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• What is market research survey

Why use surveys?

Survey research methods.

• Conducting market research surveys
• Common mistakes with market research surveys?

The different types of survey methods

Survey tools for your survey method, what can businesses do with these types of surveys, how to write a research survey (free example templates), try qualtrics for free, types of market research surveys.

20 min read There are different types of survey research you can run, but the majority of research is conducted with just a handful of research survey methods. We explore what they are and how to use them.

What is a market research survey?

A market research survey is a way of getting feedback directly from the people who have the ultimate say in your organization’s success: your customers.

Unlike focus groups or interviews, market research surveys allow you to get detailed feedback at scale — from behaviors to overall experiences — and in a standardized format. Also, as the data is easy to process, you can quickly turn it into actionable insights .

Surveys are used to collect primary research, which means market research data that you collect yourself. The other type is secondary data, which is obtained from other sources, for example census data.

Surveys are among the most popular methods of primary market research, since they can be used to gather qualitative and quantitative research on market trends, and they can cover a huge range of respondents across your customer base. They’re also a format familiar to many people.

Get started with our free survey software

Surveys are ultimately about understanding your target audience, but they can go beyond your customer base. They can be taken by anyone — employees, potential future customers, and even those who don’t want to engage with your business (helping you to identify the ones that do).

However, a survey isn’t a stand-alone solution. It can work alongside other survey methods, such as focus groups, field studies, observation, and market analysis, to help you get a clear picture of your market and decide what direction to take.

But with all these different types of survey methods, and some being better than others in specific areas (e.g. data quality, collecting feedback), where should you start?

To get the best out of each survey research type, consider what you can invest in terms of:

• Time: How quickly do you need the survey research? Do you have time to conduct research?
• Money: Do you have the budget to invest in research overheads?
• Knowledge of analytics: Are you trained to interpret the collected data? If not, do you have a partner you can work with to get the insights you need?
• Research expertise: Do you have clearly defined problems or challenges that you want to explore or understand through surveys?
• Technology capability: Is your survey software up to the task of analyzing the data?
• Your audience’s response: Is it likely that your audience will respond? What survey types (online surveys, etc.) would they be most receptive to?
• Slow responses: Do you have a strategy in place to avoid low response rates?

Conducting market research surveys: best practices

Today’s market research industry is advancing rapidly, thanks in part to new technologies which make it easier to conduct market research, and offer more power and sophistication when it comes to analyzing your data.

Data-driven research is the standard across market research and other disciplines, and within the sector competition between brands is driving progress towards better and better market research tools. Beyond customer satisfaction, demographic questions and competitive analysis, today’s tools can dive deeper into your data, unearthing key drivers behind trends and even providing aggregated data on emotions and attitudes in customer feedback.

However, none of these technological advances can replace humans. To conduct market research successfully, you need to be able to combine tech with insight, intelligence and intuition, especially when you’re dealing directly with target customers, for example during a phone interview or when you’re approaching existing customers whose relationship to your brand needs to be maintained.

As we’ll see in this guide, market research can be used in a huge range of contexts, including brand tracking, customer experience research, employee experience programs, and of course product development. Whichever application you’re looking at, it’s essential to prepare thoroughly before sending out your surveys.

• Make sure your research question has been formulated and agreed by everyone involved in the project
• Develop a communications plan to maximize the chances of people engaging with your survey, including introductions, publicity, reminders and follow-up
• Consider using pre-testing before you fully launch your survey to thoroughly road-test it and iron out any issues
• Close the loop – after the study is complete and actions have been taken, let participations know how their contribution helped
• Consider a research panel for future surveys, either one you’ve built yourself or one managed by a third party provider

What are some common mistakes with market research surveys?

With the right survey tools and appropriate support from your survey platform provider, everything should go smoothly, even if you’re not an expert at doing your own market research. However, there are a few things to watch out for.

Choosing the wrong people to survey

Figuring out who you’re going to survey in the first place may seem like an obvious first step and not one you need to spend much time on. But in fact it’s possible to get it wrong, survey the wrong people and end up running a market research study with unreliable data. This is sometimes called ‘sample framing error’

Getting your sample size wrong

If your sample is too small, you run the risk of getting a sample group that doesn’t adequately reflect your target population. This can throw your entire market research survey off course. But if the sample is too large, you spend time and money on research that doesn’t add significant value. Have a look at our sample size calculator to help determine the right sample size for your market research surveys.

Using the wrong kinds of analysis

Do you know your conjoint analysis from your T-test? Understanding the basic types of statistical tests you can use to analyze market research survey data is essential if you’re not using a survey tool with built-in analytics. You’ll need to match the kind of data you’re collecting to the analysis method you choose in order to get accurate insights from your market research surveys.

Writing confusing survey questions

Survey questions aren’t like the questions we use in everyday speech, or even like the ones we ask in formal writing. They need to be highly specific, include appropriate context, and be free of any kind of descriptive or persuasive element that might introduce bias. For a primer on writing great market research survey questions, see our guide to great survey questions

You should choose your survey method based on your target audience, distribution capabilities, and the questions you want answered. For example, interviews are far more personal and explorative by nature, but they’re difficult and costly to scale. Online surveys, on the other hand, have far greater reach and much more affordable — but you lose the opportunity to connect with respondents. Let’s go through the different types and how you can use them.

Online surveys

Online surveys are accessible to any participant across the globe, providing they have an internet connection. You can create online surveys using survey platforms and distribute them via email using a link, or respondents can go directly to the online survey and complete it.

Paper surveys

Paper surveys (or written surveys) are printed surveys filled in by hand. This method works well if respondents have enough time (and incentive) to complete the survey, and the researcher is happy to manually collect the data before collating and interpreting the answers.

Mail surveys

Mail surveys provide exceptional geographical coverage as they can be printed off and sent via the post. However, as recipients need to return the surveys for counting, it’s recommended that you include a pre-paid returns envelope in the original envelope, otherwise you’ll have lower response rates.

Telephone surveys

Telephone surveys involve asking respondents a series of questions over the phone. It’s a popular survey method as it’s convenient for researchers and doesn’t require a lot of capital to do. However, researchers may need to invest time to set up interviews with participants and take notes during the process.

In-person interviews / face-to-face surveys

In-person interviews and face-to-face surveys are great opportunities to get more insightful and valuable responses from participants. You can quickly find out why they think and feel the way that they do, providing an unbiased view of a subject or issue. However, like telephone surveys, they require a lot of time to set up and gather data.

Panel surveys

Panel surveys use a pre-selected group of people as the sample, so that the research can be carried out quickly. It presents a happy medium between the speed and quality of research data.

Based on the type of survey method you choose, here are the types of tools you need and can use for each:

A good internet connection is required for participants to access online surveys, though mobile devices data plans mean that most people can connect to the internet easily.

A good survey software platform is needed to give you full functionality and flexibility, so your online surveys can be customized and optimized. However, businesses can get more for their money with a survey software system that does more for the company.

For example, the Qualtrics XM Platform™ is a best-of-breed experience operating system for experience management. It brings all your operational and experience data together from across the organization to help create and improve experiences for employees, customers, prospects and more. It automatically updates records, has an in-built analytics engine and can handle research projects, from start to finish, in a few clicks.

All you need are paper, ink, pens and clipboards — but due to environmental and sustainability concerns, particularly paper waste and ink pollution, you may want to opt for a more digitized solution.

For mail surveys, the resources and concerns are the same as with paper surveys — but the main difference is distribution.

Ultimately, you need a reliable postal service that can deliver to your target audience. It also becomes costly if you want to include international respondents.

As long as you have good connectivity and network coverage, telephone surveys are straightforward. That said, survey calls can last a long time, so if you plan to include international audiences, ensure you can afford the calling costs.

The only requirement for in-person interviews and face-to-face surveys is a venue to hold them in.

These require participants to be available at the time of the research. Traditionally, third-party generated research panels are available as a service to companies that don’t have access to the audiences they need.

The surveys we explored can be used for four purposes in any business:

1. Market surveys

These help you understand who’s out there, what they want, and how you can best meet their needs.

Market description surveys

Purpose: to determine the size and relative market share of the market. Such studies provide key information about market growth, competitive positioning, and tracking share of the market .

Market profiling / segmentation surveys

Purpose: to identify who the customers are , who they are not, and why they are or are not your customers. This is often a descriptive market segmentation and market share analysis.

Stage in the purchase process / tracking surveys

Where is the customer in the adoption process? This information shows Market Awareness – Knowledge – Intention – Trial – Purchase – Repurchase of the product.

2.   Customer experience surveys

This kind of survey helps you put yourself in the customer’s shoes and look at your business from their perspective.

Customer intention – purchase analysis surveys

Purpose: Directed at understanding the current customer. What motivates the customer to move from interest in the product to actual purchase? This is key to understanding customer conversion, commitment, and loyalty .

Customer attitudes and expectations surveys

Purpose: Used to direct advertising and improve customer conversion, commitment, and loyalty. Does the product meet customer expectations ? What attitudes have customers formed about the product and/or company?

Learn how you can set up and run customer attitudes and use surveys

Sales lead generation surveys

Purpose: Sales lead generation surveys are for

• assuring timely use and follow-up of sales leads
• qualifying sales leads (thereby saving valuable sales force time)
• providing more effective tracking of sales leads

Customer trust / loyalty / retention analysis surveys

Purpose: Especially helpful for high-priced consumer goods with a long decision and purchase processes (time from need recognition to purchase), this type of study explores the depth of consumer attitudes formed about the product and/or company.

Salesforce effectiveness surveys

Purpose: A combination of measures that focus on the sales activities, performance, and effectiveness in producing the desired and measurable effect or goal. Often measured as a 360-degree survey completed by the salesperson, the client (evaluating the sales call), and the supervisor responsible for evaluating the salesperson.

Customer service surveys

Purpose: Akin to customer satisfaction surveys, customer service surveys instead focus in detail on the actual customer service that was received, the process involved in receiving that service, and the evaluation of the participants in the service process.

Customer service representative (CSR) surveys

Purpose: CSRs often exhibit frustration, burnout, and high turnover . Surveys focus on CSR retention, reducing costs, and increasing the quality of customer relationships.

Attitudes, burnout, turnover, and retention: CSRs hold attitudes that reflect on their job-related activities including:

• the allocation of time
• solutions to customer needs
• how to improve their job
• best practices
• how well internal departments help customers

3. Product surveys

As part of product development, surveys help you find out what features, benefits and attributes appeal most to your customers, and how best to package your product, experience or service.

New product, service or experience concept analysis surveys

Purpose: Concept test studies are appropriate in the initial screening of new product concepts . Likes and dislikes about the concept and evaluation of acceptability and likelihood of purchase are especially useful measures.

Concept optimization, demand estimation, and cost analysis surveys (conjoint analysis)

Purpose: Determines an optimal bundle of features and benefits, and estimates associated demand. This kind of survey develops market share estimates of market potential for the alternative potential products.

Habits and practices, or attitude and usage surveys

Purpose: Directed at understanding usage situations, including how, when, and where the product is used. Habits and practices studies sometimes include a real or virtual pantry audit. Attitude and usage studies are used to understand consumer attitudes towards the product category and to life in general. They also look at product and brand usage, including how, when and where the product is used.

Product satisfaction surveys (attribute, features, promised benefits)

Purpose: Evaluation of the product’s promised bundle of benefits (both tangible and image). Are expectations created for the product by advertising, packaging , and the product appearance fulfilled by the product?

Competitive benchmarking surveys

Purpose: A “best practices” study of “how does the market view us relative to the competition?” Competitive positioning analyses often compare the attributes and benefits that make up the product using multidimensional scaling. These analyses also include an evaluation of key competitors, looking at the same KPIs and attributes as product satisfaction surveys.

Sales forecasting and market tracking surveys

Purpose: Sales forecasting and market tracking studies can include expert opinion (experts estimate the market), judgmental bootstrapping (expert-based rules describing how to use available secondary market information), conjoint analysis (estimation of consumer intentions based on product attributes that are important in the decision), and intentions evaluations (consumer self-reported intentions of future purchases).

Price setting surveys and elasticity of demand analysis

Purpose: Price surveys estimate the elasticity of demand and show optimal price points, including prices too low or too high. Price surveys may estimate the demand for different product or service segments, or different usage situations.

4. Brand surveys

A survey can help you understand how consumers perceive your brand and what values and ideas they associate with it. You can explore what value your brand has and whether people would choose you over competitors in your market niche.

Brand equity analysis surveys

Purpose: What is the psychological value that a brand holds in the marketplace? Brand equity is a composite of brand awareness , brand quality, brand associations, and brand loyalty measures.

Advertising value identification and analysis surveys

Purpose: Advertising value analysis focuses on mapping the hierarchical attributes, benefits, and values that are associated with and portrayed by an advertisement. Means-end analysis is often part of this type of study.

Advertising message effectiveness surveys (media and message)

Purpose: Message effectiveness testing identifies the impressions, feelings, and effectiveness in moving the respondent to a desired goal (increased awareness, more product information, trial, repeat purchase).

Once you know the right type of survey to run, the next step is to write a survey that your respondents will love to take!

Survey methods can be used to help collect data on real business issues and help you answer questions. Qualtrics supports customer surveys on every channel, at every journey stage to get you answers for more informed decisions.

We’ve put together a range of survey example templates that you can use for free to help you get started:

• Employee satisfaction survey template
• Employee exit survey template
• Customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey template
• Ad testing survey template
• Brand awareness survey template
• Product pricing survey template
• Product research survey template
• Employee engagement survey template
• Customer service survey template
• NPS survey template
• Product package testing survey template
• Product features prioritization survey template

In addition, for large-scale research studies, Qualtrics offers market research services to help with everything from questionnaire design and survey methods, to implementation and analysis.

Related resources

Post event survey questions 10 min read, best survey software 16 min read, close-ended questions 7 min read, survey vs questionnaire 12 min read, response bias 13 min read, double barreled question 11 min read, likert scales 14 min read, request demo.

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Market Research Survey: The Complete Guide

This process involves gathering primary (self-conducted) and secondary (information already researched and made available) sources, to fully assess how a business will fare within a particular market and audience.

A market research survey is typically a source of primary information that businesses can use as part of their market research campaigns. It can also exist as a secondary source, in which case, its studies and results are published online or in a print publication.

This article will take a close look at the market research survey, so that you can use it to the optimum benefit for your business.

What Can you Achieve with Market Research?

A market research survey, as its name entails, is used for research purposes. Before we dive into all the aspects of this survey, it is apt to learn how you can use market research to your full advantage.

Market research is critical for a variety of purposes, including marketing , advertising , and branding campaigns. 

Aside from providing data-based support for these macro purposes, market research gains you invaluable insight into particular markets. For example, you may consider running a research campaign for the retail market . Market research will help you gather all the relevant information pertaining to this specific market.

Aside from retail, you can conduct market research in a number of verticals, including ecommerce , technology, real estate and many others.

There are plenty of other applications for market research. Here are some of the ways to use market research to your advantage:

• Observe data to prepare for challenges in advance
• Gauge the demand for your product or service
• Learn key market trends and staples
• Discover how your competitors are winning or losing
• Uncover your target market’s desires, preferences, aversions and thoughts

The final point is remarkably crucial for market research and for generally keeping your business afloat. And so, we’ll now dig deep into the market research survey, as this tool is especially useful for this purpose.

Defining a Market Research Survey

This tool is the most commonly used market research method — and for good reason. A market research survey allows you to gather data on your target market. Moreover, it allows businesses to do so by accessing any insights they need, as long as they form corresponding questions to their investigation.

Surveys have a far-reaching history, as they date back to ancient civilizations such as Greece and Rome. There was a surge in survey use in 1930s America, in which the government sought to understand the economic and social state of the nation.

Surveys have taken up a variety of forms, including analog forms, such as paper and mail-in formats . 

Telephone surveys were the medium of choice for survey research during the 1960s-90s. But, as technological advancements would have it, those have declined in usefulness as well.

In the present day, surveys are conducted online, particularly through the use of designated software platforms. This type of software has paved the way for easy access to primary research. 

Businesses can use online survey software and tools and to carry out all their survey research (save for creating the screener and questions). Many such tools available both allow you to build surveys along with deploying them. 

To reiterate, market research surveys are powerful tools, in that they empower businesses to ask any question they choose to better understand their market and consumer base. They also can offer key insights into competitors. 

The Components of a Market Research Survey

This tool contains two major components: the screener and the questionnaire . These form the bulk of the insights your primary research will gather.

There are also two auxiliary components to incorporate to make your survey research successful. These include the call-out (introduction) and the thank you message (conclusion).

Unlike the essential components, the need to use these will vary based on your survey deployment method and campaign. For example, an emailed survey won’t require a call-out, as the email itself serves this purpose.

A web or mobile survey, on the other hand, will need a call-out to get the attention of your respondents. 

Here is a break-down of each component, beginning with the essential elements:

• These conditions often deal with demographics, which is incredibly important, as you would need to first and foremost, survey your target market. The screener will ensure it is only your target market that takes part in the survey.
• The screener is often comprised of 2-3 questions.
• The questionnaire should ask all the necessary questions you need for a particular campaign or sub-campaign. Or, if used in a preliminary stage of your market research, they can deal with questions particularly designed to segment your target market.
• If respondents are contacted via email, the call-out is in the email’s body, inviting participants to take it, listing why it’s important, its length and what it’s used for.
• If the survey exists within a website (either as a banner, or button), the call-out is the clickable element itself (the button/banner to the survey). It too should explain the survey to respondents.
• If the survey is on a website/app, the call-out has to be visible and attractive enough for users to notice it and click on it.
• The survey often routes users to another page with a thank you message. 
• It’s important, as it lets participants know that their survey has in fact been submitted.

How to Create a Market Research Survey

Here are a few steps to take into consideration when starting on a market research survey project.

Step 1: Find a topic your business needs to learn more about.

This is particularly important if it is a topic that has little to no secondary sources. In this case, opting for a survey is the best way to learn more about it firsthand, from the people who matter most: your target market. Pay attention to any problems your business may experience, as surveys should help resolve them. 

Step 2: Consider the topic in regards to your target market

When you’ve narrowed down a problem or two, think about your target market. Do you know who constitutes it? If yes, tailor your survey topic into a subtopic that they’ll be most likely to respond to. For example, if your target market is middle-aged men who watch sports, consider whether your problem/topic will be relevant to them.

If you don’t know your target market, you should conduct some secondary research about it first, then perform market segmentation (surveys can help on this front too).

Step 3: Find the larger application of the survey campaign

Now that you’ve settled on a topic/problem and decided on whether it’s fitting for your target market, consider what the parent campaign of the survey would be. Let’s hypothetically say your topic is related to a product. Would a survey on that topic benefit a branding campaign like finding your next slogan? Would it be better suited to settle on a theme for an advertising campaign? 

Once you find the most appropriate application or macro campaign to house the survey, your market research will be organized and your survey will be better set up for success.

Step 4: Calculate your margin of error

A margin of error , in simple terms, is a measurement of how effective your survey will be. Expressed as a percentage, it measures the difference between survey results and the population value.

You need to measure this unit, as surveys represent a large group of people, but are made up of a much smaller group. Therefore, the larger the margin of error, the less accurate the opinions of the survey represent an entire population. 

Step 5: Create your survey(s)

Now that you’ve calculated the margin of error, start creating your campaign. Decide on how many surveys you would need, in regard to your margin of error and your market research needs. 

Start with a broader topic and get more specific in each question. Or, create multiple surveys focused on different but closely related subtopics to your main topic.

Send out your surveys through a trusted survey platform. 

Questions to Ask for Various Campaigns

The steps laid out above are part of a simple procedure in developing a market research survey. However, there is much more to these steps, especially that of creating the survey. 

Namely, you would need the correct set of questions, as they are the lifeblood of a survey. With so many different survey research campaigns and purposes, brainstorming questions can seem almost counterintuitive. 

To avoid information overload and any confusion that creating a survey may incite, review the below question examples. They are organized per campaign type, so you can discern which questions are most suitable for which corresponding research purpose.

Questions for Branding

Branding campaigns include efforts that build the identity of your business; this includes gathering data-backed ideas on logos, imagery, messaging and core themes surrounding your brand. You can use these when embarking on a new campaign, revamping an existing one or when you’re looking to change your brand’s reputation and style.

• Which of these brands do you know?
• What do you like most/least about this brand?
• Which idea is more important? (Use an idea behind setting up your brand’s image/style)
• Which images do you find the most inspiring? (To compare images you’ll use in your marketing/ definitive to your brand)
• What do you like about [brand]? (Can be open-ended)

Questions for Advertising

Using market research for advertising will help you obtain ideas for new advertising campaigns, testing already established campaign ideas and predicting the success of new ones.

• How would you rate the motivating power of this ad?
• Which of the following ads resonate the most with you?
• Do you remember this ad? (Name and image/video of a popular ad within your industry)
• How do you feel after watching this ad?
• What kind of use do you think this product/service produces?

Questions for Comparing Yourself with Competitors 

Studying your competitors is often associated with secondary research, but you can gain intelligence on this topic through your own survey research. The great thing about surveys is that you don’t have to focus on one competitor when managing these surveys.

• How often do you use this product/service?
• Which brand do you use for this product/service? (Include one open-ended answer).
• Which of the following products (same kind, different brand) do you find the most useful?
• What about [competitor product] would you like to see change?
• Which brand has improved your life? (Include one open-ended question).

Questions for Market Segmentation

This application is possibly the most challenging, as it involves understanding who your target market already is, then further segmenting it. We understand coming to terms with your target market first, before narrowing it any further down.

Here is how to segment your target market; you’ll notice that the questions are much more granular than the typical questions associated with each topic. (Ex: demographics typically ask for race, age, gender, income, etc).

• Demographic segmentation: Which of the following groups do you identify with most closely? (It can involve anything from music, to shopping habits, to lifestyle choices)
• Geographic segmentation: Which of the following areas do you typically spend time in to make physical purchases?
• Psychographic segmentation: How do you feel about retailers who test their products on animals?
• Behavioral segmentation: How often do you buy this kind of product?
• Sentimental segmentation: How do the following [practices, images, actions] make you feel?

Securing the Most Benefits Out of Your Market Research Survey

As we can deduce from this guide, the market research survey is a critical tool for market research . There is so much to discover about your industry, competitors and chiefly, your customers. But before making any hasty decisions, it is vital to peruse all your research documents, not just the primary research ones, such as surveys.

When you combine primary and secondary research sources, you’re setting up any business move for greater success. 

That’s because market research involves studying more than one source. It may appear daunting, but with the right tools, you can design better products, innovate on existing products, appeal to a wider audience and gain more revenue from your marketing efforts. 

Thus, pair your market research survey with other research means for a lucrative market research campaign. Knowledge truly is power. 

Frequently asked questions

What is a market research survey.

A market research survey is a survey used for conducting primary market research and is the most commonly used market research method. Market research surveys help you understand your target market, gathering data necessary to make informed decisions on content creation, product development, and more.

What are the components of a market research survey?

There are 4 major components in a market research survey. First, we have the callout to get digital visitors to participate in a survey. Next is the screener which determines who is eligible to take the survey based on their demographics information and answers to screening questions. Then, there is the questionnaire—-- this is the heart of the survey, containing a set of open-ended or closed-ended questions. Lastly, there’s the callout. This introduces the survey to respondents. Next, there’s the thank you message. This acts as the conclusion to the survey.

How can you create a market research survey?

Creating a market research survey starts with identifying the topics your business needs to learn more about. Next, you consider topics within the context of your target market and find the larger application of the survey campaign. Calculate your margin of error and then create your survey using online software.

What types of questions should you ask on your market research survey?

You can ask branding related questions to gather information on how your identity of your business is perceived. You can also ask questions that spark ideas for new advertising campaigns. To supplement your secondary research on competitors, ask questions about your business’s place in the industry. Questions can also be used for market segmentation. These are questions on demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioral and sentimental topics.

How can you get the most benefits out of your market research survey?

You can get the most out of your market research survey by using the correct online survey platform-- one with specific audience targeting for real consumers, radius targeting and quality screening questions-- you’ll get relevant answers from the right audience.

Do you want to distribute your survey? Pollfish offers you access to millions of targeted consumers to get survey responses from $0.95 per complete. Launch your survey today.

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Knowing your audience is the backbone of success whether you’re a small business or a household name. And to know your audience, you need to do some all-important market research. But what’s the best way to go about doing that? Well, the easy answer is to use our market research platform to get on-demand insights into your existing audience and your potential customers.

But, if you want to take the long route, you could conduct a good old fashioned market research survey yourself.

What is a market research survey?

We’re glad you asked. A market research survey is a way of gaining information, insights, and attributes about your target consumers, so you can better understand them and what makes them tick. These surveys are typically conducted by market research companies . More information means more knowledge, which leads to more understanding – helping drive more successful campaigns.

But market research surveys don’t just help you improve your targeting and create campaigns that have impact. They provide valuable insight into the feelings, attitudes, and preferences of your audience – guiding everything from concept testing and launching new products, to brand positioning and customer satisfaction.

But what does it really take to conduct a market survey that works? Let’s get into it.

1. Set a clear goal 2. Know who to survey 3. Get help from survey-savvy people 4. Figure out the best way to get answers 5. Focus on the execution 6. Understand analysis is the answer 7. Uncover the bigger picture

1. Set a clear goal

Start by setting a clear objective of what you want from your market research. This will be determined by your marketing goals. If you’re launching a new product, for example, you’ll want to know what the demand is, how aware people are of your existing products/brand, if they currently use a competitor, and how frequently they buy.

Be precise about the outcome you’re looking for so you can get the answers you need to nail your future marketing campaigns .

• Why are you doing the survey?
• What do you want to find out from your research?
• Is it for product improvements with an existing audience?
• Are you looking to launch a new product into the marketplace and therefore need to know if there’s sufficient demand?
• Are you looking to improve your customer experience?

Knowing what you want to find out will help you identify what information you need. And it’ll help you determine whether a qualitative or quantitative approach works best.

The aim is to find out what your customers are looking for and improve satisfaction with your brand. 

Uncovering consumer attitudes could reveal some invaluable insights that will guide your strategy with the customer at the heart.

2. Know who to survey

Market research starts with identifying which market you’re targeting. Who’s your audience? Are you looking at existing customers? Or are you looking to find out more about potential customers? 

Think back to your goal here. Keeping in mind what you’re looking to achieve from your market research can help guide who you survey. For example, if you want to build on your customer offering by introducing a priority service, you may just want to gather information from people living in a certain area or earning over a certain amount.

Use regional data to attain precise information about the target customer whose data you need, and narrow it down to support your ultimate goal. 

Determine key demographics of your target audience like where they live, their age, gender, or income bracket. You’ll also need to establish the market size of your target market in order to calculate your sample size.

3. Get help from some survey-savvy people

Who knows about surveys? We do. 

We teased this at the start, but turning to an existing, ongoing survey (or multiple) could save you a helluva lot of time – and money. So if you need a faster way to understand digital consumers, we give you an on-demand window into their worlds. All in a few quick clicks, in one reliable audience insights platform.

GWI data spans 53 markets and represents over 2 billion internet users, making it the world’s leading market survey on digital consumers. 

We provide a level of detail you can’t find elsewhere. Survey research is tricky. So why not leave it to the market research experts? And if you want something super bespoke for your business needs, our Custom research offering might be just the thing. 

4. Figure out the best way to get answers

Cast your mind back to steps 1 and 2. Thinking about who you’re looking to survey and what you’re looking to gain will help determine how you get those answers from the right target market. 

Knowing the difference between primary research and secondary research, as well as qualitative and quantitative, can go a long way to helping you figure out the best approach. 

For example, primary market research is where you gather data that hasn’t been collected before – it’s new, essentially. You can gather primary research via surveys or observations. On the other hand, secondary market research is where you gather data that’s already been collected or conducted before by other people. You can find secondary research in published reports or studies. 

Surveys can be carried out in a number of ways, no longer exclusive to telephone surveys and focus groups. The online survey is another option that allows you to take a step away from the time-consuming paper survey. You can also conduct market research in groups or on an individual basis. 

Once again, the optimum approach for your brand will depend on your goals and the information you’re trying to capture, as well as your target audience, market share potential, and overall preferences.

If you want to gather in-depth information from Gen Z , for example, you might want to head over to Instagram. With 28% of Gen Zs saying that Instagram is their favorite social media platform, you’re most likely to find them scrolling here where you can try out polls to get answers, and  ask follow-up questions that dig a little deeper.

Using quantitative panel data to back this up, market researchers can come away with powerful insights and market analysis they can trust.

 5. Focus on the execution

Once you’re clear about your goals, the data you want, the people you need to talk to, and the best way to gather your survey data, it’s important to maximize the sample size. 

This means reaching people at the right time, checking out where they’re likely to be, and setting a realistic timeframe for them to share their thoughts.

You’ve got to really keep your target audience in mind here. If you’re physically interacting with people, think about the places they’re likely to visit, and at what times they’ll be there. There’s no use setting up camp at the mall on a weekday if you’re looking to talk to corporate big fish.

If it’s an online survey, understanding which social media platforms or websites they are likely to hang out on, and at what times they tend to be online is vital to getting those survey form completion numbers to hit the high notes. 

Conducting some data analysis ahead of the survey can go a long way in helping make the survey easier to reach the right audiences. Take the guesswork out of your marketing research.

6. Analysis is the answer

Once you’ve gathered your market survey responses, they need to be analyzed thoroughly to pull out key trends and findings to allow you to gain some tasty, actionable insights from the data. So, what do you need to be looking at?

• Examine qualitative answers for stand-out quotes and detailed feedback about attitudes and behaviors
• Calculate averages from your quantitative answers
• Compare your results against global and local secondary market research

There are plenty of ways to cross-examine and analyze your market research data based on the type of data you’ve collected and what you’re looking for.

7. Uncover the bigger picture

Conducting a single market research survey is invaluable to brands, but when carried out in isolation, market research can lack real-world relevance.  

To get more from your analysis, large-scale market survey data allows you to compare your findings across multiple data points. You can cross-reference it with local subgroups and compare against global averages to clearly see where the value truly lies.

Use case: Identifying affluent consumer behaviors on social media

Here’s a hypothetical example. Let’s say you sell a luxury product. You’ve identified from your own survey results and analytics that social media is prominent in your customers’ lives. 

But you need more detail to target high-earners on the channels where they’re most active.

By using a deep data set to dig down into their activity on social media, you can uncover exactly where they spend their time:

Combining this with questions designed to reveal their motivations for using social media takes your understanding to the next level:

Here, 30% of affluent consumers follow/subscribe to companies and brands they purchase from, so we’re more inclined to say they can be targeted with a good social media strategy from brands to be enticed into buying from them. 

Uncovering insights like this is key to delivering a well-positioned message that sticks. 

Now, you can create a campaign specifically targeted to hit your ideal target market, where they hang out and in a way that speaks to their interests.

Market research surveys are pivotal to success

Market surveys can be used in a variety of ways to help a brand focus more on its target audience and take a more people-based approach.

You can use it to get a better understanding of the perceptions around your brand, test the appetite for a new product, and find customer demographics to accurately pitch an ad campaign. A marketing research survey enables you to gather information about your audience and help to build a buyer persona for each sector of your target audience for more personalized, effective marketing strategies.

Data holds the answers you need to achieve almost every business goal.

But data is powerless without effective analysis. And without effective analysis, no insights can be drawn. So it pays to have third-party survey data sets at your disposal to contextualize your findings. A skillfully-planned market survey that catches customer feedback and experience will deliver findings that could spell the difference between success and failure in a marketing strategy. Leveraging GWI’s data platform means getting clued up on your audience fast, and making decisions you can stand behind.

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Market Research Surveys: Your Gateway to Customer Insights

• by Alice Ananian
• September 17, 2024

Ever felt like you’re shooting in the dark when it comes to understanding your customers? Well, put on your detective hat because we’re about to embark on a thrilling journey into the world of market research surveys! These nifty tools are like having a direct line to your customers’ brains, minus the sci-fi headgear. So, buckle up as we dive into the what, why, and how of market research surveys – your ticket to making data-driven decisions that’ll have your competitors scratching their heads in amazement.

What Is a Market Research Survey?

A market research survey is a structured method of collecting data from a target audience to gain insights into their preferences, behaviors, and opinions. It’s a form of primary research that allows businesses to gather first-hand information directly from their current or potential customers. Unlike secondary data , which is information that already exists, market research surveys give you fresh, piping hot data straight from the source.

These surveys can cover a wide range of topics, from product features and pricing to brand perception and customer satisfaction. They’re like a Swiss Army knife in your market research toolkit – versatile, handy, and always ready to help you slice through the uncertainty of the market.

Rely on Data, Not Your Guts

Why Are Surveys Important?

Now, you might be thinking, “Can’t I just go with my gut feeling?” Well, sure, if you enjoy playing business roulette. But for those who prefer a more scientific approach (and keeping their hair), here’s why market research surveys are the bee’s knees:

Customer-Centric Decision Making

Surveys help you tune into the customer’s frequency. By understanding their needs and wants, you can create products and services that hit the bullseye every time.

Risk Reduction

Launching a new product? Surveys can act as your business crystal ball, helping you predict potential pitfalls before you invest your life savings.

Competitive Edge

While your competitors are playing guessing games, you’ll be armed with concrete data to make informed decisions. It’s like bringing a calculator to a math contest where everyone else is counting on their fingers.

Trend Identification

Surveys can help you spot emerging trends before they become mainstream. It’s like having a time machine, but for market insights!

Measurable ROI

By basing your decisions on survey data, you can track the effectiveness of your strategies and calculate the return on your market research investment.

Remember, in the world of business, knowledge isn’t just power – it’s profit. And market research surveys are your golden ticket to both.

Types of Market Research Survey

Just like there’s more than one way to eat a slice of pizza (folded, bite by bite, or if you’re a monster, with a knife and fork), there are various types of market research surveys. Each serves a unique purpose and can provide valuable insights depending on your goals. Let’s explore some of the most common types:

Brand Awareness Surveys

These surveys help you understand how well your target audience knows your brand and how you stack up against competitors. It’s like asking, “On a scale of ‘Who are you?’ to ‘We’re BFFs’, how well do you know us?”

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Want to know if your customers are doing a happy dance or planning a boycott? These surveys measure how satisfied customers are with your products or services. They’re crucial for identifying areas of improvement and maintaining customer loyalty.

Product Development Surveys

Before you sink your life savings into that revolutionary nose-hair trimmer, use these surveys to gauge interest, gather feature preferences, and identify potential issues. It’s like having a focus group, but without the one-way mirror and stale donuts.

Pricing Surveys

These help you determine the sweet spot for pricing your products or services. Too high, and you’ll scare customers away; too low, and you’ll be eating ramen for dinner… again.

Market Segmentation Surveys

These surveys help you divide your market into distinct groups based on demographics, behaviors, or preferences. It’s like sorting your laundry, but instead of colors, you’re separating customers into targetable segments.

Concept Testing Surveys

Got a brilliant idea? These surveys let you test it before going all-in. It’s like a dress rehearsal for your product or marketing campaign.

User Experience (UX) Surveys

These focus on how customers interact with your product or website. They’re essential for ensuring your digital presence isn’t causing more headaches than it solves.

Employee Satisfaction Surveys

Because happy employees make for happy customers. These surveys help you gauge the mood in your workplace and identify areas for improvement.

Remember, the type of survey you choose should align with your research objectives. Mix and match to create a comprehensive market research strategy that would make even the most seasoned data analyst swoon.

How to Write and Conduct Market Research Surveys

Alright, survey enthusiasts, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive into the nitty-gritty of creating market research surveys that’ll make your respondents actually enjoy participating. Let’s break down each step in detail, so you can craft surveys that are more engaging than the latest viral TikTok dance:

Define Your Objectives

Before you even think about writing your first question, get crystal clear on what you want to learn. This step is like setting your GPS before a road trip – without it, you’ll just be driving aimlessly.

• Be specific: Instead of “learn about customer satisfaction,” aim for “identify the top 3 factors affecting customer satisfaction with our new product line.”
• Make it measurable: How will you know if you’ve achieved your objective? Set concrete goals like “determine the Net Promoter Score for our service.”
• Align with business goals: Ensure your survey objectives support broader business objectives. For example, if your company aims to expand into a new market, your survey objective might be to assess potential demand in that market.

Identify Your Target Audience

Knowing your audience is like choosing the right bait for fishing – you wouldn’t use a worm to catch a whale, would you?

• Define demographics: Age, gender, location, income level – who exactly are you trying to reach?
• Consider psychographics: What are their interests, values, and lifestyle choices?
• Use existing customer data: If you’re surveying current customers, segment them based on their behavior or purchase history.
• Create personas: Develop detailed profiles of your ideal respondents to help tailor your questions.

Choose Your Survey Type

Based on your objectives and audience, select the most appropriate survey type. This is like choosing the right tool for a job – you wouldn’t use a hammer to paint a wall.

• Brand awareness surveys: Great for understanding your market position.
• Customer satisfaction surveys: Ideal for improving products or services.
• Product development surveys: Perfect for validating new ideas.
• Market segmentation surveys: Useful for tailoring marketing strategies.
• Consider mixing types: You might combine elements of different survey types to meet multiple objectives.

Craft Your Questions

This is where the magic happens. Your questions are the heart and soul of your survey, so give them the attention they deserve.

• Start with a brainstorm: List all possible questions related to your objectives.
• Prioritize: Select the most crucial questions that directly address your objectives.
• Closed-ended questions (multiple choice, rating scales) for quantitative data.
• Open-ended questions for qualitative insights.
• Likert scales for measuring attitudes or opinions.
• Keep it clear and concise: If your question is longer than this bullet point, it’s probably too long.
• Avoid leading questions: “How awesome is our product?” is not a fair question (even if your product is, indeed, awesome).
• Use simple language: Avoid jargon or complex terms unless you’re sure your audience understands them.
• Include ‘N/A’ or ‘Don’t know’ options where appropriate to avoid forced answers.
• Consider question order: Start with easy questions and gradually move to more complex ones. It’s like warming up before a workout, but for the brain.

Design Your Survey

A well-designed survey is like a well-plated meal – it whets the appetite and encourages consumption.

• Create a compelling introduction: Explain the purpose of the survey and how long it will take.
• Group related questions together: This creates a logical flow and makes the survey easier to follow.
• Use progress indicators: Let respondents know how far along they are in the survey.
• Optimize for mobile: Ensure your survey looks good and functions well on smartphones and tablets.
• Brand it: Use your company’s colors and logo to make the survey feel official.
• Consider visual elements: Charts, images, or even GIFs can make the survey more engaging (but don’t overdo it).

Test Your Survey

Before launching, have a few people take your survey and provide feedback. It’s like proofreading, but for questions.

• Conduct a pilot test: Ask a small group (ideally from your target audience) to take the survey.
• Time it: Ensure the survey takes as long as you’ve promised in the introduction.
• Check for technical issues: Test on different devices and browsers.
• Analyze pilot data: Make sure the questions are providing the type of data you need.
• Gather feedback: Ask your testers about their experience and any confusing elements.
• Revise and retest: Make necessary adjustments based on feedback and test again if needed.

Choose Your Distribution Method

Getting your survey in front of the right eyes is crucial. It’s like choosing the right venue for a party – you want to go where your guests are.

• Email: Great for reaching existing customers or subscribers.
• Social media: Ideal for broader reach, especially if targeting specific demographics.
• Website or app integration: Perfect for gathering feedback from active users.
• SMS: Good for short surveys and reaching people on-the-go.
• QR codes: Useful for linking physical locations to digital surveys.
• Consider incentives: Offering rewards for completion can boost response rates.

Launch and Monitor

Once your survey is live, don’t just sit back and wait. Keep a close eye on the responses rolling in.

• Set up real-time alerts: Be notified of new responses or when you hit certain milestones.
• Monitor response rates: If they’re low, you might need to adjust your distribution strategy.
• Check for any recurring issues: If many respondents are skipping a particular question, it might need revision.
• Be prepared to make real-time adjustments: If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to tweak it mid-survey.

Analyze the Results

This is where you turn data into insights. It’s like being a detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re uncovering valuable business intelligence.

• Start with quantitative data: Look at the numbers, percentages, and trends.
• Dive into qualitative responses: Read through open-ended answers to find common themes or unique insights.
• Use visualization tools: Charts and graphs can help you spot patterns more easily.
• Compare results to your objectives: Did you get the information you were looking for?
• Look for surprises: Sometimes, the most valuable insights are the ones you weren’t expecting.
• Consider segmenting results: Break down responses by demographics or other relevant factors.

Act on the Insights

The best survey in the world is useless if you don’t do anything with the results. This is where the rubber meets the road.

• Create an action plan: Based on your insights, what specific steps will you take?
• Prioritize actions: What will have the biggest impact? What’s quick and easy to implement?
• Share results: Let relevant team members know about the insights you’ve uncovered.
• Consider a follow-up survey: After implementing changes, survey again to measure their impact.
• Document the process: Note what worked well and what could be improved for future surveys.

Remember, creating an effective market research survey is both an art and a science. It takes practice, but with these detailed steps, you’ll be well on your way to survey success! And who knows? You might just find that conducting market research surveys is as addictive as scrolling through cat videos – but way more productive for your business.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the most seasoned researchers can sometimes stumble. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for when conducting market research surveys:

Asking Leading Questions

“Don’t you agree that our product is the best thing since sliced bread?” This is a no-no. Keep your questions neutral to get honest responses.

Survey Fatigue

If your survey is longer than a CVS receipt, respondents might lose interest halfway through. Keep it concise and focused.

Overlooking Mobile Users

In this smartphone-obsessed world, make sure your survey is mobile-friendly. No one wants to pinch and zoom their way through your questions.

Ignoring Open-Ended Questions

While multiple-choice questions are easy to analyze, open-ended questions can provide rich, qualitative insights. Find a balance between the two.

Surveying the Wrong Audience

Make sure your respondents actually represent your target market. Surveying your mom and her book club probably won’t give you accurate insights about millennials’ tech habits.

Neglecting to Test

Always, always test your survey before launching it. You don’t want to realize you forgot a crucial question after you’ve already collected 1000 responses.

Misinterpreting Results

Data can be tricky. Be careful not to see patterns where they don’t exist or to ignore results that don’t align with your expectations.

Failing to Act on Results

The biggest mistake of all is conducting a survey and then letting the insights gather dust. Your survey results should inform your decisions and actions.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to conducting surveys that would make even the most discerning market researcher proud.

Use Prelaunch to Unlock Deeper Insights 

While traditional survey tools have their place, sometimes you need to dig deeper to truly understand your market and validate your product ideas. Enter Prelaunch , a powerful platform that goes beyond simple surveys to provide comprehensive insights for entrepreneurs and businesses alike.

Prelaunch isn’t your run-of-the-mill survey tool. It’s a robust product validation and market research platform designed to give you a 360-degree view of your target market. By combining surveys with advanced analytics and user engagement features, Prelaunch helps you make data-driven decisions with confidence.

Key Features That Set Prelaunch Apart

• Interactive Prototypes : Upload mockups or prototypes of your product and gather feedback directly from potential users. It’s like having a focus group at your fingertips, 24/7.
• Audience Targeting : Reach your ideal customers with precision. Prelaunch’s advanced targeting capabilities ensure your surveys and prototypes are seen by the right eyes.
• Sentiment Analysis : Go beyond yes/no answers. Prelaunch’s AI-powered sentiment analysis helps you understand the emotions behind user feedback, giving you deeper insights into customer perceptions.
• Competitive Analysis : See how your product stacks up against the competition. Prelaunch allows you to benchmark your ideas against existing market offerings.
• Iterative Testing : Refine your product in real-time based on user feedback. Prelaunch’s iterative testing features let you evolve your product concept quickly and efficiently.

Making the Most of Prelaunch

To truly unlock the power of Prelaunch, consider these tips:

• Start Early : Don’t wait until your product is fully developed. Use Prelaunch from the ideation stage to ensure you’re on the right track from day one.
• Engage Actively : Respond to user feedback and questions. This not only provides valuable insights but also helps build a community around your product.
• Analyze Deeply : Don’t just skim the surface of your data. Dive into the analytics Prelaunch provides to uncover hidden trends and opportunities.
• Iterate Quickly : Use the insights you gain to make rapid improvements to your product concept. The faster you iterate, the quicker you’ll find product-market fit.

By leveraging Prelaunch’s unique features, you’re not just conducting market research – you’re building a foundation for product success. So before you sink countless hours and resources into development, let Prelaunch help you validate your ideas and set your product up for a successful launch.

Tools to Conduct Market Research Surveys

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge to create killer surveys, let’s talk about the tools that can help you bring your market research dreams to life. These platforms are like the Swiss Army knives of the survey world – versatile, user-friendly, and ready to tackle any research challenge you throw at them.

• Prelaunch : The platform is actually more than just a survey tool, and offers unique features for product validation and market research. It’s particularly useful for entrepreneurs and startups looking to test their ideas before launch.
• SurveyMonkey : The name that’s practically synonymous with online surveys. It offers a wide range of features and templates suitable for businesses of all sizes.
• Google Forms : A free and simple option that integrates seamlessly with other Google tools. It’s great for basic surveys and is as easy to use as buttering toast.
• Typeform : Known for its beautiful, conversational interface. If you want your surveys to feel more like a chat with a friend than an interrogation, Typeform’s your go-to.
• Qualtrics : A powerful platform that offers advanced features for more complex research needs. It’s like the Ferrari of survey tools – sleek, powerful, and a bit pricier.
• SurveyGizmo : Offers a good balance of advanced features and user-friendliness. It’s particularly strong in its reporting and analysis capabilities.

Remember, the best tool for you depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical expertise. Most of these platforms offer free trials, so don’t be afraid to take them for a spin before committing.

Market research surveys are more than just a bunch of questions – they’re your secret weapon for understanding your customers, validating your ideas, and making data-driven decisions that can skyrocket your business. By following the tips and avoiding the pitfalls we’ve discussed, you’ll be well on your way to creating surveys that engage respondents and provide valuable insights.

Remember, the key to successful market research is not just in collecting data, but in how you use it. So go forth, create those surveys, and let the voice of your customers guide you to success. And who knows? You might just find that conducting market research surveys is as addictive as scrolling through cat videos – but way more productive!

How many questions should a market research survey have?

While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, aim for 10-15 questions for optimal engagement. Longer surveys risk respondent fatigue.

How can I increase the response rate for my surveys?  

Offer incentives, keep the survey short, clearly communicate the purpose, and send reminders. Also, make sure the survey is mobile-friendly.

How often should I conduct market research surveys?  

It depends on your business needs, but generally, conducting surveys quarterly or bi-annually can help you stay updated on market trends and customer preferences.

Can I use the same survey for different target audiences?  

While you can use the same core questions, it’s best to tailor your survey to each specific audience for more relevant and accurate results.

How do I analyze open-ended survey responses?  

Look for common themes and keywords. Tools like word clouds or sentiment analysis can help visualize trends in qualitative data.

Alice Ananian

Alice has over 8 years experience as a strong communicator and creative thinker. She enjoys helping companies refine their branding, deepen their values, and reach their intended audiences through language.

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Market Research: A How-To Guide and Template

Discover the different types of market research, how to conduct your own market research, and use a free template to help you along the way.

MARKET RESEARCH KIT

5 Research and Planning Templates + a Free Guide on How to Use Them in Your Market Research

Updated: 02/21/24

Published: 03/30/16

Today's consumers have a lot of power. As a business, you must have a deep understanding of who your buyers are and what influences their purchase decisions.

Enter: Market Research.

Whether you're new to market research or not, I created this guide to help you conduct a thorough study of your market, target audience, competition, and more. Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

What is market research?

Primary vs. secondary research, types of market research, how to do market research, market research report template, market research examples.

Market research is the process of gathering information about your target market and customers to verify the success of a new product, help your team iterate on an existing product, or understand brand perception to ensure your team is effectively communicating your company's value effectively.

Market research can answer various questions about the state of an industry. But if you ask me, it's hardly a crystal ball that marketers can rely on for insights on their customers.

Market researchers investigate several areas of the market, and it can take weeks or even months to paint an accurate picture of the business landscape.

However, researching just one of those areas can make you more intuitive to who your buyers are and how to deliver value that no other business is offering them right now.

How? Consider these two things:

• Your competitors also have experienced individuals in the industry and a customer base. It‘s very possible that your immediate resources are, in many ways, equal to those of your competition’s immediate resources. Seeking a larger sample size for answers can provide a better edge.
• Your customers don't represent the attitudes of an entire market. They represent the attitudes of the part of the market that is already drawn to your brand.

The market research services market is growing rapidly, which signifies a strong interest in market research as we enter 2024. The market is expected to grow from roughly $75 billion in 2021 to $90.79 billion in 2025 .

Free Market Research Kit

• SWOT Analysis Template
• Survey Template
• Focus Group Template

Download Free

All fields are required.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Why do market research?

Market research allows you to meet your buyer where they are.

As our world becomes louder and demands more of our attention, this proves invaluable.

By understanding your buyer's problems, pain points, and desired solutions, you can aptly craft your product or service to naturally appeal to them.

Market research also provides insight into the following:

• Where your target audience and current customers conduct their product or service research
• Which of your competitors your target audience looks to for information, options, or purchases
• What's trending in your industry and in the eyes of your buyer
• Who makes up your market and what their challenges are
• What influences purchases and conversions among your target audience
• Consumer attitudes about a particular topic, pain, product, or brand
• Whether there‘s demand for the business initiatives you’re investing in
• Unaddressed or underserved customer needs that can be flipped into selling opportunity
• Attitudes about pricing for a particular product or service

Ultimately, market research allows you to get information from a larger sample size of your target audience, eliminating bias and assumptions so that you can get to the heart of consumer attitudes.

As a result, you can make better business decisions.

To give you an idea of how extensive market research can get , consider that it can either be qualitative or quantitative in nature — depending on the studies you conduct and what you're trying to learn about your industry.

Qualitative research is concerned with public opinion, and explores how the market feels about the products currently available in that market.

Quantitative research is concerned with data, and looks for relevant trends in the information that's gathered from public records.

That said, there are two main types of market research that your business can conduct to collect actionable information on your products: primary research and secondary research.

Primary Research

Primary research is the pursuit of first-hand information about your market and the customers within your market.

It's useful when segmenting your market and establishing your buyer personas.

Primary market research tends to fall into one of two buckets:

• Exploratory Primary Research: This kind of primary market research normally takes place as a first step — before any specific research has been performed — and may involve open-ended interviews or surveys with small numbers of people.
• Specific Primary Research: This type of research often follows exploratory research. In specific research, you take a smaller or more precise segment of your audience and ask questions aimed at solving a suspected problem.

Secondary Research

Secondary research is all the data and public records you have at your disposal to draw conclusions from (e.g. trend reports, market statistics, industry content, and sales data you already have on your business).

Secondary research is particularly useful for analyzing your competitors . The main buckets your secondary market research will fall into include:

• Public Sources: These sources are your first and most-accessible layer of material when conducting secondary market research. They're often free to find and review — like government statistics (e.g., from the U.S. Census Bureau ).
• Commercial Sources: These sources often come in the form of pay-to-access market reports, consisting of industry insight compiled by a research agency like Pew , Gartner , or Forrester .
• Internal Sources: This is the market data your organization already has like average revenue per sale, customer retention rates, and other historical data that can help you draw conclusions on buyer needs.
• Focus Groups
• Product/ Service Use Research
• Observation-Based Research
• Buyer Persona Research
• Market Segmentation Research
• Pricing Research
• Competitive Analysis Research
• Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research
• Brand Awareness Research
• Campaign Research

1. Interviews

Interviews allow for face-to-face discussions so you can allow for a natural flow of conversation. Your interviewees can answer questions about themselves to help you design your buyer personas and shape your entire marketing strategy.

2. Focus Groups

Focus groups provide you with a handful of carefully-selected people that can test out your product and provide feedback. This type of market research can give you ideas for product differentiation.

3. Product/Service Use Research

Product or service use research offers insight into how and why your audience uses your product or service. This type of market research also gives you an idea of the product or service's usability for your target audience.

4. Observation-Based Research

Observation-based research allows you to sit back and watch the ways in which your target audience members go about using your product or service, what works well in terms of UX , and which aspects of it could be improved.

5. Buyer Persona Research

Buyer persona research gives you a realistic look at who makes up your target audience, what their challenges are, why they want your product or service, and what they need from your business or brand.

6. Market Segmentation Research

Market segmentation research allows you to categorize your target audience into different groups (or segments) based on specific and defining characteristics. This way, you can determine effective ways to meet their needs.

7. Pricing Research

Pricing research helps you define your pricing strategy . It gives you an idea of what similar products or services in your market sell for and what your target audience is willing to pay.

8. Competitive Analysis

Competitive analyses give you a deep understanding of the competition in your market and industry. You can learn about what's doing well in your industry and how you can separate yourself from the competition .

9. Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research

Customer satisfaction and loyalty research gives you a look into how you can get current customers to return for more business and what will motivate them to do so (e.g., loyalty programs , rewards, remarkable customer service).

10. Brand Awareness Research

Brand awareness research tells you what your target audience knows about and recognizes from your brand. It tells you about the associations people make when they think about your business.

11. Campaign Research

Campaign research entails looking into your past campaigns and analyzing their success among your target audience and current customers. The goal is to use these learnings to inform future campaigns.

• Define your buyer persona.
• Identify a persona group to engage.
• Prepare research questions for your market research participants.
• List your primary competitors.
• Summarize your findings.

1. Define your buyer persona.

You have to understand who your customers are and how customers in your industry make buying decisions.

This is where your buyer personas come in handy. Buyer personas — sometimes referred to as marketing personas — are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers.

Use a free tool to create a buyer persona that your entire company can use to market, sell, and serve better.

10 Free Competitive Analysis Templates

Track and analyze your competitors with these ten free planning templates.

• SWOT Analysis
• Battle Cards
• Feature Comparison
• Strategic Overview

Identifying Content Competitors

Search engines are your best friends in this area of secondary market research.

To find the online publications with which you compete, take the overarching industry term you identified in the section above, and come up with a handful of more specific industry terms your company identifies with.

A catering business, for example, might generally be a “food service” company, but also consider itself a vendor in “event catering,” “cake catering,” or “baked goods.” Once you have this list, do the following:

• Google it. Don't underestimate the value in seeing which websites come up when you run a search on Google for the industry terms that describe your company. You might find a mix of product developers, blogs, magazines, and more.
• Compare your search results against your buyer persona. If the content the website publishes seems like the stuff your buyer persona would want to see, it's a potential competitor, and should be added to your list of competitors.

5. Summarize your findings.

Feeling overwhelmed by the notes you took? We suggest looking for common themes that will help you tell a story and create a list of action items.

To make the process easier, try using your favorite presentation software to make a report, as it will make it easy to add in quotes, diagrams, or call clips.

Feel free to add your own flair, but the following outline should help you craft a clear summary:

• Background: Your goals and why you conducted this study.
• Participants: Who you talked to. A table works well so you can break groups down by persona and customer/prospect.
• Executive Summary : What were the most interesting things you learned? What do you plan to do about it?
• Awareness: Describe the common triggers that lead someone to enter into an evaluation. (Quotes can be very powerful.)
• Consideration: Provide the main themes you uncovered, as well as the detailed sources buyers use when conducting their evaluation.
• Decision: Paint the picture of how a decision is really made by including the people at the center of influence and any product features or information that can make or break a deal.
• Action Plan: Your analysis probably uncovered a few campaigns you can run to get your brand in front of buyers earlier and/or more effectively. Provide your list of priorities, a timeline, and the impact it will have on your business.

Within a market research kit, there are a number of critical pieces of information for your business‘s success. Let’s take a look at these elements.

Pro Tip: Upon downloading HubSpot's free Market Research Kit , you'll receive editable templates for each of the given parts of the kit, instructions on how to use the kit, and a mock presentation that you can edit and customize.

The Beginner's Guide to the Competitive Matrix [+ Templates]

What is a Competitive Analysis — and How Do You Conduct One?

9 Best Marketing Research Methods to Know Your Buyer Better [+ Examples]

SWOT Analysis: How To Do One [With Template & Examples]

28 Tools & Resources for Conducting Market Research

TAM, SAM & SOM: What Do They Mean & How Do You Calculate Them?

How to Run a Competitor Analysis [Free Guide]

5 Challenges Marketers Face in Understanding Audiences [New Data + Market Researcher Tips]

Causal Research: The Complete Guide

Free Guide & Templates to Help Your Market Research

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

• Technical Support
• Technical Papers
• Knowledge Base
• Question Library

Call our friendly, no-pressure support team.

A Guide to Market Research Surveys: Definition, Types, Examples, and More

Table of Contents

Introduction to Market (and Marketing) Research Surveys

Imagine you’re about to launch a new product. But there’s a catch – you are uncertain whether your target market will embrace this product. Enter market (or marketing) research surveys, for navigating the uncertainties of consumer behavior. These surveys are more than just a set of questions; they are a strategic tool designed to uncover insights regarding attitudes, preferences, and price sensitivity that can shape your business decisions and drive success.

(Although the terms market research and marketing research are often used interchangeably, toward the end of this article we’ll highlight the subtle differences.)

Marketing research surveys play a crucial role in understanding customer needs and preferences. They help businesses gather valuable data on customer opinions, market trends, and competitive landscapes. This data is essential for making informed decisions, from product development to marketing strategies and pricing strategies. Without these insights, businesses risk launching products that miss the mark, are not priced properly, or crafting marketing messages that fall flat.

At Sawtooth Software, we understand the importance of data-driven decisions. Our tools are designed to help you create and conduct market and marketing research surveys that deliver actionable insights. Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just starting, our solutions, world class technical support, and education opportunities make it easy to gather the data you need to succeed.

Get Started with Market Research Today!

Ready for your next market research study? Get access to our free survey research tool. In just a few minutes, you can create powerful surveys with our easy-to-use interface.

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What Is a Market Research Survey?

A market research survey is a structured questionnaire used to collect data from a targeted audience to gain insights into various aspects of the market. These surveys are designed to gather information on customer preferences, behaviors, and attitudes, which are crucial for making informed business decisions. Market research surveys can be conducted through various channels, including online, phone, in-person, and paper surveys, each offering unique advantages depending on the research goals and target audience.

One fundamental aspect of market research surveys is the distinction between primary research and secondary research . Primary research involves collecting new data directly from respondents through surveys, interviews, or observations. This type of research provides firsthand information specific to the research objectives, offering fresh insights tailored to the business's needs. In contrast, secondary research involves analyzing existing data from previously conducted studies, reports, or public records. While secondary research can provide valuable context and background, it lacks the specificity and immediacy of primary research.

Market (and marketing) research surveys collect a wide range of data types, including quantitative data, such as choices, numerical ratings or rankings, and qualitative data, like open-ended responses or comments. Quantitative data allows for statistical analysis and trend identification, while qualitative data provides deeper insights into respondents' thoughts and feelings. By combining these data types, businesses can gain a comprehensive understanding of their market.

Compared to other forms of market research, such as focus groups or observational studies, surveys offer several advantages. They are cost-effective, scalable, can reach a broad audience quickly, and following proper sampling procedures allow for making inferences about the population as a whole. With the rise of online survey platforms, such as Sawtooth’s market research surveys , businesses can easily create and distribute surveys, making this method more accessible than ever.

Why Use Surveys in Market Research?

Market research surveys are a powerful tool for businesses looking to gain deep insights into their market and customers. They offer several benefits that make them an essential part of any comprehensive market research strategy.

Benefits of Using Market Research Surveys

Market research surveys provide businesses with direct feedback from their target audience. This feedback is invaluable for understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points. By tapping into this direct source of information, businesses can make data-driven decisions that align with customer needs and expectations and improve their products or services.

Advantages Over Other Research Methods

Surveys have several advantages over other research methods like focus groups or observational studies. They are scalable, allowing businesses to reach a large and diverse audience quickly and cost-effectively. Unlike focus groups, which can be limited by size and logistics, surveys can gather input from thousands of respondents across different demographics and locations. Given proper sampling procedures, such as random sampling, the firm can draw precise inferences about the population as a whole.

Additionally, self-completed surveys offer a level of anonymity that encourages honest and candid responses. Participants may feel more comfortable sharing their true opinions without the pressure of a face-to-face interaction, leading to more accurate and reliable data.

Scalability and Efficiency in Data Collection

The scalability of market research surveys means that businesses can gather a significant amount of data in a relatively short period. Online market research surveys , in particular, streamline the process of data collection and analysis. Automated tools can distribute surveys, track responses, and generate reports, making the entire process more efficient and less time-consuming. 

Open-end data may also be analyzed efficiently at scale, due to advances in AI for summarizing hundreds or thousands of pages of typed responses, including classifying text responses based on topics and sentiment.

Types of Market Research Surveys

Market research surveys come in various forms, each designed to achieve specific objectives. Understanding the different types of surveys and their primary benefits can help businesses choose the most appropriate method for their needs. Each survey type should have a clear objective to ensure the data collected is relevant and actionable.

Here’s a summary of common market research survey types:

Each type of survey serves a distinct purpose and provides unique insights that can inform various aspects of a business strategy. By clearly defining the objective of each survey, businesses can ensure they gather relevant and actionable data to support their goals.

Get Started with Your Survey Research Today!

Ready for your next research study? Get access to our free survey research tool. In just a few minutes, you can create powerful surveys with our easy-to-use interface.

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Survey Research Methods and Tools

Choosing the right survey research method and tools is crucial for the success of your market research efforts. Several factors influence this choice, including time, budget, audience, and the specific research objectives. Here’s a summary of different market research survey types and the considerations for using them:

Factors That Influence Method Choice

When selecting a survey method, consider the following factors:

Survey Research Methods

Online surveys.

Online surveys are one of the most popular methods due to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. They can reach a large audience quickly and are ideal for gathering data from geographically dispersed respondents. Tools like Sawtooth Software's online survey solutions make it easy to create, distribute, and analyze surveys. However, they require respondents to have internet access, which may limit participation in certain demographics.

Paper Surveys

Paper surveys are traditional but still relevant in contexts where digital access is limited. They are useful in areas with low internet penetration. While paper surveys can be more costly and time-consuming to distribute and process, they can reach audiences that are otherwise difficult to engage.

Telephone Surveys

Telephone surveys offer a personal touch and can be effective for reaching older demographics or those less comfortable with digital interfaces. They allow for real-time interaction, which can improve response rates and data quality. However, they can be expensive and time-intensive, and potential respondents may be wary of unsolicited calls.

In-Person Surveys

In-person surveys provide the highest level of interaction and can yield rich, qualitative data. They are ideal for detailed feedback and complex questions that require clarification. This method is often used in focus groups or during in-depth interviews. The main drawbacks are the high cost and logistical challenges associated with conducting these surveys, as well as the potential for introducing bias due to the interpersonal interaction between the survey giver and taker.

Panel Surveys

Panel surveys involve a pre-recruited group of respondents who participate in multiple surveys over time. This method is excellent for longitudinal studies and understanding changes in attitudes or behaviors. Panel surveys ensure consistent and reliable data from a defined group, but managing and maintaining a panel can be resource-intensive. Furthermore, the types of people who participate in panels may systematically differ from those who do not, in ways important to the key questions the firm is interested in addressing.

Focus Group Studies

Focus group studies gather a small, diverse group of participants to discuss a particular topic in detail. This method is valuable for exploring complex issues and generating in-depth insights. However, the small samples of respondents (often one-hundred or fewer people) involved means that findings may not be generalizable to the larger population, and the sessions can be expensive to organize.

Tools and Platforms

Various tools and platforms are available to facilitate the distribution and collection of survey data. Sawtooth Software offers robust solutions for creating market research surveys that cater to different needs, whether it's for online distribution or collecting data on devices not connected to the internet. Our tools ensure that you can gather accurate, actionable data efficiently.

Choosing the right method and tools depends on your specific research goals and constraints. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach, you can design a market research strategy that effectively meets your needs.

How to Conduct Market Research Surveys

Conducting market research surveys involves several key steps to ensure that the data collected is reliable, relevant, and actionable. Here’s a detailed guide on creating effective market research surveys and best practices for designing survey questions.

Steps Involved in Creating Effective Market Research Surveys

• Define Your Objectives:  Clearly outline the goals of your survey. What specific insights are you looking to gain? Defining your objectives helps in shaping the survey questions and determining the target audience. Review the aims and goals with key stakeholders before proceeding with the research.
• Identify Your Target Audience:  Determine who your respondents will be. This could be existing customers, potential customers, or a specific demographic group. Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring the survey content and distribution method.
• Choose the Survey Method:  Select the most appropriate method for conducting your survey based on your objectives, audience, and resources. Options include online surveys, telephone surveys, in-person surveys, and more.
• Design the Survey:  Create the survey questions, ensuring they are clear, concise, and relevant to your objectives. Consider the different options for collecting the right information, be it single-select, multiple-choice, numeric scale, MaxDiff (best-worst scaling), conjoint analysis, or open-ended questions, to gather diverse data.
• Pilot Test the Survey:  Conduct a pilot test (e.g., soft launch) with a small group representative of your target audience. This helps identify any issues with the questions or survey flow and allows for adjustments before the full launch.
• Distribute the Survey:  Deploy your survey using the chosen method. Ensure that it reaches your target audience effectively. Use email, phone, SMS, social media, or in-person methods as appropriate.
• Collect and Analyze Data:  Gather responses and analyze the data. Look for trends, patterns, and insights that align with your survey objectives. Use statistical tools and software to aid in the analysis.
• Report and Act on Findings:  Compile the results into a comprehensive report. Use tools like Sawtooth Software to create market simulators (what-if simulators) for guiding product and pricing decisions to achieve market share or profitability goals. Highlight key findings and actionable insights. Use these insights to inform business decisions and strategies.

Best Practices for Designing Survey Questions

• Keep Questions Clear and Concise:  Avoid ambiguity and ensure that each question is straightforward and concise. Respondents should easily understand what is being asked without confusion. Too much text and respondents will skip the instructions, trying to infer instead from the response options the purpose of the question.
• Use Simple Language:  Write questions in a language that is easy to understand, avoiding jargon or technical terms that might confuse respondents.
• Balance Open and Closed-Ended Questions:  Include a mix of question types to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Closed-ended questions provide measurable data; conjoint and MaxDiff questions force greater realism and discrimination to better mimic market choices; while open-ended questions offer deeper insights.
• Avoid Leading Questions:  Ensure that questions are neutral and do not suggest a particular answer. Leading questions can bias responses and affect the validity of the data.
• Logical Flow:  Arrange questions in a logical order, starting with general questions and moving towards more specific ones. This helps maintain respondent engagement and improves the quality of responses.
• Limit Survey Length:  Keep the survey as short as possible (strive for 10 minutes or fewer) while still collecting necessary data. Long surveys can lead to respondent fatigue and lower completion rates. Randomization strategies can be used to cover a large number of questions, showing each respondent only a subset of them.

By following these steps and best practices, you can create and conduct market research surveys that provide valuable insights into your market and customer base.

Free Survey Maker Tool

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3 Examples of Market Research Surveys in Action

To illustrate the power and effectiveness of market research surveys, let’s look at three real-world examples where businesses successfully utilized these tools to gain crucial insights and drive strategic decisions.

Example 1: Tech Startup Validating a New Product Concept

A tech startup developing a personal finance app conducted an online market research survey to optimize the concept’s features, estimate price sensitivity, and further understand user needs. The conjoint analysis methodology revealed that 75% of respondents would prefer a concept that included specific budgeting and expense tracking features. It also revealed a specific level of willingness to pay for premium features like automatic bill payments. Using these insights, the startup refined their product and pricing strategy, leading to a successful launch and positive user adoption.

Example 2: Retail Chain Enhancing Customer Experience

A national retail chain used online surveys to improve the in-store shopping experience. Customers appreciated the store organization but reported long checkout times and suggested better signage. Feedback also indicated positive reception to recent return policy changes. The chain optimized checkout processes, improved signage, and maintained new policies, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and increased repeat visits.

Example 3: Beverage Company Exploring New Market Segments

A beverage company aiming to enter the health-conscious market segment conducted a panel survey to gather insights from health-focused consumers. A latent class (clustering) approach on MaxDiff (best-worst scaling) data revealed a key group of respondents who favored natural ingredients, preferred tropical and berry flavors, and valued eco-friendly packaging. These insights guided the successful launch of a new organic juice line, with branding and marketing emphasizing natural ingredients and sustainability, leading to strong market acceptance.

Market Research vs. Marketing Research

Understanding the distinctions between market research and marketing research is essential for leveraging both types effectively in your business strategy. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different research areas with unique objectives and methodologies.

Market Research

Market research focuses on understanding the broader market environment. This includes analyzing market size, segmentation, competitive landscape, and consumer behavior. The primary goal of market research is to provide a comprehensive view of the market to identify opportunities and threats. Techniques used in market research include surveys, focus groups, interviews, and data analysis from various sources. For instance, a company might use market research surveys to understand customer preferences and identify trends that could influence their product development strategy.

Marketing Research

Marketing research, on the other hand, delves into the effectiveness of marketing efforts and strategies. It examines how marketing campaigns, branding, pricing, and positioning resonate with the target audience. This type of research often involves testing advertising messages, optimizing mix of product features, measuring brand awareness, and analyzing the performance of marketing channels. The objective is to optimize marketing tactics to increase engagement and drive sales. For example, a business might use customer feedback surveys to evaluate the success of a recent marketing campaign and adjust future efforts accordingly.

Integrating Both Types of Research

Integrating market research and marketing research provides a holistic view of both the market landscape and the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. By combining insights from both areas, businesses can make informed decisions that enhance product offerings and optimize marketing efforts. For instance, using market research to identify a new target segment and then applying marketing research to tailor campaigns for this segment ensures that the strategy is both relevant and impactful.

Market and marketing research surveys are indispensable tools for businesses seeking to understand their customers and make data-driven decisions. By defining clear objectives, choosing the right survey methods, and leveraging the appropriate tools, companies can gather valuable insights that drive product development, enhance customer experiences, and inform marketing strategies.

The diverse applications of marketing research surveys—from validating new product concepts to improving customer satisfaction—demonstrate their versatility and impact. Whether you’re a startup testing a new idea or an established brand exploring new market segments, conducting thorough marketing research surveys can significantly enhance your competitive edge.

Sawtooth Software is committed to helping you create effective market and marketing research surveys tailored to your specific needs. With our advanced tools and user-friendly platforms , gathering and analyzing customer feedback has never been easier. Equip your business with the information and predictive insights necessary to succeed in today’s competitive market landscape.

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