You can learn a lot from surveys. In a multiple choice question, the survey writer thinks through all possible answers to a strategic question. Therefore, this list of answers is typically a starting point for many strategic options when faced with that question.
For example, I was sent a survey on web metrics. It asked how we use web metrics...and thereby listed a number of options to utilize web metrics in our business.
- Measuring conversion rates
- Measuring online revenue and sales related metrics
- Understanding visitor behavior
- Measuring the usability of the Website
- Measuring the effect of our marketing spend
- Measuring return on investment for the entire Website
- Correlating Web data with other types of data
- Sharing Web data throughout the company
- Incrementally improving our Website by leveraging available data
- Reporting on basic traffic metrics (hits, page views, visits)
- Identifying unforeseen opportunities online or offline
- Having a data solution in place, regardless of its actual usage
Now for the important questions: Which ways are you using web data, or more importantly, not using? Which ones will drive the biggest impact in your business?