The Marketing Survey By: Master Ence

Constructing the Questionnaire Must measure what was intended to be measured (validity) Results can be produced again (reliability)

Writing Questions Open-ended questions – ask respondents to construct their own response to a question Example: “What changes or additions to this coat would you recommend?” General comments or suggestions are also examples. Forced-choice questions – respondents choose answers from given possibilities. Two-choice questions, multiple-choice, rating or ranking scales, and/or level of agreement.

Two-Choice Questions Yes/No Questions – should only be used when asking for response on one issue. “Was our facility clean?” “Was our facility well maintained?” NOT “Was our facility clean and well maintained?”

Multiple-Choice Questions Give respondent several choices Make the options comprehensive enough to include every possible response. “other” option useful – more accurate responses “When you have a choice of all the car rental companies listed below, which do you prefer?” (check only one) Alamo Hertz Avis National Budget Thrifty Enterprise Other__________________

Rating Scale Questions Very satisfied to very dissatisfied Excellent to poor Example: How would you rate your reception by the front desk staff? Helpfulness Check-In Speed Excellent Good Fair Below Average Excellent Good Fair Below Average

Rating Scale Continued… Level of Agreement Questions When assessing attitudes or opinions Example: Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements based on your personal preference: “I am extremely health conscious.” Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

Basic Writing Guidelines Write each question clearly As brief as possible Same ranking/rating scales for questions Do not ask leading questions (“Do you prefer X or the more reasonably priced Z?”) Avoid bias No guessing from respondent Pretest questions

Formatting Excellent visual appearance & design Dark ink on light paper Easy-to-read font Short enough to answer quickly Number the questions Group any demographic questions at the end of questionnaire

Administering Questionnaire A mailed questionnaire: Have a deadline Personalize if possible Include cover letter to explain purpose of survey Include postage-paid envelope

Administering Questionnaire In-person survey: Brief explanation of survey’s purpose placed on questionnaire Unbiased participant selection Can collect reactions while interviewing

Administering Questionnaire Incentives: Drawings Coupon for the company’s product