FAQs
How do I know which tool is right for me?
How much does it cost?
How many people should I survey?
Does InsightKit come with consulting?
For the Consumer Attitudes Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good attitudinal statements?
For the Idea Evaluation Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good idea statements?
For the Message Testing Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good messaging statements?
How do I write good profiling items?
How much can I customize InsightKit tools to fit my specific needs?
How do I know which tool is right for me?
Do you wish you could just ask American consumers what's on their minds? If yes - if you seek a general understanding of consumer attitudes - then the Consumer Attitudes Survey Tool is for you. Or, if you want data to use as part of a public relations/ communications campaign, the Consumer Attitudes tool is the right choice.
Idea Evaluation is useful when you want to know whether a product or service idea you're thinking about offering is as appealing to consumers as it is to you. You can't always rely on your gut - or the advice of friends - when it comes to launching a business, product, or service. If you really want to know whether you should throw yourself into a new idea, test it first with the Idea Evaluation tool.
Message Testing is for those of you who have no question about the products or services that you're offering. You just aren't sure how to tell the world about it. Should you message functionality or the emotional benefits of your brand? How does your brand promise compare to a major competitor's? What content should appear on your landing page? If you want consumers to be persuaded into buying your products or services, you need to message your brand to them in a way that sticks. Message Testing will help you know if your messaging is strong.
If none of these tools are right for you, you're still in the right place. We can add customizations to these basic tools if you need them. Customization means a higher price tag, but it will still cost less than traditional market research, and it's worth it if you get what you want. Contact us to learn more.
How much does it cost?
Reach out to our team for pricing.
How many people should I survey?
InsightKit survey-takers are Americans 18 years and older. If you want to know what all American adults are thinking, then 1000 is a great number to choose.
But some businesses need more focus when it comes to who their survey-takers are. Your brand, product, or service may only be designed for a specific type of person (for example, women, or smartphone owners, or people who exercise regularly). A great general rule is to first estimate the percent of American adults that fit into your specific target group (for example, about 50% of American adults are women). Then divide 600 by that percent (for example, 600 divided by .5 equals 1,200). You should survey at least that final number. (If you arrive at a number like 1,200, your best bet is to survey 2,000 people.)
However, if budget is an issue, you might get by with rounding down. (If you arrive at a number like 1,200, you might get by with surveying 1,000 people).
If you aren't sure, don't hesitate to contact us for help. Or, if you want your InsightKit survey to be sent to a specific group survey-takers, reach out to learn how InsightKit can be customized for you. Customization means a higher price tag, but it will still cost less than traditional market research, and it's worth it if you get what you want.
If you're using the Consumer Attitudes Survey Tool for public relations/ communications purposes, we recommend a sample size of 2000 minimum, as most publications are more prone to give your research attention if you've surveyed 2000 or more people.
Does InsightKit come with consulting?
It does not. Your reports will include data only - no interpretation or recommendations by a consultant. However, if you want to talk about your results with a consumer insights expert, email us and we can set up an appointment for you to talk with Nika Kabiri, JD PhD, the designer of InsightKit and Founder/Owner of Kabiri Consulting. Her consulting services come with an additional hourly rate, but it's worth it if you need some expert help. And it's still less expensive than traditional market research.
For the Consumer Attitudes Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good attitudinal statements?
Statements for this tool will follow this question prompt: "Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements." Then survey-takers will be asked to evaluate each statement on a five-point agreement scale (5="Strongly agree", 4="Agree", 3="Neither agree nor disagree", 2="Disagree", 1="Strongly disagree). The statements you write should make sense in that they should allow for an evaluation on a five-point scale.
The following kinds of statements don't work well:
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What do you think about the fitness apps that are available in the market today? (You can't agree or disagree with this.)
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How willing are you to buy a digital camera? (You can't agree or disagree with this.)
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I like Microsoft and not Apple. (This is really asking two questions: how they feel about Microsoft and how they feel about Apple.
Here are statements that work better:
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I am very disappointed with the fitness apps that are available in the market today. (Including the word "very" in front of "disappointed" ensures that only those who are on the extreme end of disappointed will answer "Strongly agree," setting them apart from people who agree but not strongly.)
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I am very much willing to buy a digital camera in the next year. (A time limit makes the idea more concrete.)
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I really like Microsoft products. (Only asking about one brand makes it easier for survey-takers to give you accurate answers. Asking about products specifically lets survey-takers focus on exactly what aspect of the Microsoft brand you want to know about).
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I really dislike the Apple brand. (Same - asking about only one brand, and focusing on the brand rather than products, services, or other aspects of Apple, can provide more accurate answers.)
Our team will review your statements and flag any that may not work; we'll reach out if we need to edit any for you.
If you still have questions or need more help, please reach out.
For the Idea Evaluation Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good idea statements?
The Idea Evaluation Survey Tool allows you to test two ideas. The report you'll get will compare the two ideas you test and tell you which does better. If you have two product ideas you need to decide between, you can test both with this tool. You can also test your product idea against one that already exists in the market, perhaps a competitor's. Whichever way you go, you'll need to provide both descriptions to us, to include in the survey.
When asking survey-takers to evaluate a product or service idea, it's best to write a description of that product or service that is free of "marketing speak" or persuasive language. You want them to react to your actual idea, not to how well you describe it or how persuasive you are in getting people to be interested in it. If you want to test your ability to persuade consumers, you may need the Message Evaluation Survey Tool.
Here's an example of a product description that does not work well, because of the persuasive language:
This is a revolutionary new product that will change the way you listen to music. This product is a small music listening device that weighs under 7 ounces, fits in your front shirt pocket, and holds up to 20,000 songs. Music is stored as digital files, which take up a very small fraction of the physical space that is taken by music stored on a CD or cassette tape, making this device superior to anything on the market today. Music quality is better than CD. You can conveniently buy digital music files online and quickly download them onto the device. This device connects to headphones so you can store and listen to your music on-the-go - whether your'e at the gym or just going for a walk. The device runs on battery power that lasts for up to 50 hours of continuous use, much better than your average CD player.
Here's the same statement written more objectively, to allow survey-takers to evaluate the actual idea, rather than the persuasive messaging designed to sell the idea:
This product is a small music listening device that weighs under 7 ounces, fits in your front shirt pocket, and holds up to 20,000 songs. Music is stored as digital files, which take up a very small fraction of the physical space that is taken by music stored on a CD or cassette tape. Music quality is comparable to CD, according to consumer testing. You can purchase digital music files online and download them onto the device. This device connects to headphones so you can store and listen to your music on-the-go. The device runs on battery power that lasts for up to 50 hours of continuous use.
Our team will review your statements and flag any that may not work; we'll reach out if we need to edit any for you.
If you still have questions or need more help, please reach out.
For the Message Testing Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good messaging statements?
The Message Testing Survey Tool allows you to test two messaging statements. The report you'll get will compare the two statements you test and tell you which does better. If you have two messaging statements you need to decide between, you can test both with this tool. You can also test your messaging against something that already exists in the market, perhaps a competitor's. Whichever way you go, you'll need to provide both messaging statements to us, to include in the survey.
When asking survey-takers to evaluate a messaging, it's best to write a statement that's designed to convey the value of your brand. This is not meant to test a product or service description but rather the benefits that your product or service has to offer, so be sure your messaging statement not just describes the product or service but explains why it's important, valuable, and unique.
Here's an example of a messaging statement that's fine in that it describes some functional benefits - but it could be stronger.
This music listening device weighs under 7 ounces, fits in your front shirt pocket, and holds up to 20,000 songs. Music is stored as digital files, which take up a very small fraction of the physical space that is taken by music stored on a CD or cassette tape. Music quality is excellent, and you can listen to music on-the-go for up to 50 hours before recharging the battery.
Now here's the same messaging statement, but a version that is more persuasive, especially regarding the benefits that consumers can get from it. It also messages a specific benefit beyond just the product, which is the ability to perfectly personalize the music on your player.
At our company, we believe that everyone should have their own personal soundtrack, one they can carry with them in the palm of their hand, that is 20,000 songs long, and that can be listened to for 50 uninterrupted hours. With our product, you can have that soundtrack - one that's fits you perfectly and thatfills your life with the music you need to get through whatever life throws your way.
Our team will review your statements and flag any that may not work; we'll reach out if we need to edit any for you.
If you still have questions or need more help, please reach out.
How do I write good profiling items?
Each InsightKit survey tool lets you choose up to six consumer profiling attributes by which to evaluate the data. For example, if you want to know how people with pets are thinking or feeling, you can include a profiling item that allows the tool to look specifically at survey responses by people who own pets.
Profiling statements are asked in a question with this prompt: "Please select all the items below that apply to you." Survey-takers are allowed to choose as many as apply. Therefore, the statements must allow for people to select them if "yes," each statement applies to them, or not select them if "no," the statement does not apply.
Be sure that your statements are sentences that are also descriptions that people can have of themselves. Here are some examples of profiling items that won't work.
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How many pets do you have? (This does not allow for a "yes" or "no" application of the statement.)
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Pets (It's not clear what about pets you're asking about - whether they have them, like them, want one, etc.)
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I love pets but can't have any. (This asks about two things in one statement, so you won't get accurate answers.)
Here are examples of what will work; all can be answered by "yes" or "no," and they each are specific to one attribute.
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I love pets.
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I own a pet.
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I can't own a new pet.
Our team will review your profiling items and flag any that may not work; we'll reach out if we need to edit any for you.
If you still have questions or need more help, please reach out.
How much can I customize InsightKit tools to fit my specific needs?
InsightKit tools are fast and affordable because they allow for minimal customization. They're also designed for very specific purposes for which the standardized elements in each tool make perfect sense. But that doesn't mean you're not allowed to customize. Please reach out if you think you need something more custom-tailored to your needs. Customization means a higher price tag, but it will still cost less than traditional market research, and it's worth it if you get what you want.