More frequently than not, companies will launch advertising campaigns before testing their marketing content. On the surface, forgoing market research to preserve budget may make sense, but only if the advertisement campaign proves to be effective. It is rare for a product to sell itself without any advertising involved.
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4 Hazards to Avoid in Question WordingQuestion wording is the translation of the desired question content and structure into words that respondents can clearly and easily understand. Deciding on question wording is perhaps the most critical and difficult task in developing a questionnaire. If a question is worded poorly, respondents may refuse to answer it (item nonresponse) or may answer it incorrectly (response error). Unless the respondents and the researcher assign the exact same meaning to the question, the results will be seriously biased or inaccurate. By avoiding these 4 hazards in question wording, you can minimize these risks. |
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Psychographics in Market ResearchDemographic data is an important aspect of targeting criteria, but they won’t always provide a complete understanding of your target audience. Typically, it is of interest for researchers to better understand the values, opinions, and beliefs that act as explanations of consumer behavior. Luckily, the collection of psychographics can help market researchers achieve such understandings. Where demographic data will explain who the buyer is, while psychographic data will explain why they buy. |
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Product Testing Methods in Market ResearchWhether you are testing a new product, packaging idea, creative design, or any other type of stimulus, you have probably been conflicted with which testing method is best. As in most research ventures, the optimal solution will vary based on the number of concepts you are testing, your budget, and your research objectives. There are many product testing design variations to address your unique situation. |
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What’s in a Name: How to Name a New ProductWhen it comes to determining what you should name a new product, service, brand, etc., there are many things to contemplate. Does the name sound similar to any existing products? Is there a negative connotation people associate with the name? If you plan to take the name global, will it translate into other languages? How well does it roll off the tongue when used in audio soundbites for commercials and radio? Do you want it to evoke a certain emotion among consumers? There is so much to consider when choosing a name and it shouldn’t be a decision that is made in a vacuum. It is always a good idea to conduct a survey among your target market to get unbiased feedback before you invest in trademark fees, creative assets, packaging and everything else that goes into establishing a moniker. |
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Understanding the International Research EnvironmentAs economic conditions continue to improve globally, combined with the lowering of trade barriers, many companies seek expansion overseas outside of the U.S. This naturally leads to increased opportunities for market research companies to contribute significantly to the development of the new international marketing strategies needed for said expansion. |
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Using Cluster Analysis for Market ResearchIn its most general definition, a cluster is a group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together. In market research, a cluster is a collection of data objects that are similar and dissimilar to each other. The primary objective of cluster analysis is to classify objects into relatively homogeneous groups based on a set of variables considered. These variables (demographics, psychographics, buying behaviors, attitudes, preferences, etc.) can be chosen according to the market research objectives; which problems are needing to be solved and which hypotheses need to be proven or debunked. |
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AYTM Survey Editor 3.0 is Here!For the past few months the development team here at AYTM have been heads down working on the most ambitious survey editor platform update in the history of the company. On the surface we have some new, improved features and functionality while on the back-end we have significantly upgraded our foundation for rapid development. |
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Market Research Success with CultureToday we are living in an experience economy. Meaning that, a broad scope view of the marketplace supports the reality that consumers are after experiences more than ever before. This definition of experience stretches further, into things like experiencing cultural connection. People defining themselves less by things that they have and more by their thoughts, passions, causes they support, and communities they are a part of. As a result, many brands feel an unprecedented pressure to deliver on this shift in order to survive, but more importantly to grow. This new challenge is about creating cultural value, and it requires a combination of market research, cultural marketing, and embracing change. Let’s explore cultural marketing and why it is a critical component to a successful brand in today’s world. |
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How to Combat Social Desirability BiasSocial desirability bias is a type of response bias in which people tend to answer questions according to how their answers will be viewed by others instead of answering truthfully. Respondents may give you answers that are more favorably acceptable or more in line with the popular opinion or politically correct response. The answers they give may be inflated to reflect “good behavior” or under-inflated to hide “bad behavior”. |
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IIEX 2018: Innovation for the FutureThe IIeX North America conference is coming up next week, June 11 – 13th and we hope to see you there! This is your chance to learn more about the innovative market research trends and technology that are disrupting our industry. |
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How to Improve Your Data QualityMore often than not, survey creators will focus on the quantity of responses rather than the quality of the response. The notion stems from the assumption that more responses result in more accurate conclusions. However, this concept is not necessarily true. Focusing on quality data should be the foundation for any market research project. Collecting bad data can lead to bad business decisions, so it is essential to understand a few best practices that will improve the quality of your research. |
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How to Use AYTM Brand Templates – Part 2When you sign up for any type of AYTM account (from ECO to PRIME) and open your Dashboard, at the top of the “Drafts” section you’ll see a collapsible purple-colored folder entitled “AYTM SURVEY TEMPLATES LIBRARY”. When you click on that folder, 10 survey templates will appear. Our templates are your plug-and-play solution for testing logos, ads, product concepts, and more. No more guesswork or hunting down survey examples online – our team of researchers crafted these templates, and you can customize them for your needs. You don’t have to worry about accidentally deleting the folder or any of the templates within it because they’ll always be there for your use! To learn more about a template, click on the gear icon to the right of it. To start using a template, simply click on the clone/edit button to clone the survey to your account and begin editing. |
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Introduction to GDPRWhat’s GDPR & Who’s Affected?On May 25th, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will enter into effect in the European Union. The new privacy laws will have a fundamental impact on how organizations handle data. The GDPR replaces the previous EU Data Protection Directive with the intention of modernizing data privacy laws across Europe. Online surveys, which are at the forefront of any consumer, market, or employee research, also need to be made compliant with the updated regulations. However, GDPR applies to more than just market research organizations and reaches far beyond Europe. If any part of your individual or organizational processes EU citizens data, regardless of whether that processing occurs inside or outside of the EU, then the GDPR applies to you. Storing any personally identifiable data within those categories is considered a processing activity and requires GDPR compliance. |
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Creative: Survey Visuals and How They Help Your ResultsFor researchers and business owners alike, one of the most exciting parts of conducting a quantitative survey is reviewing the data once the study completes. Although, how does one successfully present their findings to an audience without boring everyone to sleep? With the gathered respondent feedback, it is possible to make the data more engaging by including unique visuals in your final report. Survey data can be easily translated into graphs and charts that will paint a clear and insightful picture for how an organization should proceed. |
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Living the Ruff Life – A Portrait of Dog OwnershipFor many thousands of years, humans and dogs have lived together harmoniously. Whether through hunting wild game, guarding livestock, or providing companionship, dogs have secured a permanent place in our hearts. What motivates today’s dog owners to get a dog? How much money do they spend on their dog per month/year? Does their dog sleep in bed with them? We surveyed 1,000 dog owners to find out. |
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How to Use AYTM Brand Templates – Part 1Brand and Competitor Assessment TemplateWhen you sign up for any type of AYTM account (from ECO to PRIME) and open your Dashboard, at the top of the “Drafts” section you’ll see a collapsible purple-colored folder entitled “AYTM SURVEY TEMPLATES LIBRARY”. When you click on that folder, 10 survey templates will appear. Our templates are your plug-and-play solution for testing logos, ads, product concepts, and more. No more guesswork or hunting down survey examples online – our team of researchers crafted these templates, and you can customize them for your needs. You don’t have to worry about accidentally deleting the folder or any of the templates within it because they’ll always be there for your use! To learn more about a template, click on the gear icon to the right of it. To start using a template, simply click on the clone/edit button to clone the survey to your account and begin editing. |
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Gain Better Insights With Open-ended QuestionsWhen conducting online quantitative surveys, it is typical to use closed-ended questions more so than open-ended questions. This is because, closed-ended questions provide answer categories and result in quantitative data that is easy to analyze. It is also easier and faster for respondents to answer closed-ended questions. While open-ended questions do not provide answer categories, they do allow the respondent to answer the question in his or her own words. It takes more thought and effort from the respondent, but this results in qualitative data which is valuable in its raw form, and can also be coded and quantified. |
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The Evolution of Research: Embracing AutomationResearch has existed since the early 1900’s when Herman Hollerith revolutionized data collection for the US Census by introducing punch cards. Market Research as we know it today was pioneered by people like Daniel Starch or George Gallup, who developed the theory of aided recall that is still used in advertising research today. While we are still using Gallup’s theories the evolution of the internet and technology has allowed us to gather data faster and cheaper without sacrificing quality and gaining even deeper insights about consumers. |
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How Market Research Trends Can Help Save the SurveyFor all the change we talk about happening in the market research industry, a lot of what we do really hasn’t changed much. Qualitative techniques are tried and true, and still have a prominent role in providing insights in both consumer and B2B settings. And while there seems to be a lot of momentum around big data and social listening, the survey is still king. |
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Unlock Your MROC’s Potential: Making the Most of Your Online CommunityWhether you’re just getting started or have been utilizing them for years, market research online communities (MROCs) are a modern, hybrid approach to collecting both qualitative and quantitative data in a cost-efficient way by engaging with a community of respondents in a private forum that is usually invite-only. Online communities can last anywhere from one project spanning a few weeks to functioning as a semi-permanent source of respondents and information. Social media, remote working, flex hours, smart phones, tablets – technology enables people to be connected online 24/7 and contacted more quickly and easily than ever. Many generations of respondents you’ll be interested in talking to over the next several years have grown up with the internet and may find discussing product usage or brand preferences more natural on a MROC app than in a contrived focus group setting – not to mention, much more convenient. While there are many advantages of using online communities, to ensure you’re gathering the most useful and insightful data from your target market, be sure to follow these tips for a successful project. |
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Monitoring Respondent Answers for Quality DataWith ever-evolving research solutions most surveys are fielded online nowadays, which, although expedient, generates risks associated with successfully evaluating the quality of respondent’s answers. However, there are numerous, useful, indicators that will help assess whether or not respondents are providing candid responses. Collecting and analyzing bad data can be worse than having no data. With no data, one can rely on experiences, but interpreting bad data will likely spoil important business decisions. It is vital to monitor the quality of your research data to ensure that your findings and endorsements are of the highest caliber. Luckily, there are tell-tale signs that will reveal when respondents are giving bad data. |
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The Role of Experimentation in Market ResearchImagine you’re the product manager for a line of athleisure wear. You’re hoping to launch your newest product line at a major department store to round out the brand’s total offering, increase sales, and grow your brand’s floor and shelf presence. Unfortunately, the sportswear department’s buyer isn’t convinced this new line is needed, fearing it will cannibalize sales from your brand’s current assortment. To support your theory that the new line will yield incremental sales, you suggest conducting an in-store test by launching the new product line at a handful of stores representative of the total market and comparing sales and basket data pre- and post- launch. The sportswear buyer agrees to a 5 week in-store test, and you’re eager for the opportunity to win the additional business. Now, it’s time to start carefully planning for this in-field experimental research and learn if your hypothesis (the new line will create incremental sales) can be inferred based on the test market findings. |
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Margin of Error Made EasyMargin of error can predict how survey findings will be distributed relative to the true population being studied. A margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, at a 95% confidence level, means that if the same survey was fielded 100 times, the results will be within 4 percentage points of the true population value, 95 of those times. Survey data may not perfectly match the population being studied, but margin of error allows researchers to feel confident about a certain percentage of the time, within a range above or below the ideal estimate, represented by a margin that is believed to be least in error. |
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How to Use AYTM Creative Templates – Part 2Our team of researchers has crafted four customizable creative test survey templates. They’re your plug-and-play solution for testing ads, commercials, product concepts, and more. No more guesswork or hunting down survey examples online – our research team has done the heavy lifting for you! |
