Philosophers & Market Researches, One in the Same? Dancing in the Consumer's Shoes

Just who we are is a question that has been asked by philosophers since time immemorial. Market research professionals are no different than those wise men from ancient Greece in this regard. Our task is to create an understanding of the consumer’s mind in which we can shape our brand positioning...read more

Checking in on Culturally Sensitive Topics

In the course of survey research several topics have developed a reputation for being ‘sensitive’. In short this means the topical areas are perceived to be just short of off limits by the culture we live in. Examples include cultural diversity, recreational drug use, sexual activity, alcohol use,...read more

Keeping your panelists in the loop

The rise of online polls and surveys has lead many market researchers to create their own online panels. The reasons behind this trend are many, but namely include the lower cost of sample and the relative ease of deploying a project, especially in terms of time needed to fill the quota. Online...read more

Adding customer feedback to the planning process

Building on a previous entry about exceeding market expectations, this post will look at a particular type of survey, the planning survey. If you are in B2B market research you are likely familiar with the requests of internal clients who need to budget and schedule for the coming year. The timing...read more

To Brand or Not to Brand (Your Survey)

To brand or not to brand is the question. Market researchers face this with every survey they release. Should they design the survey with corporate approved colors and logos or should they go plain Jane and avoid the design elements? There are good reasons for both. The advent of online survey...read more

Adding Alerts to Surveys

One of the key roles researchers play in both consumer and B2B marketing research is that of advocate for the voice of the customer. We fulfill this role with both quantitative and qualitative data collection, including social media analysis. Given that the pace of information is increasing what can...read more

Benefits of VOC Programs

We talk a lot on this blog about how your customers are arguably your best source of information on your brand image, service offerings, and overall customer experience. Taking advantage of this resource to have an honest conversation with your target audience is referred to as utilizing "Voice of...read more

The Market Research Balancing Act

The choice is yours as the survey creator. How we phrase a question impacts our ability to gather feedback and conduct survey data analysis. I was reminded of this recently when looking at a question regarding annual spend per employee on training. There are two basic options we as survey authors...read more

With Social Media Campaigns, It's All About the Lead and the Finish

Those running social media campaigns can take a tip from presentation and meeting professionals: If you want people to remember your pitch and your product, focus on the beginning and end. For example, you well know that first impressions matter, and if you've ever attended a conference, it's often...read more

Level I Evaluations: Items Selection and Piloting

In the last blog on Level 1 Evalations, we looked at different scales that can be used in creating a survey. Here let us consider some of the characteristics the items on the scales need to have so that the respondents can answer the survey effectively. “Items” means the “questions” or “statements”...read more
The Rise of the Smart Phone: Are you Leverging Mobile? 10 Tips for Mobile-Friendly Survey Creation