Google Surveys on LinkedIn:
I posted about my need for feedback on LinkedIn, linking a Google Survey. This often resulted only in likes, with few completing the survey.
Using LinkedIn’s Survey Tool:
I attempted to gather feedback using LinkedIn’s survey tool, which I found ineffective and easy to overlook in the feed.
Launching Popup Surveys with PostHog:
I set up pop-up surveys that appeared when users visited the site. Despite running for two weeks, most users dismissed the surveys, resulting in only 3-4 responses.
Sending Standalone Typeform Embedded Emails:
Embedding the first survey question in emails garnered a few clicks but limited engagement.
Embedding Typeform Surveys in Newsletters:
Incorporating a Typeform survey question in my weekly newsletter proved highly effective, yielding over 20 responses.
Networking with Mentors on ADP List:
I set up calls with marketers from my target group to discuss their daily routines and my side project. This was productive, though scheduling was a challenge due to high demand.
Posting on IndieHackers:
I sought feedback on specific aspects of my product or related problem areas. The IndieHackers community has been responsive, particularly on broader problem space issues.
Posting on Reddit:
I extended my inquiries to various Reddit channels. While I received substantial feedback, the responses varied widely in helpfulness. I learned to consider Reddit feedback cautiously and not base product decisions solely on it.
Reflecting on these experiences has prompted several questions:
- Why has it been so difficult to obtain feedback?
- Why have some methods been more effective than others?
- How can I improve my approach and results?
Conclusions
People Need a Reason:
Feedback requires time, and individuals are reluctant to commit without tangible benefits. Typically, people only leave feedback when their experience is exceptionally good or bad.
Audience and Convenience:
The most successful methods involved making it easy and quick for key users to respond or offering them valuable networking opportunities.
Moving Forward
A - Prioritize Paying Users:
Paying users, who have a vested interest, are more likely to provide feedback, which they can see being implemented.
B - Focus on What Works:
Now that I have tested various approaches, I need to concentrate on refining the effective methods and abandon those that have consistently underperformed.
Questions
What methods have you found effective ?
Is there anything that would help me improve my results?
👋 P.S. if you're a fellow founder or marketer trying to up your marketing game join emailemu.com, where you can learn strategies from industry-leading brands.
