Paper surveys can be used with online surveys to great effect – helping you to reach seldom heard groups that are otherwise difficult to reach.
We all know the benefits of online surveys. They include:
- Easy distribution
- Easy data collection
- Data analysis
- Visual reports
However, not everyone has a smartphone or a laptop.
This means not everyone in your target audience is necessarily able to receive your surveys and respond with ease.
That’s why paper surveys remain incredibly useful.
Where are paper surveys most appropriately used
Paper surveys are useful because they don’t require modern technology to reach people.
- Areas without steady internet connections
- Low-income areas that may not have the necessary devices
- Familiar and easy to use – helping to boost response rates
- Reduces bias towards tech-savvy people
- No concerns of cyber security
- Captive audience situations such as doctor waiting rooms
- Point of experience situations like conferences
When people in these situations are handed a paper survey, it’s incredibly easy for them to complete.
No apps, no QR codes, no tablets. Just handing them a simple pen and paper will make people more inclined to comply.
Why combine paper and online surveys?
Combining paper and online surveys in a two-pronged attack means you utilise every avenue to get feedback.
Depending on the situation, it can greatly boost your chances of capturing great data from your audience. For example, if you are surveying people in social housing (UK) or the projects (US), you can send online surveys to anyone you have an email or smartphone number for. And for anyone else, you can mail them a paper survey.
Even if you have their details, sending a paper survey too may increase your chances of a response.
How can you combine paper surveys and online surveys?
The best way to make use of paper and online surveys to reach seldom heard groups is to use a survey platform that can handle both.
One overlooked element is the need for the survey to be designed specifically for either paper or online.
It simply isn’t a case of one-size-fits-all.
For example, a drop-down question in an online survey must be a single tick-box question in a paper survey.
A slider could become a grid question, for example.
Another crucial aspect is the consistency of questions across both surveys – so that paper surveys can easily be analysed together with online surveys.
And that’s where our survey platform – Snap XMP – offers the best solution.
- Our survey platform lets you both paper and online surveys from the same questions, presented differently for each format. These paper surveys can be entered into our software so that it can be analysed online. This also means reports can be easily produced.
- Our in-house Research Projects team can handle any aspect of your survey project for you: such as design, printing and distribution, data entry and scanning, plus analysis and reporting.
This means you can take the advantage of what both paper surveys and online surveys have to offer.
Snap Surveys has 40 years’ experience
Here at Snap Surveys, we have 4 decades’ experience in helping clients reach their communities.
Whether it’s online surveys, paper surveys, or a combination of both.
This includes:
- Market research consultants
- Local/state/federal governments and government agencies
- Large and small corporations
- Health organisations
- Education bodies
Need help from our in-house Research Projects Team?
Use our software, let our Research Projects team handle the job, or use our pre-built surveys to get the job done easily.
Whatever you need – we’re here to help.
Click below to learn more about how paper surveys and our survey software.
