Planning your first multinational market research study? That’s fantastic! Global market research is thrilling—what insights professional wouldn’t love uncovering insights that can make a company truly customer-centric on a global scale? But let’s be real: international studies are a whole lot more complex than single-country ones.
It’s natural to feel a bit of stage fright. Balancing cultural differences (which can lead to variations in response behavior), managing translation and localization, and collecting data across 10 or more countries can feel like trying to play every instrument at once. But don’t worry—you don’t have to go solo. We’re here to help. Below are a few insider tips from Research Rockstar’s course, Conducting Global Market Research. And these are just a few of the many evidence-based best practices included in the full course!
Global Studies Are Exciting but Risky
The potential insights from multinational studies can be transformative, but these big insights rewards come with potential risks, such as inconsistent data quality, complex translation and/or localization needs, and logistical challenges. Know the risks so you can mitigate them. Click here for a related 1-minute video.How to Boost Survey Response Rates for Multinational Studies
Low survey response rates can derail any research project, and for global studies, this is an especially high risk. The good news is that there are known best practices that can help optimize response rates. One tip is to send survey invitations locally; that is, send them from in-country people with familiar-sounding names, addresses, or phone numbers. Research shows that in-country survey invitations can get higher response rates versus those from other countries. Click here for a related 1-minute video.How to Improve Data Quality by Adapting Survey Modes
Using a one-size-fits-all survey mode (like online-only) across all countries may seem wise (and there are advantages), but it can sacrifice data quality. To rock your data quality, consider if you should adapt your survey mode to match each country’s response behaviors—some markets respond better to phone interviews, while others engage more with in-person or online options. This adjustment can elevate data quality, though it does add complexity. Click here for a related 1-minute video.
Ready to be a (Global) Research Rockstar?
For more insider tips and evidence-based best practices, check out our course, Conducting Global Market Research. We’re here to help make your first global project a smash hit!
