Our one-question survey results
How did you hear about us?
For most cruising guides, at least those on paper, a level of brand awareness is created by the fact they sit on shelves at the local boat supply, smiling up at folks buying dock rope and head lube. Or they arrive, musty, dog-eared and outdated, with that new-to-you boat you acquired. If you want to buy a new guide, well, chances are you will buy one with which you are familiar.
Since our guides are e-books, the sort that work on laptops, tablets and smartphones, neither is an option. We aren’t sold at retail outlets and when our users sell their boat they take their precious electronic devices and their apps, including our guides, with them.
So how do people find out about us? When we started out, we advertised in regional boating magazines and websites, flogged our wares at boat shows, and even terrorized boaters in anchorages throughout the Salish Sea. We visited them in our dinghy, introducing ourselves and handing out bookmarks while they enjoyed sundowners — and yes, we do see the irony of handing out bookmarks to promote e-books that don’t have pages to bookmark.
Our one question was multiple-choice, with many options, the last being “other” with a space to describe in words how you found us.
We didn’t know how many people would complete the survey, but about 40-percent did, which according to Google is exceptional.
For some reason, many respondents typed out their answer under “other” even though they could have checked the same answer from the multiple choice list. Maybe we had too many options and folks didn’t want to read them all. We are not sure.
So we grouped them together, rounding the percentage of survey respondents to the nearest whole number.
The number one way folks found us was by doing an Internet search: 20%.
Next was word of mouth, those who found us through recommendations from friends, family or other boaters: 15%.
Close behind was clicking on a website link: 13%.
Heard about us on social media: 10%.
Found our booth at a boat show or heard a presentation we gave at the same show: 10%.
Found our listing in Pacific Yachting’s Blue Pages or read a blog that appeared on 48 North’s website: 9%.
Found us through an affiliate sales link: 6%
Some met Lynne and I randomly, either on a dock or in the anchorage, maybe as we accosted them as they tried to enjoy a quiet evening: 4%.
Saw our paid online or print advertising: 4%.
Could not remember where they heard about us, which includes those who, writing under “other,” said they heard about us when we appeared at places we have never been or in publications for which we have never advertised or wrote. That also qualifies as forgetting: 4%.
Saw a banner hanging from our boat or a poster taped up in a marina laundry: 2%.
Received the guides as a gift from another sailor, as a prize at a boating event or as a reward for donating to a charity: 2%.
Knew us before we launched the guides: 1%
Not sure where the survey results will take us, though we are very grateful to those who recommended us to others, boosting our word-of-mouth results. Nothing really stuck out to us as something we should be doing more or less of.
We have also visited many sites that specialize in marketing e-books and apps, and not really found solutions that apply to us.
Our growth is slow and steady, and the feedback we receive is positive, so maybe we will continue to do what we are doing and having fun. There is no better excuse for being on the water.
Stay safe,
Jim and Lynne
