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 are live. Please take the surveys and do the polls. Thank you.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
Surveys and Polls by Email
Now you know several methods to deliver surveys and polls by
email.
