Surveys

A survey is a set of carefully planned questions used to gather data with a particular objective or goal in mind These questions can be completed in writing or orally, in person, on the phone, through the mail, or on the internet.

the main purpose of a survey is the fact that it is impossible to question everyone in a “population” or targeted area. It is impractical (too much time, money and effort) As a result, we use a survey on a selection of our target market to get sample responses that we can confidently project onto the greater population as a whole

In order to confidently be able to project our findings into our marketing efforts on the greater “population”, we need to ensure the survey is properly created and conducted An effective survey will consider each of the following elements:

A. SAMPLING Instead of polling each person, a "sample" is scientifically selected so that results are representative of the whole group a sample must be created so that it includes a “representative” picture of the greater population Ie – surveying a Grade 9 boys gym class about high school students’ attitudes towards the cafeteria….is this representative??

B.SAMPLE SIZE Samples are rarely ever 100% accurate, but the bigger the sample, the more likely it is valid Increased size reduces risk-but are also more time consuming and expensive The Canadian Census is considered a "100% Sample" because every Canadian is accounted for Ie - To determine the attitudes of TPS students on lunch options: it would be a valid “sample size” if 50 students were sampled in a population of 250 It wouldn’t be a valid “sample size” if 5 students were sampled in a population of 250

C.RANDOMNESS A sample is only an accurate representation of the whole if all parts of the whole have an equal chance of being sampled If the participant’s are chosen on any other basis than “being random”, it could lead to skewed results Ie – To determine the attitudes of TPS students on Lunch options: it would be “random” if 50 students were chosen randomly from a bin with all 250 students’ names inside It wouldn’t be “random” if a teacher picked the student’s that they teach (ie - may be in same grade)

D.BIASES A survey is biased if it tends to lead the respondent to select a particular opinion As marketers, we want to know what the respondent is thinking and not influence their response Ie - To determine the attitudes of TPS students on Lunch options: it would be “biased” if I asked “how would you rate the horrible food options at TPS? It wouldn’t be “biased” if I asked “what would you rate the food in the St. Mary’s cafeteria?

E.QUESTIONING A critical part of any survey The questions must be chosen and constructed with great strategy There are two main types of questions: Closed Ended Open Ended Let’s take a look at each…….

Closed Ended Questions Most surveys use closed-ended questions, which ask you to select an answer from two or more choices. These questions “funnel” the respondent’s answers to a set of provided responses Ie – yes or no, male or female, I like or dislike they are quick and simple to answer, easy to sort and analyze

Here are some sample closed-ended questions: I would buy this brand again agree uncertain disagree

Are you in high school  yes  no

Which brand names have you purchased in the last year?  Dove  Irish Spring  Ivory  Jergens  Lever 2000  Other

Rate our service using the following scale poor excellent Clean12345 Friendly staff12345

What do you look for when you shop for a computer?  ease of use  brand name  warranty

Open Ended Questions Open ended questions allow the respondent to answer the question how they see fit The information received is often very rich and detailed Let’s look at a few examples…….

“What is your opinion of Air Canada?”

“When I choose an airline, the most important consideration in my decision is _____________________________________ __________________.

“I flew Air Canada a few days ago. They gave me a cold sandwich to eat. This stirred the following thoughts and feelings in me...” Now complete the story.

Let’s look at some survey questions and see what we think………

Bad Question Examples How much time do you spend watching TV and doing housework? Two questions in one

Why is our product better than our competitor’s? Leading question

When was the first time you saw a commercial for our product? Unanswerable question

How much do you pay for entertainment? Ambiguous question

How much do you pay for entertainment and groceries weekly?  $5  $10  $15  $20 Two questions in one

Why do you think our cereal is the best tasting one on the market? Leading question

The End !!