a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run

Email invitations are by far the most common method of releasing a survey to respondents. For most people who use email for work, anything received more than a day ago does not appear on the first screen of their in-box. People tend to check email as it arrives. If they do not immediately click on the link to enter your survey having read the message, few will return in the following days to do so as the invite will be off the front page.

Most people manage to at least scan through their mail every three days. If however if you have been away, often Monday there will be a bit of catch up.

It is important to remember 90% of people, who are ever going to respond, do it the first time they read the invitation. Response rate patterns are then more reflective of email reading patterns than any choice of respondents. It is then vital to have the invitation designed as the best call to action. More on this in another article.

All the percentages quoted here are of the total responses received, including follow-ups and are based on a review of a large number of on-line surveys.

The first hour is key. With email released surveys, on average 12% of all responses are received in the first hour. This may differ depending on the specific timing (eg. out of office hours) or audience (eg. Non-employees), but certainly holds true in business based users during normal business hours.

By the end of the first day you will have received about 30% of your total responses. This will have been the highest day by far. The specific number of responses will be a reflection of the invite and survey experience.

Day two and three will be significantly lower at around 6% of total responses as people get to reviewing their email and responding on first read. For the rest of the week, responses fall to only 3% of total responses on average. By the end of week one you will have received 60%.

Often a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run

through their mail every three days. If however if you have been away, often Monday there will be a bit of catch up.

It is important to remember 90% of people, who are ever going to respond, do it the first time they read the invitation. Response rate patterns are then more reflective of email reading patterns than any choice of respondents. It is then vital to have the invitation designed as the best call to action. More on this in another article.

All the percentages quoted here are of the total responses received, including follow-ups and are based on a review of a large number of on-line surveys.

The first hour is key. With email released surveys, on average 12% of all responses are received in the first hour. This may differ depending on the specific timing (eg. out of office hours) or audience (eg. Non-employees), but certainly holds true in business based users during normal business hours.

By the end of the first day you will have received about 30% of your total responses. This will have been the highest day by far. The specific number of responses will be a reflection of the invite and survey experience.

Day two and three will be significantly lower at around 6% of total responses as people get to reviewing their email and responding on first read. For the rest of the week, responses fall to only 3% of total responses on average. By the end of week one you will have received 60%.

Often a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run

quoted here are of the total responses received, including follow-ups and are based on a review of a large number of on-line surveys.

The first hour is key. With email released surveys, on average 12% of all responses are received in the first hour. This may differ depending on the specific timing (eg. out of office hours) or audience (eg. Non-employees), but certainly holds true in business based users during normal business hours.

By the end of the first day you will have received about 30% of your total responses. This will have been the highest day by far. The specific number of responses will be a reflection of the invite and survey experience.

Day two and three will be significantly lower at around 6% of total responses as people get to reviewing their email and responding on first read. For the rest of the week, responses fall to only 3% of total responses on average. By the end of week one you will have received 60%.

Often a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run

l have received about 30% of your total responses. This will have been the highest day by far. The specific number of responses will be a reflection of the invite and survey experience.

Day two and three will be significantly lower at around 6% of total responses as people get to reviewing their email and responding on first read. For the rest of the week, responses fall to only 3% of total responses on average. By the end of week one you will have received 60%.

Often a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run

a follow up email is sent after a week. The response to the first follow up is surprisingly the same as day two responses, around 6% of total. Second follow-ups only average a 3% response.

Due mainly to the 'holiday' scenario as well as the typical practice of follow-up emails, 80% of all responses received are in by the end of the second week. Often after two weeks, the effort to chase further responses starts to wane.

It is clear that for most surveys a two week run is sufficient. Responses do keep flowing in, but even after a month. Only 90% of responses are received, the remaining 10% dribbling in over the following month.

So there you have it. Now after just one day you will be able to estimate your total responses. If that number does not seem high enough you will need to reassess the three main drivers of response and look to see what can be changed:

1. The release - call to action
2. The respondent level of engagement
3. The responding experience
(These will be covered in a later article.)

If you have any topics you would like covered please mail me at SteveWrightMail@gmail.com and I will include them in my growing list.

Cheers Steve