Learning about market research - all over again

Independent Study

2009-11-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

When clients don't pay money, they don't pay attention. So far, neither the gym nor the museum has truly taken me up on my offer to help them conduct a customer sat study, so I will have to learn in the classroom. I've picked two additional spots - MIT - free online courses http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/about/about/index.htm and Anne Arundel Community College - an independent study with Professor Ray Carson.

Regression analysis

2009-06-23T14:56:00.001-07:00

Just found this great description of regression analysis. It uses four factors of DIAMONDS. Color, cut, clarity, carat. I think I will use this description of how regression works with clients. I will source it, of course.

Designing effective questionnaires

2009-06-23T14:45:00.001-07:00

Hello again:

I attended a course called, "Designing Effective Questionnaires" administered by Burke Institute. I found it extremely helpful, particularly as it relates to how to conduct analysis. I also have been finding that a lot of consultants or "guru"s have been repackaging old techniques of analysis and then claiming credit for them. One is the "promoters" analysis. Dude - it's the top two boxes minus the rest. Granted, promoters sounds sexier.

Tomorrow, I am going to practice loading surveys using surveymonkey or some other free software.

Starting a quantitative project

2009-05-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hello:

I want to learn more about quantitative marketing research, and I am learning by doing. I have decided to volunteer to do a study for the athletic club I attend. Essentially, I am helping an them conduct a customer satisfaction study that addresses a proposed expansion and it uses.

The purpose of this particular blog is for others to view my progress and add comments and suggestions.

I have just completed my second client meeting. So far, I have outlined the path of the project by action steps and timing, and help set objectives of what needs to be tested.

Here are the steps I have outlined for this project:

I1)Introduction, set scope, explain how research works to senior management and other decision makers

2)Set objectives from client standpoint

I asked my client to send the following question to all employees, "I wish our company would do ____ for our members. Give three responses

Summarized them by grouping, then categorizing responses (got 35 employees or so to respond

Met with senior management today. We used "I wish I knew.... about our members' wishes in four categories

1)Past - add, eliminate, modify, discover

2)Now - three months out

3)Brand and positioning

4)Proposed expansion

3)Collect likely responses from members to include language and items members want to populate survey. I plan to do 10 - 15 telephone interviews to populate responses

4)Develop survey with client input and review

5)Select the best free survey tools. Right now, I am considering survey monkey and zoomerang.

6)Read all I can about past customer sat studies and see if I can find examples

7)Pretest survey to check flow and make sure it takes no longer than 15 mins

7)Load and field pretested survey using member database of current and past customers

Starting out

2009-05-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hello:

As many of you might already know, I was laid off in March of 2009. And, I have to look for a job or project work.

But, I do have extra time, so I am adding skills to make myself more appealing, and to better serve my clients or new employer.

I have been conducting qualitative market research for the past 25 years - thousands upon thousand of interviews, hundreds of focus groups, and some secondary searches, even competitive intelligence.

See the gap? I do. I need to know how to do surveys and analyze the results.

How am I doing this? Bootstraps - by my bootstraps. That's not entirely true. I did sign up to take a class given by the Burke Institute which I'll take in June of this year.

That's still a while away, so I have figured out some ways to get going before my class.

1) I have volunteered for the Maryland Film Festival (May 8 - 10 in Baltimore, Charles Theater and other locations) and I found out they are doing intercept interviews the whole time. Turns out I will be training some interviewers and, if I'm lucky, I'll meet with the marketing research firm that is performing the analysis. They're looking for an N of 1000+

2) Volunteer to do a survey for my gym. About being green - I saw women using 6 or 7 towels to shower and wash hair - sheesh. I'm going to write a draft, show it to management at the gym, edit, do a pretest (not more than 15 mins) and then load it onto survey monkey or zapdata or some other free survey softwaew

3) Read articles on quantitative methods - data collection and analysis. I'm going to stick with quirks for now, but wil migrate to the Marketing Research Association, I'm sure

I do have other interests in marketing research - ethnography and human factors.

Wish me luck.