What is Quantitative Research?

Quantitative research collects a large sample of respondents to survey a representative portion of a population. This type of research, typically conducted via surveys, is often meant to represent the audience you are targeting as a whole statistically. The large sample size required can paint a detailed picture of your projected market as a whole, but the results may lack the personal, more exploratory benefits of qualitative research. Here are some pros and cons of quantitative analysis to keep in mind when deciding if this route is suitable for your current needs.

Pros

Make Projections about Larger Populations

Imagine making significant marketing decisions or product launches on a whim; that can be detrimental to a company. It is essential before making expensive and timely decisions that you have data to back up your choices. Quantitative research can be used to map out a picture of how a population reacts or behaves. From this information, you can make sales forecasts, determine product interest, or even how your prospects will behave.  

Tracking results

Need to understand pre and post behaviors from an ad campaign or a product launch? Or do you want to know how your brand compares to other products or services out there? Quantitative research allows you to compare results from a tracker or even competition statistically.  

Sub-Segments and Comparing Different Cohorts

America is a melting pot of different beliefs, ethnicities, sexualities, and psychographic behaviors. To reach a larger market, brands must adjust their marketing to appeal to various audiences. Since quantitative research collects data among a large population, you can often determine if sub-groups have different opinions or beliefs compared to the population. 

Cons

Results Lack Emotions

As quantitative research focuses on assessing the population as a whole, results are generally number-based. It can be difficult to use surveys to glean individual consumers’ inner thoughts and feelings. You may have been told that sarcasm can fall through the cracks in a text message. When you are simply considering the written word, you miss out on seeing gestures and facial expressions or hearing the tone in a person’s voice.

As a result, survey results will never be able to provide the level of detail into consumer’s emotions that can be achieved through focus groups or in-depth interviews.  

Gathering Responses for a Niche Audience can be Difficult 

Gathering any large sample can be a lengthy, difficult task. The narrower the target audience is for your survey, the longer it can take to find enough people qualified to enter your survey. Quantitative research may not be the best solution for studying such a specialized segment. These cases may be more suited for qualitative methods, like focus groups or interviews, which require much smaller samples.

Errors Everywhere – Do Not Want to Draw Wrong Conclusions 

With free and low-cost survey tools out there, many companies believe they can conduct quantitative research independently. However, it is essential to have a trained market researcher to run this methodology. From leading questions to sample inaccuracies, there are numerous ways that your conclusions may end up telling you the wrong information. While it may be more expensive to hire a professional research company, you know that the data will be accurate.

Gathering a large enough sample can also be time consuming and costly. 

Interested in learning more about the pros and cons of research strategies? Check out our pros/cons series here. 

• The Pros and Cons of Secondary Research
• Pros and Cons of Segmentation Research
• The Pros and Cons of Brand Tracking Research

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• Take a look at our research strategies here.

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Generation Alpha is the youngest generation alive. Born between 2011 and 2025, the cohort is steadily growing, with 2.5 million new Gen Alphas born every week. Though they are young, they have a large, ever-growing digital footprint. Market research on Generation Alpha has never been more important. Their slightly sinister nickname, the “Glass Generation,” refers to the screens surrounding them. 

Marketing Behavior Compared to Other Generations:

Generation Alpha is uniquely positioned for generational influence. Brands must understand the trends of this group’s millennial parents, who are currently spending more on their children than ever before. Millennials are the vessels for Generation Alpha’s spending power, which accounts for billions of dollars in annual spending each year. In 2020, 51% of millennial parents said they planned on spending more to keep their kids entertained during COVID-19 restrictions. This number is likely to increase as the pandemic draws on.

At first glance, Generation Alpha’s relationship with the digital world resembles Generation Z’s – but Generation Alpha’s technology use is much more intuitive. Generation Alpha was born in the age of TikTok, internet privacy debates, and meticulous personalization. By the time this cohort reaches age 8, they have likely already surpassed their parents’ techno-fluency. 

Market Research on Generation Alpha:

Brands looking to target Generation Alpha should look to seamless integration of social media, intuitive consumer communication, implementing AI, and diversity of products. Generation Alpha is not only the most diverse, multicultural generation alive, but they also look for brand diversity. Though they are young, they are aware and involved in social justice issues, like climate change and racial equity. One in 5 children in Generation Alpha have marched or protested about an issue they are passionate about. 

While research among Millennial parents will allow brands to access this generation for the time being, it will be necessary for brands to be prepared to research this generation as soon as they have purchasing power. When they grow up, Generation Alpha will bring a collection of new values to the world: diversity, creativity, and community. They are educated, deeply connected to their cultures, and looking for brands representing their beliefs, ethics, and values. 

Interested in learning more about the other generations? Check out our series on generational research here. 

• Baby Boomers

• Generation X

• Generation Z

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Compared to other generations, marketers tend to ignore Generation X. Should companies focus on this cohort? Can this group be a profitable opportunity? What do marketers need to know about this audience? What is the best way to conduct research among Generation X?

This article is the second installment in a five-part article series on generational research by Provoke Insights.

Born between 1965 to 1980, the US population of Gen Xers is much smaller than other generations due to lower birth rates. Two historic events caused this slow-down in having children:

1. During this period, many men were serving their country in the Vietnam War. 
2. Also, more women were entering the workforce for the first time. 

As a result, Baby Boomers and Millennials are significantly larger generations than the Xers.  

The initial glance at this audience may seem less appealing than other generations due to its smaller size. However, as several brands overlook this generation, it poses an advantage for others. Less competition can mean more opportunity! A great example of this is Charles Schwab. While most of the banking world was eager to reach millennials and Baby Boomers, Charles Schwab made the strategic decision to go after Generation X and found success with them.

Generation X grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. Significant events such as the first woman judge appointed to the Supreme Court, the Challenger exploding, the invention of the personal home computer, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the OJ Simpson trial have shaped their perspectives.

Famous Generation Xers include Adam Sandler, Corey Booker, Tiger Woods, Molly Ringwald, Jeff Bezos, Gwen Stefani, and Jennifer Lopez.

Compared to Baby Boomers and Millennials, this group is highly educated and more often money-driven.

However, as many Generation X have school children now, they have been more inclined to stay home during the Pandemic. Many are still working, they have shifted from the corporate world to a Zoom workplace.1

Generation X is a hybrid of Baby Boomers and Millennials; they like to shop in-store and purchase products online.

If you are thinking about Gen X research, it is key to size the market beforehand. As most brands will only want to reach a specific portion of Generation Xers, you need to make sure the group is sizable enough to warrant the investment. Survey research is a great way to determine “who” in Generation X is interested in your product, and using secondary research, you can estimate the population of that group.

Interested in learning more about the other generations? Check out our article researching Baby Boomers here.

1. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/03/forgotten-generation-x-slackers-no-more-showing-boomers-and-millennials-how-to-deal-when-reality-bites.html

Are you interested in our market research capabilities? Find more information here or email us at [email protected]

Finally, read some of our past case studies here:

1. Annual Ad Testing Campaign for OTC Drug Company
2. Jewelers of America: Mixed Methodology Market Research Study
3. Brand Strategy Research for a Rental Truck Company

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Back in the early 2000s, companies were highly focused on targeting the Baby Boomers. The cohort was the “it” generation. However, today most companies are focused on Millennials as they are the largest generation. The Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. While they are no longer the main focus, it would be a clear miss to ignore Baby Boomers as they are the second largest generation and spend $900 billion annually.

This is the first installment in a 5-part article series on generational research by Provoke Insights. 

Why is it important to understand Baby Boomer’s behaviors, wants, and needs? They are brand buyers with money to spend. By capturing the broader patterns of their lives, brands can identify how and where to engage with this audience. 

A common mistake when understanding this segment is that people just compare research results by age. However, it is crucial to understand how this segment grew up, who are their contemporaries, and what are their attitudes and beliefs. The experiences Baby Boomers have had throughout their lives shapes their relationships with a brand.

• Baby Boomers grew up in the 1960s and 1970’s. Major events such as the Vietnam war, the asssination of JFK, Rowe vs. Wade, and the Civil Rights movement have shaped their individual perspectives. 
• In the 1960s, the most popular invention was the handheld calculator. In the 1970s, the laser printer was so large that it took up a whole room. Imagine how much changes this generation has seen in terms of technology alone. Baby Boomers definitely know how to adapt to changes in this regard. 
  • They are much more tech savvy than people give them credit for. The audience outspends Millennials on ecommerce sites.1
• Examples of baby boomers include President Obama, Bill Gates, Spike Lee, Heather Locklear, Ozzy Osbourne, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah. 

However, this audience does not act similarly to its predecessor the Mature generation. From Botox to Viagra, this audience has much more of a Peter Pan mentality. A third of Baby Boomers over the age of 65 continue to work after retirement age. Prior to COVID-19, this number was even higher.2 Why are they still working? Some Baby Boomers want to remain active ,and other simply have not saved enough for retirement.

So, is your band thinking about researching this audience? It is crucial to understand what type of experience they need to create a relationship with this audience. Qualitative research brings to life a more realistic portrayal of this group. If you are conducting survey research, remember to ask questions about attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and media habits to make sure you are gaining full portrait of this audience.

1. https://www.cbre.us/real-estate-services/real-estate-industries/omnichannel/the-definitive-guide-to-omnichannel-real-estate/consumers/how-does-online-spending-vary-be-generation
2. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/09/the-pace-of-boomer-retirements-has-accelerated-in-the-past-year/

Read our blog series on Generation Alpha:

1. Understanding your consumer: Generation Alpha
2. How to Research Generation Alpha?
3. The Difference Between Generation Alpha and Millennials
4. Marketing Strategies for Generation Alpha: the Newest Generation

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It is a well-known fact that Christmas is the holiday that drives the most retail sales. What most people are not aware of is the second biggest holiday retail day of the year is actually Valentine’s Day. 

Couples, partners, friends, and family go crazy for Valentine’s Day. Whether it is jewelry for a partner or chocolates for your mom, Americans are shopping in February! We have a feeling, Valentine’s Day 2021 will lead to more spending than ever. This hypothesis is three-fold: 

1. More Quality Time Than Ever. While everyone is still staying home, many people have spent more time with their loved ones in the last 12 months than they have ever spent with them in a year period. In a turbulent year, we have leaned on our nearest and dearest more than ever and it is time to show our appreciation for them. 
2. No Dinner & Drinks. Secondly, people cannot go out for a fancy meal at a fancy restaurant to celebrate the day of love. So, people will turn to retail goods in lieu. 
3. Time to Browse. In other years, people were busy with the start of the New Year and many people were just busy all of the time. This year, everyone is stuck at home. We do not have plans between now and February 14th. People have more time to browse online for gifts this year and more time to buy.

Why Do You Need to Get Prepared Early?

We know it is still January, but Valentine’s day is just around the corner. If you are a brand, it is time to start preparing for this big shopping holiday. You only have a few weeks to get prepared for 

How to Prepare? 

eCommerce Ready

As expected, eCommerce is going to skyrocket this V-day, and January is the month you will need to make sure that you have everything in order to accommodate the increased spending and increased logistics (shipping, delivery, etc.) Is your website ready? Are you stocked after the Christmas holiday? 

Gift Guides

Write your own gift guide or find websites that will write gift guides and get your products in the gift guide. Most people are all out of ideas for gifts come February, you need to put your product on a platter for them. 

Invest in Digital Advertising.

Work out the last possible day that people can purchase from your site to safely receive the gift on time, and advertise the final shopping day online for people to receive their items. Instagram and Facebook ads can be very persuasive in this respect. If you are interested in following the marketing trends for this upcoming year, check out our blog what’s to come in 2021 here. 

Website Analytics

While it may be too late to conduct a full market research project before the big day. You might want to start your rebrand or strategy research now for the next big holiday. In the meantime, you can analyze your website. Look at the traffic from this time last year. Where are your leads coming from? Optimize these sources this year, get even more leads from the same places while trying to increase traffic in other areas. 

If you are interested in branding or advertising research for longer-term changes, reach out to Provoke Insights. This research could be complete by the next big holiday! 

Check out some of our other blogs on marketing technique and market research:

• 2021 Marketing Trends
• Thinking about Conducting Market Research? Here’s a Checklist
• Market Research Company vs. DIY Research

Thinking about conducting market research?  Provoke Insights is a full-service market research company headquartered in New York. Check us out.

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We are looking back on 2020’s most popular blog posts on Provoke Insights’ website. During this unprecedented year, what were the articles that stood out the most? What did people want to read about regarding brand strategy, advertising research, and content marketing research? Read the article to see all the winners! 

Fourth Place: Significant Differences Calculator 

Provoke Insights developed a proprietary tool in 2019 – the tool was popular last year but gained even more traction in 2020. Our tool runs two proportion Z-tests, by taking sample size, and percentages into account and it allows users to test tables of proportions against each other, as well as download the results. 

Significant differences are important when it comes to quantitative data, and it has been a pleasure to create and promote a tool of our own instead of relying on third-party software. 

To learn more about the tool, click here. 

Third Place: Sampling: the Importance of Good Sample

The third most popular blog was about survey sample. You can never underestimate the importance of high-quality sample. There are many ways research can go wrong, and bad sample means your research may sway you in the wrong direction. 

The sample is a critical component of accurate research. If the sample size is too small, not cleaned, biased, or of low quality, your research could become erroneous. Read the blog to understand exactly how to ensure that the research will provide actionable insights by guaranteeing precise responses. 

Runner Up: The Marketing Strategies for the Alpha Generation

The Alpha generations may have only a faint memory of the pandemic as many are only a few years old. However, living a year of your childhood through a pandemic is unlike any other generation’s experience. This young generation’s needs, wants, and attitudes are unique, and therefore marketers need to react accordingly.

This article discusses the marketing strategies to [plan for Generation Alpha. Provoke Insights has studied this generation further. You can read the other articles about Alpha too: 

• How to Research Gen Alpha
• Understanding Your Consumer: Gen Alpha

Winner: The Pros and Cons of In-depth Interviews

Interestingly, the top read blog was about a popular remote research methodology – in-depth interviews. When it comes to research methodologies, many brands turned to what can be done remotely this year. In-person interviews and focus groups have been off the table since March. We had a 30-focus group research project transferred from in-person to online at the last minute in March.

With the global pandemic, everyone is more accustomed to web conferencing tools than ever before. It is advantageous for brands, as it is less expensive to conduct focus groups on Zoom (rather than in-person or on a focus group software), and participants have a much easier time joining and taking part.

To learn more about online qualitative methodologies, read this blog:

Online Focus Group research Software vs. Web Conferencing Tools

That is it for the top four blogs of 2020. A year unlike any other. We are looking forward to seeing what 2021 brings us. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a healthy New Year! 

If your company is interested in learning more about the methodologies and specialties discussed here or wants to understand our market research capabilities, please reach out to [email protected], and we will be happy to schedule a call to discuss the research objectives with you.

In addition, check out Provoke Insights research services here.

Want to read more from Provoke Insights?  Find some more blog posts linked below:

1. 2021 Marketing Trends
2. Thinking About Conducting Market Research? Here’s a Checklist to Find a Research Provider
3. DIY Market Research vs. Hiring a Specialist

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The turbulent year 2020 has vastly shifted consumer behaviors and the speed of digital adoption. The outlook of a world where COVID-19 is controlled in 2021 is positive. However, the changes that have started in 2020 will continue to the subsequent year and will lend to the 2021 marketing trends.

Why is it important to track marketing trends?

• You can integrate trends into your marketing strategy and it can present opportunities or barriers for your company
• It is crucial to spot these early, so you can be prepared to act 

Marketing trends are most important to watch as you are deciding the strategy going forward into the new year. In this article, we will outline some of what we expect to see more of in 2021 and going forward. 

User-Generated content

As COVID-19 took the world by storm in 2020, there were restrictions placed on video production. This caused many brands to run out of marketing content. They could not shoot new adverts or create new content and so, they turned to promoting products and services with user-generated content. This is effective as it allows consumers to relate to the content instantaneously. With the global pandemic, people were also more inclined to 

Brand Activism

With 2020 being such a transformative year, in every shape and form, brands have become more engaged in playing a role. Consumers are also expecting the brands that they support to use the voice they have to be advocates for the causes they believe in. The Black Lives Matter movement has been revolutionary in that if a brand did not speak up in June, younger generations questioned their core values. Brand activism is becoming table-stakes. 

eCommerce Small Business More Sophisticated Marketing

eCommerce marketing tools are becoming more readily accessible to small businesses and eCommerce is growing exponentially. Small eCommerce business will become more sophisticated in 2021. They have been upskilling and adopting new integrations for their companies in 2020 and we can expect them to be in full swing next year. The marketing that consumers will receive from small business will reflect this change. Shopify, Etsy, and other third party marketplaces are aiding small businesses in running more like larger companies online and it is benefitting the sector. Support small businesses next year and reap the rewards! 

Nostalgia Marketing

This marketing that triggers comfort in people and improves connectedness with a brand has seen a come-back!  As the world has been an unpredictable place over the last 9 months, consumers have been drawn to what they know. 

It is important to stay abreast of the most up to date and innovative marketing techniques in 2021. This can be an advantage for your company. It is vital for us to stay up to date as we conduct market research with brand strategy as our focus. All of our research have also worked in strategy, therefore we often recommend marketing techniques to clients, if the findings point to one thing or another. Most recently, we recommended to a client that user-generated content would work for their core audience because they search for authentic brands and place a lot of value in other customer reviews. 

Check out some of our other blogs on marketing technique and market research:

• Questions to Ask A Market Research Company
• Six Things To Watch Out For When Writing A Research Survey
• Three Common Misconceptions About Market Research

Thinking about conducting market research?  Check out Provoke Insights research services here.

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This article will outline the checklist for market research. That is to say it explains all that you need to run through to ensure that you are in an excellent place to conduct a quantitative market research study in-house. In addition, there is a list provided to go through if you are hiring a market research firm. Subsequently, there will be another article published in the coming weeks that will discuss qualitative research.

What to Consider if Conducting DIY Market Research? 

1. Questionnaire Design: Is the team confident that they can write a research questionnaire in a way that will gather the insights objectively and without survey errors such as leading or double-barreled questions. Check out our article on survey mishaps here. 
2. Timelines: Realistically, do you have the time to project manage the study in-house? Will you have to cut corners if you were doing it internally?
3. Resources: Does the company have access to the resources, tools, and skills needed in-house to collect and analyze the data? Does your team have advanced analytics knowledge?
4. Tools: Do you have tools to program surveys? Is your survey programming tool limited in capabilities? Do you have programs to develop crosstabs? Test significance? Is advanced analytics needed? Do you have the means to conduct it?  
5. Sample: Do you have access to quality respondents? Will you be able to ensure that only qualified participants partake in the study? Can you reach the appropriate target audiences? Can you make sure that your sample represents the population you are targeting? Do you need to weight the data or use a sample stratified methodology? 
6. Blind: If conducting research in-house, you will be revealing your company name to access participants. Are you sure that the study does not have to be blind? Can you tell the company name? This will skew the results, and you will not get a read on things like market penetration or awareness levels. 
7. Reporting: Who is the data for? Do you have employees who can interpret the data and create graphs and charts that correlate? Do you need to draw conclusions for a specialized area (e..g branding)? 

The Checklist to Consider if Hiring a Market Research Company? 

1. Research Objectives: This should be the top of the checklist for market research. It is often the case that a brand will know what questions they have for their target audience. This is great! However, the best place to start is with the overall business goals and the research objectives. For example, what are the ultimate goals for the research? What are the results going to inform? This will be some of the most critical information you can give a market research company to design a methodology to reach your goals. 
2. Target Audience: Who do you want to speak with? While this may sound basic, research can often be erroneous as the data does not reflect the customer or the target audience that a brand is looking to reach. 
3. Company-Type: Are you looking for a specialty firm? Is it a customer satisfaction survey or a brand study? Consequently, you should consider a market research firm with a strong specialty if you are conducting specialized research. You can find a directory of suppliers on GreenBook, Quirks, or BlueBook.
4. Budget: Do you have money allocated for the project? For the most part, market research firms tend to spend significant time on proposals. A firm can better meet your needs by understanding the budget.
5. Specialty: Are you looking for research in a specialized field? If so, find out if that firm has experience in that area.
6. Ask The Right Questions: If you are looking for what to ask a market research firm in the interview process, have a look at this article.

What’s next?

If you are trying to decide between conducting research in-house or with a market research firm, you can read more about the pros and cons here. This checklist for market research is a good starting point. In addition, there is also more information surrounding errors and avoiding errors in survey research in this article about the margin of error. The turbulent year 2020 has vastly shifted consumer behaviors and the speed of digital adoption. The outlook of a world where COVID-19 is controlled in 2021 is positive. However, the changes that have started in 2020 will continue into the subsequent year.

Thinking about conducting market research?  Check out Provoke Insights’ research services here.

and finally, follow our social media accounts:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/provoke-insights

There has been a lot of finger-pointing at pollsters about the 2020 election and accusations that the poll results were not accurate. Media has mentioned that the election polls were “as bad” as the 2016 predictions. While the polling research needs some improvement, there are many reasons not to blame the pollsters.

Here are three aspects that are important to understand about the polls: 

1. Mail-IN Changes the Voting Dynamic.

   COVID-19 has changed the way a lot of people typically vote. As many Americans are looking to socially distance to prevent the spread of the pandemic, many people opted to use mail-in voting. In this year’s primaries, 50.3% of Americans voted by mail. To compare, the 2016 general elections vote-by-mail was only 25% (Pew Research, 2020). Depending on the state, mail voting slows the process. Polls do not predict when a president would win a state’s electoral votes.

2. Press Skews Survey Findings to Create Sensational Headlines.

   As mentioned in our blog, “Election Polls: Why You Need to Know What Margin of Error Is Right Now,” the margin of error plays a massive part in reading the results correctly. The margin of error lets you know with a certain level of confidence that if the same research methodology was conducted again, the results would be within the same ‘margin.’ Often, this year’s news promoted a specific presidential candidate is winning. However, they were actually tied according to the survey’s margin of error.  

3. The Popular Vote Was Accurately Predicted For the Presidential Race.

   Both in 2016 and 2020, pollsters accurately predicted the national vote. Where polls have had more difficulty is predicting the state-level elections for presidential and senate races. Why? For a few reasons.

   • By the time polls are at the state level, the number of respondents completing the surveys is much lower than the national levels. The state-level surveys need a large enough pool to ensure that all of the different populations are surveyed. 
   •  In areas that are less densely populated or more diverse, the survey should be distributed via mixed mode: online, cell, landline, and in-person. For example, older populations are more likely to take a phone survey. Acculturated Americans respond more often to in-person questionnaires. 
   • Market research companies need to monitor the appropriate quotas to represent the population (e.g., education, gender). This is especially true with cohorts that may be harder to reach. For example, the Cuban population in Florida. Unfortunately, sometimes the proper surveying methodology takes significant cost and time, which may not always be available to these pollsters.

Read some of our recent case studies and blogs here to learn more about business and consumer research:

1. Election Polls: Why You Need to Know What Margin of Error is Right Now
2. The Power of Census Data
3. COVID-19 and Conducting Market Research

Find Provoke Insights’ research capabilities here or email us at [email protected] with any inquiries.

To learn more about Provoke Insights – Check out SlideShare:

Provoke Insights Market Research & Brand Strategy Capabilities

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What are the differences between conducting DIY research or hiring a specialty market research firm? We all research every day. We research what recipes to cook, what products to buy, what news sources to believe, and the list goes on. If you think about it, our life is a culmination of the research we have done. With that said, it can be tempting to assume that it is easy to conduct market research without being a professionally trained market researcher. While this statement may have some truth, it comes with some significant caveats.  This article will outline the pros and cons of researching on your own and with a market research company. 

Pros of DIY Research

Institutional Knowledge

The employees of a company know the company inside and out. They will have the institutional knowledge that is needed to provide background information on a project. If using a market research firm, it is crucial to share as much information as possible to set the team up for success. 

Ownership

The company conducting the research has total ownership over the project. This pro comes with some perks but also many disadvantages. While you will have the final say over every step, this can cause biases, incorrect approaches, and false results. Working with a research company will mean you can still have the final say on all steps, but it will be the final say on the correct approach. 

Cons of DIY Research

Time-consuming

Conducting every stage of the process in-house is exceptionally time-consuming. While you are in charge of questionnaire design to recruitment, you will also be in charge of the entire analysis and reporting. Without the proper infrastructure in place, this can take up months and months of precious time. 

Resources Required

In the same vein as the previous point, if the company does not have the resources in place, it is challenging to efficiently conduct the research. While you can get the resources in place, this will append to the timeline and delay results even further. 

Researcher Bias

While conducting research in-house will allow the researchers to have unmeasured institutional knowledge of the product and brand, it can cause extreme biases. 

Research Errors

Professionally trained market researchers have an eye for detail that is learned with experience. These professionals go through years of training, apprenticeships, internships, studying, and research to get to where they are. 

The researchers can spot any errors in a study and hiring them will allow a brand to avoid errors altogether. As there are many opportunities for errors in market research studies. To clarify, some of the errors to look out for include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Selection of improper methodology design;
• Poor data collection methods;
• Inadequate sample design, size, or poor participant quality;
• Incorrect logic;
• Improper use of statistical procedures;
• Difficult to understand report.

Pros of a Market Research Firm

Unbiased Research

A market research firm will remain entirely impartial for the study and ensure that the design and results are free from subjective viewpoints and tendencies. The unbiased results are critical to ensure the results are reliable, but it is also a significant benefit when getting published. If a company is looking to use the results to position itself as a thought leader, you will be more likely to get the study published if it comes from an established research company rather than the company trying to position itself.  

Takes Up Less Time

Research companies have all of the tools in place to kick off a project and get you a report with analysis and recommendations within a standard timeframe (depending on the company) of 2-8 weeks. 

Best Practices When Hiring a Specialist

Market research companies are experienced and know all of the best practices from conducting research, free from mistakes or biases. The job of a researcher is to reduce the number of errors. 

Quality

A market research firm will have a higher research standard based on the experience and tools/resources available to the team. As a result of the training and education that they have studied, the quality will be improved. 

Cons of Market Research Firm

Cost

While the temptation to conduct research in-house is often led by the attractiveness of not paying out for professional research, it is not a huge cost when you consider the time saved. 

To learn more about working with a market research firm, you can read more in the following articles: 

• • Questions to Ask A Market Research Company
  • Six Things To Watch Out For When Writing A Research Survey
  • Three Common Misconceptions About Market Research

Thinking about conducting market research?  Check out Provoke Insights research services here.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed business as we know it. At the start of the pandemic, companies had to create new solutions and find different ways to interact with consumers.

Among many other things, the pandemic altered the economy and business operations in unknown ways. Some of these changes are the following:

eCommerce became crucial: products that used to only be sold in-person are now sold online.
Because of this, many services shifted online and are now completely virtual.

Businesses that remained accessible in-person were transformed by the introduction of safety precautions like social distancing and mask-wearing.

A portion of products and services that were previously in high demand have become a thing of the past.

As potential vaccines continue to move forward, everyone is beginning to imagine what the post-COVID 19 economy will look like. Overall, businesses will face a new challenge of figuring out how to bring customers back to the same products and services that they enjoyed prior to the pandemic.

Opening Up Your Business in the Post-COVID Economy 

This challenge needs to be faced with an effective strategy, and that’s where market research comes in. Hence, by conducting research in the next few months, companies can paint an accurate picture of what their business should look like going into 2021.

Market research companies can provide consumers insights on what they enjoyed pre-COVID, what priorities are in this economy, and what will make them feel safe as the economy opens up.

Changed Consumer Behavior Forever

The pandemic caused permanent changes to consumer behavior and preferences. Because of this, market research will help companies account for the shifts that occured since then. Additionally, they will be able to understand what changes consumers want to keep post-COVID. For instance, consumers have the desire for retail and food companies to continue offering delivery and curbside pick-up options beyond the pandemic.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a significant amount of changes to the way we conduct business. As companies imagine what the post-COVID economy will be, they must create strategic approaches for opening up. Strong market research will ensure that they are not catering to trends that might not exist anymore.

Read some of our recent case studies and blogs here to learn more about business and consumer research:

1. COVID-19 and Conducting Market Research
2. Conducting Market Research in Localized Areas
3. Differences Between B2B and Consumer Qualitative Research

Thinking about conducting market research? Check out Provoke Insights research services here.

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and finally, Follow our social media accounts:

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Conducting Market Research in Localized Areas

Targeting larger markets via online surveys has become easier than ever given the amount of flexibility provided by the internet to reach respondents from all over the globe. However, it is important for businesses to understand how to gain access on the local levels, in places with fewer people or niche populations. 

When it comes to gathering insights from an audience at the county or town level, it is crucial for market researchers to determine the most cost-effective and innovative approaches while ensuring accurate representative results. Here are five practices to employ when reaching localized markets:

Extensive Online Respondent Panel For Niche Markets

In market research it is imperative for researchers to find a partner who can help them uncover data in niche markets by providing them with an online respondent panel. Researchers should have an established sample that is representative of both, new explorers in the market, and seasoned consumers who have shown loyalty to certain brands or publishers. These often are the hardest-to-reach audiences, hence the need for a strong sample company. 

Merge Multiple Respondent Panels 

Accessing multiple respondent panels will ensure that you are getting insights from as many respondents as possible. Each panel has its own distinct recruitment method for research. Merging panels increases the likelihood that you will get enough sample to fill all quotas for the market. This will ensure the most reliable data for businesses that are looking for guidance on their strategies in local markets. 

Social media & SEM 

Commissioning targeted ads on social media and search engines will ensure that you are reaching your desired audience. Promoting the survey in targeted areas provides a direct link to consumers who may have not been reached through a respondent panel, but may still be interested in providing insights. 

Use Mixed-Mode Methodology: CATI & Online 

Employing a hybrid sample collecting method such as mixing CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) and online surveys allow for more in-depth access to narrow populations. It can help to employ this when designing an approach for reaching suburban and rural areas. 

CATI can also be particularly effective when trying to gather insights from respondents who might not have computer access to complete the survey online, but do have a phone where they can be reached. Using a mixed-mode methodology like this ensures you are not missing out on data points from certain cohorts. 

Weighting for Rural Areas

Weighting is a correction technique that is used by survey researchers where a statistical adjustment is made to the survey data after it has been collected in order to improve the accuracy of the survey estimates. Using this technique correctly is crucial, especially for rural areas, because if not done right, it can cause the data to be misleading. This can cause ineffective strategy implementation for companies who are looking to grow. 

Conducting Localized Research Conclusion 

Gathering insights from consumers on the local level can be a challenge. However, data from local markets can often have an impact on overall strategy for businesses. Therefore, it is important for researchers to understand how to use cost effective methods to gather data from these regions. Make sure to follow these practices to ensure conducting research in localized areas is less challenging. 

Read some of our recent case studies and blogs here to learn more about business and consumer research:

1. Election Polls: Why You Need To Know What Margin of Error is Right Now
2. The Differences Between B2B and Consumer Qualitative Research
3. The Pros and Cons of Secondary Research

Thinking about conducting market research? Check out Provoke Insights research services here.

IF YOU WANT TO, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS HERE!

and finally, Follow our social media accounts:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/provokeinsights

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/provokeinsights/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/provoke-insights