There are two different approaches to survey methods in marketing research. One of them is the qualitative market survey and the other one is the quantitative method. Let’s start with the first one.

Qualitative market surveys have different types:

• Online research discussion forum

The first one is the online research discussion forum which is led by a moderator who logs into the forum every day and also checks the forum activity. Participants (B2B or consumers) of this forum talk to each other and they answer questions each day that are offered by the moderator. The questions are qualitative and they are also open-ended. Graphics and videos are also included in this forum.

It’s a fast implemented process that basically minimizes self selection problems. That’s why very busy people like participating in it. The moderator can recruit people from anywhere in the world because it’s 100% online. It’s also less expensive than focus groups. There is no face-to-face interaction so body language cannot read unless participants use webcams.

• Focus groups

The interviewer gather 6-12 participants in single location, it’s a live group however online groups can be also organized. The interviewer has an important role, it’s basically engaging participants with non-directive questions. One of the disadvantages with focus groups is that some participants can be very dominating while others are not. Participants have little time to express themselves because of the lengths of the sessions. It can also happen that the so called group-think can occur and the interaction within the group can stimulate unplanned reaction is too.

• Depth Interviews

It’s a one-on-one interview so that’s why the interviewer has time to “go deep”. These are usually long and in-depth interviews with open-ended questioning. New ideas are created during the process. There’s no group interaction which also means that this may limit the range of thought process. If the respondent is an introvert type or reluctant this will give them the time to think and speak.

• Ethnography

The last one is a completely different approach which isn’t about asking but “watching”. It is basically an observation method where the participants collaborate with certain solutions and products. They can also take videos of different situations and they also keep a diary. They have to report behavior and attitudes to the interviewer. This type of market survey is often used in consumer research. It also means that participants get really involved in the study. One of the disadvantages is that it’s a kind of forced environment and it can modify people’s behaviour.

Quantitative Market Surveys
This is the second type of survey method. These can either be telephone surveys, personal interviews, online surveys or hybrid survey methods.

• Telephone surveys

The success of telephone interviews usually depend on a skilled marketing research interviewer because they can get more information from consumers. Although it isn’t easy to prepare one because of the growing privacy issues among consumers and business executives alike. That is why the response rate is very critical. The survey is based on closed-end questioning when dimensions and ranges of issues are well-known. Selecting samples from the target populations can be generated from companies like SSI (Survey Sampling, Inc.). It has low cost and can be easily implemented.

• Personal interviews – Central location interviews

Skilled marketing research interviewer plays an important part here too. These personal, face-to-face interviews can be arranged by appointment ie. in the respondent’s office (B2B research), in-home by appointment or they are recruited to come to a central location. They can be ie. recruited in a mall and invited for an interview in the nearby office. This type of interview is often used to handle sensitive and complicated issues.

• Online surveys

It has low cost and can be easily implemented. Interviewer can use complicated survey questionnaire formats and employ random probability sampling where control is very critical.

• Hybrid survey method

They usually combine 2 or more techniques that help to optimize response or measurement validity. You can either invite people to online surveys by mail or phone.  It has a higher cost and more time required to implement it. There are also online surveys with phone follow-up. It also improves quality through higher response rates and better response quality.