By Annie Weber
Well done research is an incredibly powerful tool for achieving many key public relations objectives. Whether it's winning editorial coverage, establishing you or your clients
as thought leaders, building a brand, or providing compelling content for speeches - high-caliber research can be the vehicle for reaching your goals.
Designing and conducting research for effective public release is a very different assignment than standard marketing surveys that will never be seen or heard outside the
company walls. Every aspect of a public release project sends a message about the company that sponsors it. And remember that this type of research is intended to be a
compelling exploration of an important or intriguing phenomenon in society or business, not just sell more products - at least, not directly.
During questionnaire design, always keep in mind the types of headlines you would ideally like the research to make. This is real research, after all. And human beings have
all sorts of opinions that cannot always be predicted - particularly when we strive to ask even-handed questions that will withstand the scrutiny of possible critics. But
thinking about the dream headlines from the beginning at least helps us know where to dig.
In Consideration
Here are some tips to aid in your PR research:
- Choose a research topic that really resonates with you or your client's product, service, mission, values or key stakeholders (who might be the general public, investors,
lawmakers, etc.).
- Consider conducting research among key stakeholders - which again, might be the general public, investors, lawmakers, or certain B2B customers or prospects, for example.
- Focus the research with public release headlines in mind and set the tone to fit the client's objectives and image- whether it is critically serious, fun or edgy. Don't
leave holes in the questionnaire content that will make the study look intellectually dishonest.
- Look for news-pegs with current events that will enhance the likelihood of coverage because the research advances or informs the story.
- Be "Goldilocks" when it comes to research design. Pick a method and sample size that is "just right." Too small isn't credible. Too big is a waste.
- Add qualitative research to the mix for a really compelling combination of first-person anecdotes and quantitative data that can be projected to the population as a whole.
- When presenting the results, emphasize the positive - but don't expect all the findings to be 100% positive. Research is much more credible when it reflects reality. Clients
facing tough times can show they are honestly addressing their issues, by letting their research fairly address the good, bad and the ugly.
- Do some research before you do your research. Search for other publicly released studies that have been done on this topic, so you can build from there and break new ground;
in a way that is appropriate for and unique to your company or your client.
- Plan ahead - but do the research as close to the public release date or news-hook as possible. High quality research takes time. But, as you know, the media craves the
freshest data possible.
- Don't cut corners on research quality. Junk polls are increasingly being recognized as, well, junk.
Online Obsessions
That last point is particularly important today. There is increasing controversy in the research community, for example, about using online panels for research and calling the
results nationally representative. Not everyone and all groups of people are equally online. Online panels are not representative of all of America.
And several marquee media outlets are moving to policies of not reporting studies from online panels. Be smart about when an online poll makes sense. But don't be lured by
lower prices and faster turnaround times when it is not appropriate. You want the focus to be on your research results - not with questions about the methodology.
As clients tell us all the time: When the research is high quality, interesting, and brings new understanding to an important topic, it changes the nature of your conversations
with key constituencies. You are bringing something of real interest and value to the table.
Contact: Annie Weber is a senior vice president and deputy director of the Roper Public Affairs & Media practice of GfK NOP. She can be reached 212.240.5326 or [email protected].