For example, imagine that you own a company that sells and repairs computer equipment. Your goal with a marketing survey might be to figure out how many students at a local college know about your business and how likely they would be to buy from you for their next computer purchase or repair.
Narrow your market research to a short list of desired data: buying habits, for example, or average income. For the computer repair business’s situation mentioned above, this is fairly simple. You would be looking at college students. But, you could potentially try to focus on higher-income or more tech-focused students that could afford to buy more from you.
Also clarify what type of information you want. You can ask qualitative questions, which ask for information that cannot be directly measured in numbers, like if the customer has any suggestions to improve a product or service. Alternately, you can ask quantitative questions, which ask for a numerical or quantifiable input, like asking for a rating from 1 to 10 of the effectiveness of the product. You may also wish to figure out specifically what drove your previous customers to buy your product. In this case, be sure to ask recent buyers (within the last month) specific questions about their buying experience and how they heard about your product. You can amplify what these buyers found successful and fix any issues they experienced. [1] X Research source For the computer repair example, you could focus on how likely your previous customers are to return to you or how likely new customers would be to come to you rather than a competitor.
When reaching out to customers, consider who your audience is. It can be either the goal demographic you determined earlier or just a group of your past customers. Be sure to keep your target audience in mind, especially with online surveys. Your target market, especially if they are older, may not be accessible through online channels. [2] X Research source For example, the computer repair business might decide to interview students in person in a central location on campus or online through a commonly-visited website.
Questionnaires can be administered either in person, through the mail, or online. Interviews can be conducted in person or over the phone. Questionnaires are effective for market research and obtaining answers to closed-ended questions, however they might be expensive to print and can limit the respondent’s capacity to express their thoughts. [4] X Research source Interviews allow the interviewer to develop follow-up questions to explore the respondent’s thoughts more clearly, however they are more time-consuming for the interviewer. [5] X Research source Group questionnaires can be an effective way to attain results as respondents can collaborate to come up with more informative responses to your questions. [6] X Research source
Some of the most reputable and well-known platforms include SurveyMonkey, Zoomerang, SurveyGizmo, and PollDaddy.
Your sample size requirements depend on how accurate you would like your results to be. The larger the survey size, the more reliable your results become. For example, a survey size of 10 participants leaves you with a very large margin of error (about 32 percent). This would mean that your data are essentially unreliable. However, a sample size of 500 gives you a more reasonable margin of error of 5 percent. [7] X Trustworthy Source Science Buddies Expert-sourced database of science projects, explanations, and educational material Go to source If possible, have your participants report demographic information on your survey. This can be as general or specific as you like. And make sure to put these questions at the beginning of the survey. [8] X Research source Be warned, though, that many people avoid surveys that ask for personal information. For example, as the owner of the computer repair business mentioned above, you would want to interview a statistically significant number of students, perhaps splitting them up by major, age, or gender.
If your goal is to get your customers’ real thoughts, focus on creating open-ended questions that customers can respond to with their actual thoughts, rather than with a rating or a multiple-choice response. [9] X Research source However, if you want numerical results, be sure that your answers in some way reflect that. For example, you could have participants rate products or services from 1 to 10.
If your goal is to get your customers’ real thoughts, focus on creating open-ended questions that customers can respond to with their actual thoughts, rather than with a rating or a multiple-choice response. [9] X Research source However, if you want numerical results, be sure that your answers in some way reflect that. For example, you could have participants rate products or services from 1 to 10.
For example, your computer business could ask students how likely, from 1 to 10, they are to visit your store or what type of computer accessories they want most, depending on the type of information you need.
For example, as the computer business owner, you could do this by screening participants before the survey. If you think you primarily do business with engineering students, only accept surveys from them, even if history or english majors are more likely to respond to your survey.
Your survey isn’t too long or complicated. Doesn’t make irrational assumptions about your target market. Asks questions in the most direct way possible. [10] X Research source
For an online survey, this would be the time period that your survey is open for (how long respondents have to complete the survey). For example, imagine that for your computer business, your target market of engineers are busy all day with labs. You would want to schedule your survey either before or after this period.
For example, as the computer business owner, you may choose several locations and days to survey students with different schedules.
Scan through your responses for really great quotes from customers. Anything particularly memorable, creative, or positive can be recycled for the company’s future advertising. [12] X Research source
