Three ways to ensure your news release about a research study meets best practices
October 12, 2010 at 4:08 pm | Posted in marketing research, PR best practices, resarch techniques, Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: pr, press release, research, survey
Generating press coverage for the findings of your research study is another way to get additional benefits from the study. There are some best practices you can follow to make it easy for reporters to understand and to ensure you are presenting information ethically and appropriately.
First, before you generate the first word of the news release, you’ll need to decide if there are any potential negative outcomes to sending the release. For example, you might want to reveal only part of the findings from the study because it included confidential information such as market share or competitive positioning. Decide how to handle the partial release of information and consider whether the benefit of news coverage of the information you are willing to share is greater than the potential risk of appearing to withhold information.
Second, work with your statistics experts to develop a straightforward disclosure statement that meets prevailing research standards. The Code of Marketing Research Standards published by the Marketing Research Association says you should disclose: 1) the method of data collection, 2) the date(s) of data collection, 3) the sampling frame, 4) the sampling method, 5) the sample size, and 6) the calculated margin of error for quantitative studies. By including this information, you provide credibility for your work and give reporters a way to relate your findings to appropriate target audiences.
Third, you may want to include supplemental information either by providing links to online information or a sidebar or background piece. The supplemental information could include additional technical information about the data collection and analysis such as a list of the actual questions asked, details of data weighting, method of respondent selection or any known limitations to the study. You may also include details of non-response and its impact on bias.
Following these guidelines will help avoid misinterpretation of your news, and will allow you to be transparent about the research.
For additional information about standards for news releases on research, go to the Marketing Research Association website at www.mra-net.org and look under the resources tab for information about public reporting of research findings.
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