Today, most of us are forced to work in "hyper drive." To stay one step ahead of our competitors, we are constantly on the hunt for the right information to make better
decisions in a shorter amount of time. The market is continually evolving. And the research dollars need to stretch further and further each year.
Whether you are re-evaluating the positioning of your latest product or service, testing a new message or trying to determine your company's coordinates on the competitive
landscape, you know how important market research is to a successful communications program. But when budgets are trimmed, research is often sacrificed. The Internet may have
spawned a solution.
A number of companies have leveraged the reach and immediacy of the Internet to offer fast, flexible research at relatively low costs. While these services may not replace in-
depth off-line research, they can offer a cost-effective supplement to existing efforts. And if you operate a small business, or have a limited budget, these services may offer a
solution.
How do you determine if one of these Web-based services is right for you? Before selecting a firm, know what you want, and what you're willing to sacrifice. If what you need
to is quick feedback on a new logo or positioning statement, you really don't need to employee the methodology and time of more intensive studies into customer attitudes.
Critics of online research argue that you may be giving up accuracy and quality. The demographics of the online population are not representative of the U.S. population as a
whole, and could result in sample bias if not factored into the study. Some companies use rigorous methodology to ensure balanced reporting, while others clearly indicate that
this is not an important part of their service or the results they deliver.
InsightTools, a joint venture between MarketTools and General Mills, offers several services to test concepts, services, beliefs and behaviors. According to the company's
general manager, Dan Peterson, the panel selection process can help ensure accuracy. "For studies that require a sample that reflects the US population, we select respondents that
reflect the US census data (i.e. age, ethnicity, gender, etc.). If we sample correctly up front, weighting the data in the analysis is most often not needed because it already
reflects the intended target."
There are a wide range of services offered - and a wide range of prices to match. Harris Interactive, an online market research firm, offers several services including the
Harris-Fombrun Reputation Quotient, which charts six areas that determine a company's reputation - emotional appeal, products and services, financial performance, vision and
leadership, workplace environment and social responsibility. They issue the survey to a representative target audience and use the results to help you determine where your company
ranks among competitors and where you weaknesses may lie.
To field an omnibus survey, Harris Interactive offers a service that typically receives responses from more than 2,000 respondents nationwide, at a cost of approximately $1,000
per question. You select a target panel, from a total universe of more than 7 million potential respondents, and work with their research department to develop questions.
Another company, InsightExpress, offers a high-speed, low-cost research system that "provides all the functionality demanded by the most rigorous research professionals and
firms." With costs starting at $450, this lower-priced service offers access to 70 target audiences split into two
main categories - business-to-business and business-to-consumer. Surveys can be segmented by geographic location, job functions, industries, age and gender.
In addition to many traditional polling services, InsightExpress offers products such as Secure Image Support, which allows you to create surveys containing graphics and images
that prevent respondents from copying the information and possibly distributing proprietary images or data.
The Internet can also generate different response models. "Consumers on the Internet are much more candid and lengthy in their responses," said Dan Peterson. "In a typical
phone survey or mail survey, the responses tend to be short and without much depth. But on the Internet, our consumers go on and on. We are able to better understand the consumer
and develop deeper insights from Internet surveys."
Not all online research firms are created equal. The companies mentioned above are just a partial list of the research and survey firms on the market. When considering an
online research service, make sure they can answer questions such as: Will I reach a representative target audience? How is the data weighted and balanced? Do the targets I want
to reach, react differently online versus off-line? How are the panelists (survey and polling participants) recruited? And build in time up front to research the research.
Reid Walker is managing director, global marketing communications for GE Global eXchange Services. [email protected]