Research Tools - FAQs
How many people should I survey?
Does this come with consulting or report writing?
For the Consumer Attitudes Survey Tool, how can I be sure that I've written good attitudinal statements?
How do I write good profiling items?
How much can I customize your tools to fit my specific needs?
How many people should I survey?
Our 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 survey to be sent to a specific group survey-takers, reach out to learn how our tools 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.
Do your survey tools come with consulting or report writing?
Your reports will include data only - no interpretation or recommendations are included in the price. 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, tFounder/Owner of Kabiri Consulting. She can also write a report summarizing the data and offering recommendations. These services come at an additional cost, 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.
How do I write good profiling items?
Each 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 your survey tools to fit my specific needs?
Our 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.