How to Conduct Survey Results
The responsibility for conducting surveys usually falls in the realm of the marketing research professional. A lot of time and effort can go into creating and conducting surveys that get results. One must decide the best methodology for conducting the surveys, decide which questions to ask, choose an experienced agency with trained interviewers to actually do the surveys and ensure that the surveys are completed in a timely manner.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Research agency
- Properly trained interviewers
- Questionnaire
- Data tables
Instructions
-
-
1
Think about the objectives and goals of the survey from the initial meeting with the person who initiated the study or research. Organized your thoughts and think about what questions you can ask to garner the necessary information. Conduct a meeting with all managers and directors from the different functional areas, such as marketing or brand, advertising, finance, business development. Get input on information they desire from the survey.
-
2
Contact an experienced marketing research agency. Meet with the agency and explain the survey to them. Ask about interviewers: How experienced they are, the types of surveys they normally do, how they handle incomplete surveys and how the data is collected. Make sure the research agency is right for your particular project. Get their input on the best methodology (i.e. mail, phone) for the study. Decide on the best sample size for the study.
-
-
3
Start writing the questionnaire with input from the research agency. Use mostly multiple choice questions, but include several open-end questions for direct input on key issues. Keep the questionnaire to one page. Determine how long the survey will take to conduct. Set a realistic survey start and completion time with the agency.
-
4
Send a copy of the questionnaire draft to the various internal managers. Get their input. Make any necessary changes and finalize the questionnaire. Email a list of your customer base to the research agency if you are using an in-house sample.
-
5
Have the agency pre-test the survey to determine how it flows, according to Colorado State's Writing Guide: Survey Research, make any necessary changes to the questionnaire. Start the surveys. Manage the study and keep track of the agency's progress. Make sure the research agency is staying on track to meet your deadlines. Have the agency provide some early results to determine if the information is commensurate with your expectations. Obtain and study the data tables when the research has been completed. Analyze the results.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The other departments will provide a lot of suggestions for the survey, but you, the research professional, will need to ultimately determine which questions to ask and how to ask them. Try to envision the responses to each question as you write the questionnaire. Keep the questionnaire verbiage simple so the average eighth-grader could understand it.
Never try to conduct a survey in-house unless you have an experienced group of interviewers. Professional interviewers are trained to procure unbiased responses that will prevent any skewing of survey results.
