oratory research has identified. Interviews are structured and formal in approach. Of the two, specific research is the more expensive.
When conducting primary research using your own resources, first decide how you'll question your targeted group: by direct mail, telephone, or personal interviews.
If you choose a direct-mail questionnaire, the following guidelines will increase your response rate:
- Questions that are short and to the point
- A questionnaire that is addressed to specific individuals and is of interest to the respondent
- A questionnaire of no more than two pages
- A professionally-prepared cover letter that adequately explains why you're doing this questionnaire
- A postage-paid, self-addressed envelope to return the questionnaire in. Postage-paid envelopes are available from the post office
- An incentive, such as "10 percent off your next purchase," to complete the questionnaire
Even following these guidelines, mail response is typically low. A return rate of 3 percent is typical; 5 percent is considered very good. Phone surveys are generally the most cost-effective. Here are some telephone survey guidelines:
- Have a script and memorize it--don't read it.
- Confirm the name of the respondent at the beginning of the conversation.
- Avoid pauses because respondent interest can quickly drop.
- Ask if a follow-up call is possible in case you require additional information.
In addition to being cost-effective, speed is another advantage of telephone interviews. A rate of five or six interviews per hour is typical, but experienced interviewers may be able to conduct more. Phone interviews also can cover a wide geographic range relatively inexpensively. Phone costs can be reduced by taking advantage of less expensive rates during certain hours.
One of the most effective forms of marketing research is the personal interview. They can be either of these types:
- A group survey. Used mostly by big business, group interviews or focus groups are useful brainstorming tools for getting information on product ideas, buying preferences, and purchasing decisions among certain populations.
- The in-depth interview. These one-on-one interviews are either focused or nondirective. Focused interviews are based on questions selected ahead of time, while nondirective interviews encourage respondents to address certain topics with minimal questioning.
Secondary research uses outside information assembled by government agencies, industry and trade associations, labor unions, media sources, chambers of commerce, and so on. It's usually published in pamphlets, newsletters, trade publications, magazines, and newspapers. Secondary sources include the following:
- Public sources. These are usually free, often offer a lot of good information, and include government departments, business departments of public libraries, and so on.
- Commercial sources. These are valuable, but usually involve cost factors such as subscription and association fees. Commercial sources include research and trade associations, such as Dun & Bradstreet and Robert Morris & Associates, banks and other financial institutions, and publicly traded corporations.
- Educational institutions. These are frequently overlooked as valuable information sources even though more research is conducted in colleges, universities, and technical institutes than virtually any sector of the business community.
Government statistics are among the most plentiful and wide-ranging public sources. Helpful government publications include the following.
The State and Metropolitan Area Data Book provides a wide variety of statistical information on states and metropolitan areas in the United States. Published by the U.S. Census Bureau, it's available online for $31 through the U.S. Government Printing Office and at larger libraries.
The Statistical Abstract of the United States provides tables and graphs of statistics on the social, political and economic conditions in the United States. Published by the Census Bureau, it's available online for $48 through the U.S. Government Printing 