Attempts to increase the response rate to mail surveys focus on increasing the potential respondents motivation to reply. Two complementary approaches are frequently used.
The first is to increase the motivation as such as possible in the initial contacts with respondents.
The second approach is to remind the respondents through repeated mailings or other contacts.
The initial response rate to a mail survey is strongly influenced by the respondents interest in the subject matter of the survey.
Interest level can be a serious source of non-response bias in the survey results.
Pre-notification, such as a letter or telephone call that informs the respondents that they will receive a questionnaire shortly and requests cooperation, is a cost effective means of increasing response rates.
In the absence of monetary inducements, a number of studies have found pre-notification to double the response rate obtained without pre-notification. This technique works best with the general public, but it is also effective in industrial surveys.
Evidence suggested that a preliminary letter or card is more effective than a preliminary phone call.
The type of postage has a moderate impact on the response rate. First-class, hand-stamped outgoing and return envelopes produce higher response rates than do metered, second-class, or business reply envelopes.
This impact is greatest for return envelopes, where it is clearly a cost-effective technique.
Prepaid monetary incentives (cash) cause substantial increases in response rates in both commercial and general public populations, Although large incentives have a stronger effect than smaller ones.
Lottery incentives have been found to have mixed results. Other types of incentives are generally more effective.
The effect of gift incentives such as pens or key rings is generally positive but very moderate.
Like cash incentives, gift incentives lose most or all of their effectivess when they are promised rather than provided with the questionnaire.
The degree of personalization and the related variables respondent anonymity and assurances of confidentiality produce variable effects on both response rates and accuracy.
Personalization appears generally to increase response rates on non-sensitive issues, whereas assurances of anonymity or confidentiality are most effective on questionnaires dealing with personally important or sensitive issues. However, these effects are generally small.
The identity of the survey sponsor influences the response rate, with commercial sponsors generally receiving a lower response rate than noncommercial sponsors.
The type of appeal used in the cover letter can take a number of approaches, such as egoistic (your opinion is important), altruistic (please help us), social utility (your opinion can help the community), or negative (if the questionnaire is not returned by a certain date, a telephone call or personal follow-up will result).
Evidence indicates that the "best" appeal depends on the nature of the sponsor and purpose of the study, though negative appeals appear to be dysfunctional.
The foot-in-the-door technique described earlier involves gaining compliance with an initial easy task and then at a later time requesting assistance with a larger or more complex version of the same task.
In addition to attempting to maximize the initial return of mail questionnaires, most mail surveys also utilize follow-up contacts to increase the overall response rate.
Follow-up contacts generally consist of a postcard or letter requesting the respondent to complete and return the questionnaire and/or the entire questionnaire may be resent.
Attempts to increase the response rate to mail surveys focus on increasing the potential respondents motivation to reply. Two complementary approaches are frequently used.
The first is to increase the motivation as such as possible in the initial contacts with respondents.
The second approach is to remind the respondents through repeated mailings or other contacts.
The initial response rate to a mail survey is strongly influenced by the respondents interest in the subject matter of the survey.
Interest level can be a serious source of non-response bias in the survey results.
Pre-notification, such as a letter or telephone call that informs the respondents that they will receive a questionnaire shortly and requests cooperation, is a cost effective means of increasing response rates.
In the absence of monetary inducements, a number of studies have found pre-notification to double the response rate obtained without pre-notification. This technique works best with the general public, but it is also effective in industrial surveys.
Evidence suggested that a preliminary letter or card is more effective than a preliminary phone call.
The type of postage has a moderate impact on the response rate. First-class, hand-stamped outgoing and return envelopes produce higher response rates than do metered, second-class, or business reply envelopes.
This impact is greatest for return envelopes, where it is clearly a cost-effective technique.
Prepaid monetary incentives (cash) cause substantial increases in response rates in both commercial and general public populations, Although large incentives have a stronger effect than smaller ones.
Lottery incentives have been found to have mixed results. Other types of incentives are generally more effective.
The effect of gift incentives such as pens or key rings is generally positive but very moderate.
Like cash incentives, gift incentives lose most or all of their effectivess when they are promised rather than provided with the questionnaire.
The degree of personalization and the related variables respondent anonymity and assurances of confidentiality produce variable effects on both response rates and accuracy.
Personalization appears generally to increase response rates on non-sensitive issues, whereas assurances of anonymity or confidentiality are most effective on questionnaires dealing with personally important or sensitive issues. However, these effects are generally small.
The identity of the survey sponsor influences the response rate, with commercial sponsors generally receiving a lower response rate than noncommercial sponsors.
The type of appeal used in the cover letter can take a number of approaches, such as egoistic (your opinion is important), altruistic (please help us), social utility (your opinion can help the community), or negative (if the questionnaire is not returned by a certain date, a telephone call or personal follow-up will result).
Evidence indicates that the "best" appeal depends on the nature of the sponsor and purpose of the study, though negative appeals appear to be dysfunctional.
The foot-in-the-door technique described earlier involves gaining compliance with an initial easy task and then at a later time requesting assistance with a larger or more complex version of the same task.
In addition to attempting to maximize the initial return of mail questionnaires, most mail surveys also utilize follow-up contacts to increase the overall response rate.
Follow-up contacts generally consist of a postcard or letter requesting the respondent to complete and return the questionnaire and/or the entire questionnaire may be resent.
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