Cutting-Edge Ways to Conduct Political Polls and Surveys
If any election polling has taught us anything at all, it is the need for precise polling and survey methods. Many political campaigners are uncertain about how to move forward and provide their candidates with accurate assessments about how voters lean on important issues. These are several methods used to produce improved election polls and surveys.
POLITICAL ROBOCALLS CAN BE IMPARTIAL
One of the benefits of setting up a political survey via robocall, or robopoll if you will, is that the information is gathered by an automated voice broadcast system. Many major polling outlets utilize robopolls to publish national opinion data about candidates and policy trends. That’s because these automated surveys do not inject the passions of campaign volunteers into the mix. They are very similar to the voice broadcasting used by businesses to connect with consumers. Besides being impartial, these are some of the other benefits to utilizing robopolls.
VIRTUAL PHONE BANKING STREAMLINES A PERSONAL CONNECTION
The days of volunteers sitting around tables and making calls have evolved considerably due to new technologies. Virtual phone banking has replaced the time-intensive methods of going down a list and manually dialling community members. Advances in automated and manual dialling allows political campaigns to connect to supporters over phone more efficiently and take down poll responses right on their calling screens. Integrations allow for all polling data to be instantly sent to voter databases. Phone conversations also helps pollsters get the input of older generations who tend to use landlines and are more accustomed to real-life conversations with campaign volunteers.
ONLINE POLLS ARE EASIER
Online polls offer a fast and cheap alternative to phone and text polling. After preparing the poll using online tools, pollsters then email or text the links to the poll to voters. A drawback with online polls is that the sample selection can be skewed because online polls generally work on opt in from voters and certain sections of voters will be more inclined to fill up the poll. There’s also the task of assigning weighage to voters without an internet connection.
These are the best methods currently available to pollsters. While it’s possible to find politically passionate individuals to donate their time for managing election polls, running an effective poll requires experienced outfits that understand the intricacies of polling.
Unless you have an experienced pollster working on your campaign, it makes a great deal of sense to outsource your polling requirements to impartial companies with experience in the niche. That real-time intelligence into the voter psyche can lay your foundation for the victory speech on election night.
Incorporating Online Opinion Surveys
Email addresses are almost as prevalent these days as residential addresses. But so far in political and issue campaigns, online email surveys and polling are largely untapped. Measuring the court of public opinion through online email surveys and polls is affordable, fast, easy and effective. It is an immediate way to take the pulse of the public and gather intelligence that can be used to develop a winning campaign strategy.
Campaigns can use online surveys and polling to build relationships with voters, which can instantly translate into useful campaign tactics.
The great thing about email surveys and polls is that over 20 questions can be sent to a targeted group of registered voters via email distribution lists. Generally, questions are phrased in such a way that respondents can tell that their answers will be factored into any campaign strategy. Respondents who answer by deadline can be entered into any drawing that has value to the registered voter.
A Web-based version of the survey or poll is created and distribution is managed. Within the email survey or poll, a link is offered to a Web-based version. Through this alternative method, respondents with the ability to only read text messages are able to fill out the survey or poll via their browser.
Unlike typical response rates of 10-15 percent, email surveys and polls are experiencing response rates between 40-50 percent. The email results are collected over one week compared to the month or longer it takes to collect mail surveys. And case studies suggest that the majority of email surveys and polls are completed and returned within the first 72 hours. Results can be viewed in real time via an online tracking report, and a summary analysis of survey results can be turned over within a day.
As this generation of voters comes into its own, campaigns need to think of the next best ways to take pulse of the public. Online email surveys and polls may very well be one of the next best things in upcoming campaigns.