In a world where decisions are often guided by data rather than gut feelings, market research surveys become essential tools for success. But what exactly goes into conducting a market research survey, and why are they so important?

Understanding market research surveys

Market research surveys provide a window into demographic data, consumer desires, beliefs, and purchasing behaviours. For example, a survey could reveal insights into brand awareness or gauge the demand for a new product.

These surveys are a form of primary research, giving you concrete, relevant numbers to base your decisions on. For instance, survey data might show that customers in certain regions are willing to pay more for a specific product, allowing companies to adjust their pricing strategies accordingly.

Why market research surveys matter

1. Research and analyse the target market

Market research surveys help to uncover everything from customer satisfaction to how consumers react to your advertisements. Collecting demographic data allows for deeper analysis, helping businesses understand different segments of the population.

2. Measure brand awareness

A brand awareness survey is your window into consumer perceptions, frequency of usage, and how you stack up against competitors. This information is paramount when it comes to understanding your brand's position and making informed marketing decisions.

3. Gain insight into perception of your current or future products

Market research surveys provide a direct line of communication with your audience. Through product feedback surveys, you can learn what customers like, dislike, and what improvements they desire. This feedback is a must-have for successful product development and refinement.

Types of market research surveys

Market research surveys can give companies the information needed to make key decisions. However, to collect meaningful data, market researchers must be sure to select the correct type of survey based on the target audience and the overarching research goal.

Online surveys

Online surveys, also known as panel surveys, are versatile tools with a global reach. They offer a myriad of benefits for businesses conducting market research. Here's why they're a popular choice:

• Cost-effective and efficient: Online surveys, like those on award-winning platforms such as Canvas, are budget-friendly and swift in data collection. This means businesses can gather insights without breaking the bank or investing significant time.
• Ease of respondent engagement: Since they are not disclosing their answers directly to another person, respondents tend to provide more honest and candid feedback. This transparency is crucial for businesses seeking genuine insights into consumer preferences and behaviours. 
• Flexible and convenient: Online surveys offer flexibility for respondents. They can answer questions on their own schedule, at a pace they prefer. This not only enhances the user experience but also encourages higher response rates, thus attracting a large number of responses. This is beneficial for businesses aiming to collect a diverse range of opinions and perspectives from their target audience.
• Programmable flexibility: Another key advantage is the ability to program surveys, even if they're very complex. Intricate skip patterns and logic can be employed seamlessly, allowing for a tailored survey experience. Businesses can create the layout, questions, and answer choices with ease, especially when utilising a robust survey software platform like Canvas.

When it comes to survey creation, we highly recommend working with a research company that prioritises data quality. Rigorous quality control measures, such as those implemented by Milieu Insight’s Canvas, ensure that the data collected is reliable and accurate. This commitment to data quality is essential for making informed, data-driven decisions based on the survey results.

Mail surveys

With a mail survey, questionnaires are sent directly to panellists’ homes. The panellists then complete the surveys and mail them back to the company.

Though this method may seem antiquated, it allows market researchers to target segments of the population based on geography and reach people who may not part of online panels or are an underrepresented group. 

However, there are some clear downsides. Namely, it can be difficult to motivate panellists to return the surveys via mail and there is no way to ensure that the sample that responds is representative. The process is also significantly slower than other methods, particularly online surveying.

In-person interviews

In-person interviews offer a personal touch, allowing for deeper conversations and the observation of non-verbal cues. While they provide rich insights, they are more time-consuming and costly. Participants may also be hesitant to share sensitive information face-to-face.

Telephone surveys

Telephone surveys offer wide geographic reach and the ability to clarify questions in real-time. However, they can be challenging to conduct, with respondents screening calls, reluctnacy due to the rise in scam calls, and potential limitations on question complexity.

Conducting effective market research surveys

Now that we've explored the types of surveys, let's dive into how to conduct them effectively:

1. Set clear research objectives

Start the process by establishing a clear research goal. What do you hope to discover by conducting this research? Be sure to get specific here; the more granular, the better.

Examples of research objectives include:

• To better understand our customer journey, we aim to discover what triggers our five user segments to purchase Product X.
• To improve our marketing campaign, we want to assess brand awareness among consumers ages 18 to 25.

Knowing what you hope to discover will help you design an effective market research survey.

2. Identify your audience

Before you can conduct a survey, you must determine who you will be surveying. In other words, you must identify your audience. Will you be targeting existing customers? Or are you hoping to collect information about prospective consumers?

If you’re struggling with this step, let your research objective act as a guide. For example, let’s say your goal is to gauge customers’ willingness to purchase a product at a certain price point. With this in mind, you may target people who earn over a certain amount. Or, you may segment based on location to determine how different areas respond to price changes.

Again, use your research goal as a guide. Then, work to determine the key demographics of your target audience.

3. Create survey timelines

Establish when the questionnaire will be ready, when the survey will be launched, and when data collection will conclude. 

Timing impacts response rates and data quality - if you choose to send a survey at midnight, for instance, it will likely have a lower response rate than a survey sent to panellists in the morning.

4. Determine margin of error

In an ideal world, companies would survey every single consumer. But since this is unrealistic, market researchers instead survey a subset of the total population. Although the resulting data may not fully reflect every single person in the population, our goal is to make it representative.

Exactly how much your sample data differs from “true data” that would be achieved if the total population were surveyed is called the margin of error. The larger the margin of error, the higher the uncertainty. As a market researcher, it’s up to you to determine how much uncertainty is acceptable. This value will help you determine an appropriate sample size. 

5. Design and launch the survey

Design your survey with care = Structure the survey and wordsmith your questions carefully, as failing to do so can lead to biased responses. Keep it user-friendly and aligned with best practices, such as maintaining an optimal survey length. Once you've done this, it's time to launch it! With Canvas, you’ll be able to view as responses roll in in real-time.

Now that you've collected a treasure trove of responses, it’s time to uncover your findings! With Canvas, you'll be able to analyse and dive deep into the data, extracting meaningful insights by conducting significant testing (e.g., exploring comparisons with different subgroups such as men vs. women vs. the general population or Millennials vs. Gen X, etc.)These insights will empower you to make data-driven decisions and give your business a competitive edge.

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Milieu is one of the leading online survey software and marketing research agency in Singapore, enabling companies to thrive in a world driven by data.