What a sex worker can teach you about asking vivid, revealing questions

Aella is a sex researcher, writer, sex worker, and one of the most interesting people using surveys right now.

On her X account, there’s a link to “Big Kink Survey,” which she says is “probably the most accurate assessment on ‘how weird is your sexuality’ that exists on this planet.”

Go take the survey.

Although it covers fetishes, childhood trauma, and other topics most brands would probably avoid, the clear and pointed questions illustrate an invaluable survey truth: the depth and richness of customer feedback is directly proportional to the specificity and vividness of the question asked of them.

For example: let’s say you sell meal kits and you wonder if “Dine in and save more” will drive more shoppers from a social media ad to a product page.

In a survey, instead of asking “Do you plan to spend less eating out next month?” asking about specific scenarios such as “Dining at nice restaurants” or “Lunch during the work week” will reveal which pain points to message around (e.g., “Save on your work week lunches with our meal kits”).

For a cosmetics brand, instead of “How satisfied were you with your moisturizer?” I’d go with “Did your moisturizer leave your skin feeling hydrated without any greasy residue?”

I could go on but you get the idea: when your questions are specific and vivid, finding high-converting messages gets easier.

By the way if you’re interested in applying this thinking, just click on the link below to book a Roast. 

Whether you’re just starting or seeking to refine an existing survey – or asking people about food or fetishes – I’d love to help.  

https://www.sammcnerney.com/45-dollar-survey-roast