Most surf businesses use their newsletter for one thing: Promotions
“New retreat dates live.”
“Custom board slots open.”
“Last spots for next week’s surf camp.”
And you know what? I reckon that’s fine… when you’re just getting a foothold. But your email list can do something far more valuable than just sell. It can tell you what your audience actually wants!
That’s where surveys come in. And before you imagine a long corporate questionnaire, that’s not it. Surveys can be super simple and unobtrusive and, well… approachable.
They’re also a gamechanger for brands that know how to use them.
Let me explain.
Why surveys matter (especially in surf businesses)
If you run anything under the surfing umbrella, a surf school, retreat, board, coaching program, surf brand, you’re constantly making decisions:
- Should we offer more intermediate sessions?
- Do people understand the difference between our board models?
- Are retreat prices too confusing?
- Why are enquiries high but bookings low?
- Should we add video analysis to our coaching?
And most of the time, we guess. We take a stab in the dark and assume we know what our audience is thinking. But that’s like paddling into a lineup with your eyes closed. You might catch something… but it’s mostly luck.
Surveys replace guessing with clarity. So instead of assuming what your audience thinks, you ask them. And when you ask the right questions, they’ll tell you exactly what’s going on.
You don’t need a huge email list
This is the first objection I hear when I broach the subject with clients.
“But I only have 300 subscribers.”
To which I say, “Perfect”! Smaller lists are often more engaged. Smaller lists are more receptive. Smaller lists are the best. Think about it.
If 10–20% respond, that’s 30–60 real opinions from real surfers. That’s insight you can actually use. You don’t need thousands of responses.
You just need to look for the patterns.
What you should actually ask
This is where most people mess it up. They ask surface-level questions like:
- “How would you rate your experience?”
- “Would you recommend us?”
Which is nice for testimonials. Not useful for strategy. Instead, ask questions that reveal friction, confusion and desire.
Here are better examples depending on your business.
For surf schools and coaches
- What almost stopped you from booking your first lesson?
- What felt unclear before you arrived?
- What was the most frustrating part of learning?
For surf retreats
- What made you hesitate before booking?
- What matters most to you in a retreat (coaching, vibe, location, food, price)?
- What would make a retreat feel “worth it” to you?
For surfboard shapers
- What confuses you most when choosing a board?
- What makes you nervous about ordering custom?
- Why would you choose custom over off-the-rack?
For surf brands
- What’s the hardest part about buying surf gear online?
- What do you look for first… price, durability, sustainability, brand?
- What would make you switch brands?
These answers shape your:
- Website copy
- Product descriptions
- Retreat pages
- FAQs
- Pricing structure
- Even your positioning
Keep it short (very short)
This is uber important. Whatever you do, don’t send a 20-question survey.
This is akin to meeting someone for the very first time and asking them about a difficult memory from their childhood. You’ll overwhelm them and the result will be that they don’t fill out the survey at all. My advice is to start with:
3 to 5 questions MAX.
Because if it takes longer than 2–3 minutes, response rates drop fast. A simple structure works best:
- 1 multiple-choice question
- 2–3 short written responses
- Optional name/email at the end
That’s enough! You’ll uncover real insights from that. Trust me.
Tools that make this easy
Wondering which survey tools are best? You don’t need anything complicated. Here are my favourite beginner-friendly options:
Typeform
Clean, modern, easy to use. Great if you want something that feels polished and simple. Check out Typeform.
Google Forms
Free. Basic. Gets the job done. Perfect if you don’t care about design and just want answers. Give Forms a gander.
SurveyMonkey
More advanced options if you want detailed reporting and filtering. Get your SurveyMonkey on.
Tally
Simple and lightweight. Good alternative to Typeform if you want something minimal. Tally ho!
All of these let you:
- Create a survey in minutes
- Share it via a link in your newsletter
- View responses in one place
And the best part? Zero coding required.
What to look for in the responses
Ok, this is where things get interesting. And where it helps to have a Surfing Copywriter in your corner. Because believe it or not, amigo, the magic isn’t in one answer. It’s in repeated themes. If multiple people say:
“I wasn’t sure which board size to order.”
That’s a clarity problem. If several retreat guests mention:
“I was nervous about not being good enough.”
That’s a messaging opportunity. If beginners say:
“I didn’t know if I’d be fit enough.”
That’s a homepage headline waiting to happen. Survey responses expose blind spots. And blind spots quietly cost sales.
Turn survey answers into content
Now that you have your answers, it’s time to leverage them for your benefit. Remember, every response pattern can become:
- A homepage section
- A product explanation
- A retreat FAQ
- A blog post
- An email
- A social media topic
If five surfers say:
“I didn’t know if a custom board would suit my level.”
That’s your next article:
“How to know if you’re ready for a custom surfboard.”
Your audience will tell you exactly what to write. You just have to ask and then look for the patterns.
When to run surveys
You don’t need to do this constantly. Good times to survey:
- After a retreat season ends
- Before launching a new board model
- When bookings dip
- Before raising prices
- Before redesigning your website
Survey first. Change second. Most businesses do that backwards or leave out the survey entirely.
Remember… your email list is a live focus group!
Your newsletter list isn’t just a sales channel. It’s a room full of:
- Past customers
- Future customers
- Curious surfers
- People considering buying
Instead of guessing what they want, ask them. Three to five questions can reshape your messaging, products, pricing and positioning faster than months of quiet tweaking.
One of my favourite sayings is work smarter, not harder. And this is almost the embodiment of that. So go forth and use this advice for good. I guarantee your email list will be stoked to have someone ask them, “What did you think about your last XXXX”.
Need help setting it up?