Surveys And Polls By Email

This article describes several ways to conduct surveys and polls via email. Most can be implemented with either plain text or HTML email. One, only with HTML.

The "reply to this email and let me know" type of survey is not included here.

The examples in this article were live in the Possibilities issue where it was first published. The email addresses and form handling software for the examples in this article are no longer live.

Voting with a Mailto Link

This method uses mailto links. This can also be used with HTML email. For HTML email, use HTML linking.

Mailto links can only be used by those who have properly configured email software installed on their computer. They will not work with web email.

There are two ways the mailto link method can be implemented.

Probably the easiest implementation is to us pre-filled subject lines for identifying the vote. When the email arrives, the responses are filtered by subject for counting.

Example --

This poll asks whether or not you have at least one blog and, if yes, whether or not is has an RSS feed. Click the link of the appropriate answer to launch your email program. Then, send the email.

Yes, I have a blog and it has an RSS feed:
mailto:poll1@example.com?subject=Blog%20Yes%20RSS%20Yes

Yes, I have a blog, but no RSS feed:
mailto:poll1@example.com?subject=Blog%20Yes%20RSS%20No

Nope, I have no blog:
mailto:poll1@example.com?subject=Blog%20No

Thank you.

Another way to implement the mailto link method is with a different email address for each response. The responses are filtered by the receiving email address.

Example --

This asks whether you do most of your own site maintenance or have most of it done by one or more virtual assistants.

Mostly by myself:
mailto:poll.maintenance.self@example.com

Mostly by VA:
mailto:poll.maintenance.va@example.com

Thank you.

Voting with a Regular Link

This method uses regular links for voting. This can also be used with HTML email. For HTML email, use HTML linking.

This method has the advantage of requiring only one click where the mailto link requires two clicks (one to launch the email program and one to send the vote).

The link is to a special web page. When linking, the URL of the web page is followed by a ? question mark and an identification of the vote.

The special web page causes an email to be sent or the vote to be recorded in a file. There are several ways this can be done:

An SSI tag can be used to run a Perl script.
JavaScript can be used to launch a script.
PHP can be used within the web page itself.

Here is a special web page of the last type. It sends an email whenever a voting link is clicked. Change the email address in the PHP code area to the address where you want to receive polling results at.

Example --

This little survey asks how important you think automation of repetitive chores is to good web site management. Repetitive chores being such things as self-serve information delivery by autoresponder, sitemap updating, after-sale product delivery, server logs statistics compilation, and searchable support FAQ updating.

Not important:
http://example.com/poll.php?Not

Somewhat important:
http://example.com/poll.php?Somewhat

Very important:
http://example.com/poll.php?Very

Thank you!

Voting with a Form

This method puts a form in the email for voting with. It requires HTML email.

Some months ago, Possibilities subscribers participated in a test to see which email programs can use forms in HTML email.

The result of that test concluded: Most HTML email programs can successfully submit forms with method GET. However, only a few HTML email programs can submit forms with method POST.

There are a lot of form handling programs out there. Some can handle submissions with method GET. Most of those should be okay to use in HTML email. But do test the form you'll be using before sending to your entire list.

A dedicated survey software title that can handle method GET submissions is Survey Lite

The example we'll be presenting uses Master Form V4 because of its versatility. It can be made to send one or more emails, to store the responses in one or more databases, and/or to present a customized thank-you page.

All directives for Master Form V4 that are normally in hidden fields are located in a separate file. These hidden fields have to do with which email templates to use, if any, which file templates and file names to use, if any, and the location of the thank-you page along with whether or not it is to be customized.

All that is located in a separate file. The only hidden field then required is the location of that separate file.

Example --

Below, check the checkbox that best applies to how much of your income-producing work is Internet-based.

Thank you!

(For those who are interested, here is the source code of the above form.)