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The following represent frequently asked questions about Market Research. Why use telephone interviewing as the method for gathering data? How do you decide what numbers to call? How do you get people to talk to you and answer all of those questions? How do you decide how many interviews you must complete and how do you gather dependable information from talking with so few people? What do you mean by "qualified" interviews? How do you develop the questionnaire? What are the steps to beginning the research project? What is the research report like? What happens during the presentation of the research? Why use telephone interviewing as the method for gathering data? Our telephone interviewers are highly trained in drawing out an individual's opinions about the issues we study. With a well designed questionnaire that flows properly, the person being interviewed tends to be very honest, open, and unbiased. At the start of the interview, the individual is put at ease when told: • we are not selling anything • they will not be contacted again • their answers will be used to help improve their choices of goods and services in the market • they will not be individually identified in the research results. RETURN TO TOP How do you decide what numbers to call? Our research department identifies the area that will be called based on the project design and then, with great care, generates a random sample of telephone numbers for that area. From these numbers, our interviewers undertake what is called "random digit dialing". For example, if the number that appears on their calling sample sheet is 226-0110, they will first dial this number, then 226-0111, 226-0112, etc. until they reach a number that answers. In this way, they are calling numbers randomly drawn that may be working numbers or not. This assures that all numbers are equally likely to be selected. RETURN TO TOP How do you get people to talk to you and answer all of those questions? Nationally, about half of individuals called will participate in telephone interviews and about half will not. Obviously this varies from area to area. The strength of telephone interviewing, however, is that those who will respond and those who will not respond do not tend to be different demographically. Much of the success of the telephone interviewing we do is because of: • well trained interviewers who know how to put the person being interviewed at ease • the use of well-designed questionnaires that are precise and address the issues of interest. The proof of this is the ability of the interviewer to complete the interview and get the interviewee to share, to such a great extent, their vital demographic statistics such as income, education, etc. RETURN TO TOP How do you decide how many interviews you must complete and how do you gather dependable information from talking with so few people? The number of interviews (sample size) is determined by our head of research using proven statistical methods of sampling and being continually aware of the required validity of the data gathered. The number of interviews needed depends on the size of the market to be studied, the size of the population of targeted individuals, and the issues that are to be explored and analyzed. As you may know, many of the political polls that look at critical national issues are very dependable and involve sample sizes of less than a thousand interviews among more than one quarter billion Americans. Sample size also depends on how much the data is to be broken down into smaller groups for analysis. These are called subsets. In other words, it is one thing to look at everyone in the market, but another when we start to subdivide these into regions, into those with different types of interests and behavior, into male and female, upper and lower income, etc. This is why defining the issues to be studied is so important in designing the study and determining sample size. RETURN TO TOP What do you mean by "qualified" interviews? While research can be conducted among the "general population" (the most common type of research where anyone who answers the phone may be interviewed), most often, we interview only "adult decision makers" on the issues we are studying. For instance, if the client is interested in speaking to people who buy the food for a household, we will first ask an individual if they are such a decision maker. This then becomes a "qualified" interview. Often we will design studies using more severe qualifiers. For instance, if we are studying computer purchasing, we might be most interested in those who have some experience or interest in the category. We might therefore "qualify" the person being interviewed and only talk with those who "own a computer, work with one in their office, or have an interest in purchasing a computer". Obviously, it takes much more calling to complete an interview with such qualifiers since many people who are willing to talk, do not qualify. This increases the cost per interview, but is often a very efficient way to complete a research project. This occurs because, as qualifiers are added, the "universe" or number of people in the market that are being considered, is less and the total number of interviews that must be completed thereby reduced. RETURN TO TOP How do you develop the questionnaire? The questionnaire is developed based on the issues that are to be studied. Our proposals typically state the objectives of the research and suggest sample size and questionnaire length based on these issues. The final design is determined after the client and Strategic Decisions have reviewed the issues and determined what is most important and what the study results should yield to meet the client's needs. Once this is done, the questionnaire is developed by our research staff, taking into account the issues to be studied and the individuals to be interviewed. RETURN TO TOP What are the steps to beginning the research project? The most important part of the research is clearly defining the scope of the project including the exact area to be studies, the specific issues that are to be studied, and the goals for using the information to be gathered. The original research proposal is a based on Strategic Decision's understanding of those issues. The first step is carefully reviewing the specifics of the research project design with the client to assure it accomplishes few pages, point out the major things that were uncovered in the research process. Next, there is a marketing implications and action strategy section that lists, in clear language, what the research means to the client and how it can best be used to accomplish the client's goals. This section draws on the research as well as the marketing expertise of Strategic Decisions and its work with a wide range of clients in many different markets. The data analysis section follows the executive summary. This section takes a very detailed look at the actual data gathered and explains how the key findings were made and includes significant data from the research. Following the data analysis are charts and graphs that summarize the research data in a very easy to understand format. These charts and graphs are also delivered on overhead transparencies so they can be used during the presentation and at any time by the client to review that data or convey the research to other individuals in the organization, suppliers, etc. Finally, there are the actual data tables that give the specific responses to the research questions and look at this data in various meaningful and significant ways. RETURN TO TOP What is the research report like? The research report is prepared using the data gathered from the telephone interviewing and analyzed by our professional researcher. The written report is organized so that it is easy to understand and use. The first part is an executive summary that tells the objectives of the research and how the research was done. It also includes the key findings that, in a very few pages, point out the major things that were uncovered in the research process. Next, there is a marketing implications and action strategy section that lists, in clear language, what the research means to the client and how it can best be used to accomplish the client's goals. This section draws on the research as well as the marketing expertise of Strategic Decisions and its work with a wide range of clients in many different markets. The data analysis section follows the executive summary. This section takes a very detailed look at the actual data gathered and explains how the key findings were made and includes significant data from the research. Following the data analysis are charts and graphs that summarize the research data in a very easy to understand format. These charts and graphs are also delivered on overhead transparencies so they can be used during the presentation and at any time by the client to review that data or convey the research to other individuals in the organization, suppliers, etc. Finally, there are the actual data tables that give the specific responses to the research questions and look at this data in various meaningful and significant ways. RETURN TO TOP What happens during the presentation of the research? The first goal of the presentation is, of course, to thoroughly review the data gathered. This is done using transparencies and an overhead projector along with the research report so that notes can be made in the report as the presentation proceeds. A major focus of the presentation is not just understanding what the data says and what it means, but clearly communicating the marketing implications and action steps that the client can use in reaching the goals set out in the research project. This may nclude • Discussing the impact of the research findings on various areas of the client's business • Reviewing advertising of the client and competitors and discussing how those interviewed may have arrived at some of their perceptions uncovered in the research. As stated before, the real purpose of the research project is not just to produce data, but to produce actionable steps to address the issues studied and improve the business of the client. To this end, the action steps are reviewed in detail, discussed thoroughly, and priorities set based on the research findings and the desires of the client. Throughout the research presentation, there is an emphasis on: 1) These were the objectives. 2) This is what was found. 3) This is what can be done to positively impact the situation. RETURN TO TOP |
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