A great way to find out exactly what your target market expects of you and/or your website is to ask them via a survey.  Many times, your family and friends won't tell you how you can improve your services, how to improve the information you provide or in what ways you can improve your website. They won't tell you because, in most cases, they don't know and, if they know, they are afraid to tell you.  Another reason family and friends don't know how to help is simply because they are not currently a buyer/seller or a member of your niche.
 
The purpose of a survey is more than the obvious (you want their opinion).  A survey allows you to build a relationship of trust.  There is a saying I am quite fond of, "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care".  A survey lets your target market know that you care about their opinions and meeting their needs.
 
Who to survey:

    *      Website visitors
    *      Blog readership
    *      Prospects
    *      Clients past and/or present
 
Where to post a survey:

    *      Post a short survey on your blog.
    *      Email a survey to your contact list or to a specified target group.
    *      Post a survey on your website for a specified amount of time.
 
How to ask survey questions:

    *      Keep it simple, concise and focused.
    *      Ask short simple questions that can easily be answered with a yes or no.
    *      Ask multiple-choice questions.
    *      Mix it up a bit with both yes/no and multi-choice questions.
    *      Conclude your survey with a comment box for additional feedback.
 
What to ask in a survey:

    *      Website design: Do they find the text easy to read and the site easy to navigate?
    *      Website content: Did they find the information they were looking for and was it helpful?
    *      Customer/Client service
    *      Are you aware: Tax credits for first-time buyer or home improvements, low down payment loan programs, the benefits of an FHA loan, etc.
    *      Questions that provide the type of feedback you feel is important.
 
Survey Tips:

    *      Assure participants that any private information will remain private and confidential.
    *      Always say Thank You.
    *      Publish the results of the survey on your website or blog and invite comments.
 
Don't forget to thank all those who participate in the survey with a "thank you" and a free gift.  I think the best gift is something that can be downloaded immediately after the survey is completed.  You could offer a free report or an ebook of interest to your target market.  An automated email sent immediately after the survey is submitted that includes the gift attached is also acceptable.  Make sure that the gift you choose is of value and will make the participant feel they have been rewarded for their time.
 
The answers to your survey may be enlightening or surprising.  But, whatever the results are, act on them.  It is not your opinion that matters.  It is the opinion of those you serve.  After all, they are they ones that will keep you in business.
 
Survey Tool:
Surveymonkey.com

Pamela Cendejas - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!