Gone are the days…of “perfect” random representative sample
September 21, 2009 at 11:26 am | In marketing research | Leave a CommentTags: marketing, marketing research, online surveys, sampling
If the days of a perfect random sample ever existed, they are gone like the snows of yesteryear.
Those of us in marketing research understand this and are working with the sampling available to provide the most appropriate sampling frame possible for each project. We know that a RDD (Random Digit Dialing) sample is not perfect due to the increase of cell only households, especially for urban dwellers, minorities and younger adult populations. Add to that the issues surrounding contacting cell phones without prior authorization, and the issue becomes more complex.
The purpose of a marketing research project is to obtain information for decision-making on specific issues. Explaining the sampling method used and listing any limitations that exist are good research practices when reporting findings. This information allows research users to consider the “perfection” of the data.
Sampling people’s opinions is not the same as randomly sampling objects as they come off an assembly line. Individuals may not be easily reached during the period of a research study; individuals may decline to participate; individuals may have different methods of preferred contact such as by email rather than by telephone.
An article in the September issue of MRA’s Alert! “The Virtues of Consistent Bias: Online Research Must Move On” by Steve Gittelman and Elaine Trimarchi, PRC, provides a thoughtful look at online sampling, specifically. They recommend that we consider the element of consistency when using online sampling, and they suggest using multiple sources, if possible.
The key concept of this column is that for many populations in marketing reserch, identification of all members is frequently difficult at best, and impossible at worst. Additionally, it may not be possible to reach a completely random representative sampling by any one method. The “old” concept of always using probability sampling no longer works in many, if not most, instances. Instead we must define our sampling practices and make decisions using our best judgement. We must move forward into the age of non-probability sampling fully informed.
Online surveys are easy to implement–Poorly
June 24, 2009 at 6:07 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment“The law firm partners know customer opinion research can lead to improvements in relationships, and that client relationships are more important in this economy than ever, yet they won’t spend money on it,” my friend–marketing advisor to law firms–told me.
Remove the words “law firm partners” and replace with “management of this business or organization” and the sentence fits many situations today.
Some managers decide that research is “just writing questions” and that internal writers in HR, PR, marketing or administrative assistants can use the “free or cheap” online tools and just wirte the survey and send it out without considering an analytical plan or validated survey design.
Think back to when everyone became a desktop designer and publisher, and communication had little if any concern for branding or consistency. The free-whelling, do-it-yourself days are here now for online surveys. Managers who want to “save money” require / allow staff with little or no training or education in statistics or marketing research theory to use the easily available online tools to question members, donors, employees, clients, customers, and other stakeholders.
Do-it-yourself surveys are great in situations in which the risk of making a mistake is small, in which the resources at risk are limited, in which the decisions to be made are minor and in which the potential to have incorrect information is better than having no information.
We encourage those well-meaning managers who think they don’t have resources for research expertise to weigh the risk of getting what they pay for. Before embarking on a do-it-yourself project, explore all options for obtaining research expertise. Examples: consultation up-front on survey design and analytical plan and / or assistance with analysis and interpretation. Even the best athletes require coaches.
Online surveys combined with traditional methods are becoming the norm
April 27, 2009 at 3:08 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: online surveys, research, surveys
43% of survey research in 2008 was conducted online, according to recent studies by Inside Research, reported in the recent issue of the Interactive Marketing Research Organization.
However, most of us in the research field recommend combining online data collection with another research method in order to provide better response opportunities.
Telephone surveys offer more opportunities to clarify responses and to probe with open-end questions.
If you are considering a marketing research project, ask your researcher about the benefits of multi-mode data collection. Yes, you may spend a bit more, but you reach more respondents and obtain better results.
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