Marketing Research Methodsand Capabilities

ByPower Decisions GroupSan Francisco, CA

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The Big Picture

DecisionMapping

ResearchGoals & Design

Focus GroupDiscussions

Depth Interviews

Dyads & TriadsQualitativeOnline Discussion

Forums

Online Communities

(MROC)

Time ExtendedDepth

Interviews

Quantitative

Mail

1 to 1Interviews

Hybrid MethodsPhone

Surveys

Online Surveys

The point is...to makestellar strategic and tacticaldecisions…

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PurposeWhen to use……

Focus GroupDiscussions

Depth Interviews

Dyads & TriadsQualitativeOnline Discussion

Forums

Online Communities

(MROC)

Time ExtendedDepth

Interviews

Mail

1 to 1Interviews

Hybrid MethodsPhone

Surveys

Online Surveys

• Explore & learn about new and lessknown markets.

• Uncover the range of buyer attitudesand perceptions.

• Generate opportunities & concepts.

Quantitative • Gauge segment size.• Magnitude of purchase drivers.• Track change.• Measure competitive advantage.• Rate opportunities.

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QualitativeClassic

Qualitative ResearchClassic Methods

With online research technologies nowmaturing, we have a full plate of qualitativeresearch choices:

Classic Methods

These are traditional, in-person qualitativeinterview settings allowing exploration anddeep probing of respondent behaviors,attitudes, and beliefs.

These generally are one-event settings,although with re-contact methods maypermit time-extention features to allow forincubation and re-exploration.

Focus GroupDiscussions

Depth Interviews

Dyads & Triads

Time ExtendedDepth

Interviews

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QualitativeLeading Edge

Qualitative ResearchLeading Edge Online Methods

Online Discussion Forums

Leading Edge Online Methods

Making use of the web, these new methodsuse online tools and internet connections toreplicate classic methods, and extend theircapabilities. They make time-extention easilyachievable through repeat login to researchportals.

Through the ease of uploading anddownloading photo and video files, andfrequent engagement with respondents, thesemethods, to some extent, may emulateethnography methods which observe bothbehavior and capture opinions.

Online Communities

(MROC)

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QualitativeClassic

90 minute group discussions with 10-12 participants.

•Pros & Cons: Best used when observing group interaction is central toresearch goals; provides insight as to enthusiasm for brand; excellentmethod for ideation. Other methods are more productive.

Small groups of 2-3 people with long interviews.

•Pros & Cons: Allows more time with respondents; similar to depthinterview environment.

One-on-one, exploratory, long interviews.

•Pros & Cons: Allows 1-2 hours with each respondent; extensive exploration;some incubation.

Depth interviews that extend beyond one interview.

•Pros & Cons: Extends depth interviews to allow respondents to expand,think more about the topic, and incubate new ideas and views.

Classic Methods

Focus GroupDiscussions

Depth Interviews

Dyads & Triads

Time ExtendedDepth

Interviews

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QualitativeClassic

Classic MethodsProcess

DesignWe maximize the method and use it for its prime purpose. This means, for example, thatwe do not spend time pursuing information that we can otherwise capture in aquestionnaire. With all classic methods, we use advance questionnaires for profile data.

Audience Target and RecruitmentRecruitment standards are a key to success, to achieve rich, deep insight from verbal andinvolved consumer or B2B targets.

Expert Moderation and InterviewingA cornerstone to all qualitative methods is the quick-thinking of the group interviewer. Itstarts with a well-crafted moderator’s guide or depth questionnaire. As qualitativeinterviewers, we look and listen for tracks to explore from verbal and non-verbal cues.Seemingly off-topic sidebars and ice-berg comments are valuable.

Multiple stimuliFocus groups and depth Interviews allow for presentation of products, ad copy, conceptstatements and projective stimuli such as photos. Again, innovative and creative designcomes to play here.

Insightful Interpretation and ReportingOf course, while clients can observe groups and interviews in progress, it is theinterpretation, review and analysis afterwards that ties together themes and threads.

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QualitativeLeading Edge

Leading Edge Online MethodsResearch Communities and Discussion Forums

Online Forums, or bulletin board discussions, provide anqualitative web venue. Forums go for 3 to 4 days whererespondents login on their own schedule.Pros & Cons: Easy to expose media via video, graphics and capturequant-like data through ad hoc polls; allows for time-extensionincubation. Allows limited on-the-fly modifications.

We create 30-90 day custom Facebook-like onlinecommunities with 75-200 target participants.•Pros & Cons: Extends Online Forum to real-world longer timeframe.Referred to as a “focus group on steroids”. Research learning parallelscreative advertising or new product development. Highly dynamic asresearch goals can be modified as learning progresses.

Online Discussion Forums

Online Communities

(MROC)

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Online ForumsProcess

Online Discussion Forums

QualitativeLeading Edge

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QualitativeLeading Edge

Online ForumsAdvantages

Deep InsightForums extend for 3 to 4 days, thus permitting incubation as participants review ideas,collect their thoughts, and consider their reactions. Thus, we acquire deep insight in ashort time. Participants share their thoughts with great clarity and depth in OnlineForums, offering an unexpected level of thinking, emotions, and understanding that farsurpasses that which is normally acquired in traditional focus groups or onlinequantitative surveys.

Multiple data capture methodsForums rely heavily on qualitative open-ended text posts, yet short quant-likequestionnaires are also used to rate concepts, ads, and brand preferences.

Reach the hard-to-reachForums can bring together far-flung participants irrespective of geography, schedulingbricks, or time zones.

Multiple stimuliUsing the Forum portal, we will be able to show marketing materials such as video,print, and audio format; ideal for conveying product concepts, ads, and positioning.

Fast reporting -- In-progress ObservationThe Forum method and technology allows the moderation and analytic process to beintegrated, allowing for early top-line reporting. Clients can observe activity in-progress.

Online Discussion

Forums

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Online Research CommunitiesProcess

QualitativeLeading Edge

Process is similar as for Forums, with larger groups and 30-90 daytime frame. Using a Facebook-like portal, communities (MROCs)allow us to watch and listen to people react over extended time. Online Research

Communities(MROC)

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Online Research CommunitiesAdvantages

Extends the Advantages of Online ForumsOn the surface, Research Communities are merely longer time versions ofForums. In many respects, they are, yet there are additional impacts of having 75 to 150 targeted participants both responding to and, if desiredinteracting with each other, about your advertising or product concepts.

Stays Active and Available in Parallel to Internal Decision Making ProcessClient decision viewpoints evolve over weeks and months where ideas,concepts and choices are incubated and dynamically developed.We build and run research communities in parallel.

Depth and Quantity of FeedbackBy spending a few months with a targeted group of individuals, we explore aresearch topic in extensive depth, more so than with a focus group, or other tools.

New Questions and Insights -- Adaptive GoalsOver time, participants often move the conversation to unanticipated areas, opening upnew questions and insights. In an MROC, learning happens everyday. We adapt rerouteand learn.

Cost Savings over Focus Groups, Forums, or Repeat IDIsCommunities offer savings over multi-city focus group studies or multiple forums.

Qualitative

Online Communities

(MROC)

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Quantitative Mail

Quantitative Survey ResearchOverview

Quantitative studies estimate sizeof segments, change over time,and magnitude of attitudes andbeliefs.

Power Decisions Group employsall survey methods, choosing theoptimum method for each clientstudy.

1 to 1Interviews

Hybrid MethodsPhone

Surveys

Online Surveys

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Quantitative

Quantitative Survey ResearchOverview

Pros & Cons: Fast implementation for B2B and consumer targets. Onlinesurvey tools provide arsenal for concept testing, preference ranking, andattitude measurement. Within-interview programming allows allows complexquestion branching.

Pros & Cons: The primary method for true top-of-mind brand awareness andfirst reaction attitudes. Best for defined customer populations and B2Bmarkets, phone studies provide the advantage of direct 1to1 voice interactionand on-the-fly probing.

Pros & Cons: The in-person 1to1 interview continues to hold an importantplace in the research toolkit. It is especially useful for B2B studies, and forconsumers in a central-location (CLT) environment. Smaller sample in-personquantitative studies are an excellent bridge between qualitative stages andhigh-sample-count online studies.

Pros & Cons: Allows respondent time to think about complicated issueswithout interviewer influence. Requires more data collection time than othermethods.

Pros & Cons: Here we combine data collection methods to achieve optimumresults. For example, a B2B study may make initial contact by phone offeringto conduct interview by either phone or offer a URL for online completion.Hybrid methods typically are more costly and time consuming.

Phone Surveys

1 to 1Interviews

Mail

Online Surveys

Hybrid Methods

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Quantitative Survey ResearchOnline Web-based Surveys

Online surveys can employ true random probability sampling within large member panels.Online sample panels are available for both consumer and B2B populationsincluding business C-level executives.Complicated survey questionnaire formats can be used in the online venue. For example,piping, rating, rankings, constant sum questions, etc.Online surveys allow easy-to-display visual information and video media to be shown torespondents. (advertising copy, concept statements, projective stimuli, product videos andgraphics)Allows deployment of complicated respondent tasks (card sorts, conjoint ratings,graphic ratings, concept screening, ad copy markup onscreen).

– Low relative cost.– Generally, fast implementation.– Easy use of complex display stimuli.– Sampling control is critical.– Large pre-recruited panels allow quick access to willing respondents, although sampling validity

must be carefully assessed.– Due to “distance” between respondent and researcher (e.g. no voice or 1to1 contact), quality

measures must be in place to screen out bad intent respondents. Power Decisions Group usesstatistical methods to check response patterns for illogical and nonsense responses.

Quantitative

Online Surveys

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Quantitative Survey ResearchPhone Surveys

Quantitative studies conducted by phone are and excellent method especiallywhen the research goal is to capture unaided, top-of-mind thoughts andassociations. This method is best for close-end questioning, when dimensionsand ranges of issues are already known. Open-ended questioning using phone is bestreserved to measure top-of-mind awareness and first-thought impression, although deepattitude probing is possible with specially trained interviewers.Initial survey sample is often filtered to target known segments or sub-groups that meetresearch goals.10-15 minute average interview length is maximum target unless highlyspecialized population or high incentives paid.

– Optimum use is for top-of-mind awareness and first-thought impressions and imageassociations.

– Response rate is critical, especially with growing privacy issues and phone screeningamong consumers and business executives alike.

– Low relative cost.– Generally, fast implementation.– Skilled interviewer can extract more information than a self-administered method

(mail, online), thus interviewer training and selection is critical– Critical to monitor response rate to ensure sample is representative of target sampling

frame.

Quantitative

Phone Surveys

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Quantitative Survey Research1to1 Interviews

1to1 interviews are conducted face-to-face by a specially trained interviewers. Used where aface-to-face environment is desired.In B2B market research, personal interviews may be conducted by appointment in-office, orat trade shows or other venues. Consumer studies may be done in-home usually by advanceappointment. Central location, or CLT, studies are the prime 1to1 venues where respondentsare recruited from mall or other high-traffic locations to a nearby interviewing facility.Used when these conditions exist:

complicated or sensitive issues, respondents need to physically experience product or other stimuli free

from group influence, specialized interviewing skills (depth probing, time for reaction.)

– Higher cost than other methods.– Can provide good hybrid method combining features of qualitative and quantitative

research by asking quant-type questions first, followed by in-depth probing questionsand projective techniques.

– Skilled interviewer can extract more information on open-end diagnostic questions thana self-administered method (mail, online)

Quantitative

1 to 1Interviews

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Quantitative Survey ResearchHybrid Designs

Quantitative Hybrid Designs

Hybrid combining of methods merge two or more techniques to optimizeresponse and measurement validity.

Examples: Mail or phone invitation to online surveys. Online surveys with phone follow-up to permit depth probing of key

market research questions by expert interviewer. Quantitative surveys from which participants are selected based on

their answers for a follow-up qualitative phase. Panel recruited from a one-time quantitative survey.

– Higher cost– More time required for implementation.– Enhances quality through higher response rates, and better response

quality or validity.

Quantitative

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The Big Picture

DecisionMapping

ResearchGoals & Design

Focus GroupDiscussions

Depth Interviews

Dyads & TriadsQualitativeOnline Discussion

Forums

Online Communities

(MROC)

Time ExtendedDepth

Interviews

Quantitative

Mail

1 to 1Interviews

Hybrid MethodsPhone

Surveys

Online Surveys

The point is...to makestellar strategic and tacticaldecisions…

2020

Project Fee Guidelines

Project fees are based on professional design and analytical time plus data collection costs.Focus Groups

Full Focus Group studies -- from design, field, and reporting -- cost can be estimated with a core design andanalysis fee of $5,000 to $15,000 with a per group charge of $5,000 to $8,000. The variances are due totarget audience ease-of-reach and required incentive payments.

4-group study with 10-12 participants typically requires a budget of $25,000 to $35,000 exclusive of travelexpense.

Forums$15,000 - $20,000 per 40-person Forum for typical consumer products and target audiences

CommunitiesMuch larger cost range due to time, scope, and reporting variablesShort term (30-60 day), smaller project range: $25,000 - $40,000Longer term (60 day+), larger project range: $50,000 - $200,000.

Online StudiesLow range for descriptive, smaller, high incidence rate sample: $12,000 - $18,000More complex online studies requiring highly targeted consumer or B2B samples and complex design and

analytical requirements: $20,000 & up

Phone, Hybrid, 1to1 Interview StudiesGenerally, higher cost compared to Online; many variablesRange: $25,000 & up

Qualitative

Quantitative

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More information about Power Decisions Group is available on our website andthese documents.

– “Brand Evolution and Research” (PDF)Integrating Branding Research into the Product &Advertising Concept Development Process

– “Think of Your Brand as a Person”, Article (PDF)– Blog: Strategic Brand Research ( powerdecisions.net)– Power Decisions Group website (powerdecisions.com)

Call or email…

Power Decisions Group San Francisco 415.339.0498Explore@powerdecisions.com

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