How Are Survey Respondents Reminded About Open Surveys?

Effective reminders are key to encouraging your community to complete their pulse surveys. We know it’s easy to miss an email or start a task only to get distracted and forget to finish. At ParentPulse, we’re here to help you maximize every survey cycle and achieve response rates you can feel confident about (On average, individual response rates hover around 35%, while household response rates typically reach about 50%). That’s why we’ve built a thoughtful reminder system designed to gently nudge respondents and ensure your school collects meaningful feedback.

Here’s a breakdown of how reminders work for our pulse surveys:

  1. Initial Email Invitation

When it’s time for a respondent to participate in the survey cycle, they’ll receive an initial email invitation. This email features your school’s logo and explains your partnership with ParentPulse. It’s the first step in engaging respondents and guiding them toward sharing their feedback.

  1. Text Message Reminder

ParentPulse also supports text message reminders—and we highly recommend using them! If you’ve included respondents’ cell phone numbers in your contact import and enabled SMS Status (found on your Settings page), they’ll receive a friendly text message 48 hours after the initial email if their survey has not been submitted. This gentle nudge often improves response rates by making it even easier for people to participate.

  1. Final Email Reminder

After the text reminder, respondents will receive a final email reminder 48 hours later. 

Tips for Keeping Your Community Engaged

In addition to ParentPulse’s automated reminders, we encourage you to communicate with your community directly throughout the 90-day survey cycle. Here are a few suggestions for keep participation high:

  • Set the Stage: Before launching your survey cycle, let your community know about ParentPulse and its importance to your school. This builds awareness and anticipation.

  • Provide Gentle Nudges: Periodically remind your community to check for their survey invitations and complete them promptly. This can be especially helpful as respondents adjust to the survey rhythm. Utilize your school’s newsletter or email platform to provide regular reminders.

  • Reinforce Deadlines: Remind respondents that surveys are only available for 14 days once they receive an invitation.

With ParentPulse’s reminder system and your proactive communication, you’ll have the tools to foster strong participation and meaningful engagement.