What exactly is it that your customers want or need? Is your website catering to their every whim, and if not, how do you gauge both satisfaction and loyalty?

Obviously, looking at your profit and loss statement every month should give you a clarion call on what has to be adjusted in order to increase profitability.

But, its far simpler to check your customer's pulse by devising a quick, straight forward survey that includes a scale, say, from satisfied to disenchanted.

And, the simpler the survey, the higher the response rate. If your customers get an email with a single question, even a majority of unhappy campers will take a moment to set you straight. The higher the response rate, the more relevant the data you collect.

You gain a greater understanding of your customers and potential customers interests and can use the feedback to tailor your services to meet their needs. You will further uncover new or underserved niches and be able to tap into these new profit channels, and all at no cost. After all, how much does writing an email cost?

Before starting the survey process, however, you must know your objective(s). Do you want to know what customers think of your opportunity? What they like or dislike about your website? Why they don't or won't buy? All of the above?

Once the goal or goals are crystal clear, it will be just as obvious who your survey will target. Then, keep the survey short and to the point; make the question(s) easy to read and use simple language.

Always remember that the fewer questions you ask, the more responses you will receive, and more responses equal more accurate data collected.

Besides email, you could run the survey on your site where you can include color and graphics to draw out the need for responses. Drawbacks, however, are the cost of appropriate software to facilitate this endeavor, unless you possess above norm programming skills, and also the fact it is extremely time consuming.

As an enticement to participate, offer customers an incentive such as a free ebook or course, and be sure to end the survey with a cordial thank you that lets them know you have their answers and to expect their free gift soon.

Walter Pfarr has over 30 years of journalistic experience under his belt, mostly as a general news reporter and columnist. He is also versed in fundraising, special events coordination and facilitation, development and has been online for nearly 5 years, most of which with affiliate programs. Currently, he is writing his own ecourse and soon will open his own ezine: PfarrOut. Pfarr and his wife, Jo, live in Oklahoma.