10 things great market researcher project managers do: Challenge all assumptions Document deliberate project goals Think precisely about sample sources and screening criteria Plan for contingencies Manage client expectations (internal… Continue reading 10 Things Great Market Research Project Managers Do
“Market research firm releases pet ownership study: Forgets to survey people who own cats.”
Can you imagine? Conducting a study on a topic, and forgetting to include participants who represent a large percent of the market?
It happens all too often. And we cannot blame the DIY researchers. I have met the enemy, as the saying goes, and it is us.
If you are tracking customer satisfaction at regular intervals, say quarterly or monthly, you may have found that your colleagues want explanations for every increase or decrease in scores—even minor… Continue reading Customer Satisfaction Survey Results: Jumping To Conclusions
Technology is fundamentally changing how, when, where and with whom we do research. buy wellbutrin online buy wellbutrin no prescription generic These changes fundamentally challenge the market research industry’s tired… Continue reading Technology Ran Over Our Dogma
One of the easiest ways to improve budget efficiency is to simply ask your research suppliers: “What options can you offer to reduce our research costs?” Let them know you are open to creative ideas.
There are several points in a market research project where you, as the client-side manager, need to be particularly cautious. Here are two of the big ones.
Do these websites matter? Aren’t they just electronic billboards?
I think they do matter. A lot of people who buy and use market research visit agency websites. And frankly, they are more likely to visit an agency site than that of a professional association (such as the MRA or CASRO) or of a trade publication (such as Quirk’s or Research Magazine). So these agency websites are, intentionally or not, a key source of client education.
Websites are the virtual storefronts of market research agencies. It’s where you often get your first impression of a potential research supplier. You peek in the window and see if the goods are narrow or diverse, dated or current. You get an impression about personality and culture. You may even get a sense of trustworthiness.
But if you have ever looked at more than 2 or 3 agency web sites, you will see that the quality and content vary dramatically. Almost dismayingly so.
So how to compare them?…
Are you bringing more market research in-house? Relying less on outside market research agencies? That can be a perfectly reasonable choice—for many reasons. But before you …
Excerpts from the book, How to Hire & Manage Market Research Agencies.
