How to Conduct Survey Marketing
Surveys help to facilitate decisions, detect problems and shape products and services according to consumer expectations.
There are two major survey methods: qualitative, based on personal in-depth interviews, and quantitative, based on statistical data obtained from a sample of individuals.
Usually a combination of both techniques delivers the best results, but the choice of survey method depends on objectives, time and available budget.
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Instructions
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Define research objectives
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Define the objectives you have for the survey. In order to get structured and useful results, define your overall objectives in a "SMART" fashion -- specific, measurable, achievable and having time constrains. Determine what information you need to achieve these objectives and use the survey questions to get that information.
For example, an objective "to attract more guests to a restaurant" is too broad to be useful, but "increase the number of returning family guests by 20 percent in the next three months" addresses the issue in a specific fashion and narrows the research area.
A restaurant owner seeking to attract more families may think about the importance of the various factors that attract these guests, such as menu, pricing, location and service, and verify or eliminate her assumptions with the survey.
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Choose a survey method based on its advantages in reaching specific audience or goal. Online surveys reach a broad group of Internet users, on-site surveys can target specific shoppers, and telephone or mail surveys can reach the audience based on the geographical area, professional affiliation or income. Focus groups provide deeper insights about consumers' motivations, however this method takes a lot of time and effort.
Choosing an appropriate group of people to participate in the survey is the most critical success factor. For example, the same restaurant owner looking for more family guests will benefit only from a survey of married couples with children.
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Design a questionnaire that is precise and understandable by the general public. Two types of questions are usually asked: closed questions with a list of possible answers to choose from and open questions that allow full answers. Closed questions are usually easier to answer and provide more relevant data.
Make sure you include such information as gender, age, profession and marital status. People usually dislike questions about their income and personal life, therefore ask about those items at the end of the survey and provide multiple answer options.
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Conduct the survey. It is necessary to have at least 400 respondents for credible results. At this number the sampling error amounts to less than 5 percent, which is an acceptable error level.
Smaller samples can be considered for the survey, but the findings will give general guidelines without as much reliability.
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Process the data and implement results. Analysts use statistical software such as SPSS or Excel to process results. Keep the analysis relevant to your survey objectives and use the survey results for practical implementation.
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Tips & Warnings
Use fewer open questions; people often give answers that are hard to structure.
If you use a long questionnaire, make sure respondents know how many questions are left till the end of the survey. This can help keep respondents engaged and will increase motivation to complete the questionnaire.
Resources
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