In Response to Taylor Griffin...

Taylor makes statement that I think many people can agree with. He says that "Sometimes when i fill out surveys, I think one of two things. I am going to fill this survey out with giving my honest opinion or I will fill out this survey just to get it done with and out of my way." I can't argue with that logic. 

Recently there was a survey on my KSC account that continued to pop-up every time I logged in. I knew that it would not go away unless I filled it out, so I took as little time as I could to fill it out. The survey was for campus housing - the problem: I have never lived on campus. I couldn't answer anything honestly because it did not have the option for students who have not lived on campus. The creators of surveys need to be careful about how they word questions and who they have them out. 

How do you think Keene State should have administered the survey?

A Clearer Image: Supermarket

For our 331 Principle of Marketing class we were asked to critique the methods of a study including what questions I would ask if I was a hired consultant, providing alternatives. Study: A supermarket was interested in determining its image.  It dropped a short questionnaire into the grocery bag of each customer before putting in the groceries. 

I immediately though of a bunch of questions.

         1. Did you inform the customer that there was a survey in their grocery bag.

I would ask this because customers might throw the survey away without even looking at the paper.

         2. Was there any incentives to filling out this survey in an alloted amount of time?

I would ask this because some people don't go out of their way to fill out a survey that doesn't help them. An incentive might create a higher answering rate. 

        3. What questions were asked? How are they graded?

I would ask this because there are many definitions of image. It could mean physical image like how clean there store is. Or social image like what people thought of their company. Also, was they survey yes no answers or range of 1 - 5 or comments. All these factors could change the outcome of the survey. 

Some alternative ways to get feedback:

• Have them fill out the questionnaire while the teller is ringing out the groceries.
• Have a wider range people (customers and non-customers) by placing the questionnaire in the local newspaper.
• Have the survey table right before the exit to generate data. 

Do you have any other suggestions?

Marketing Research = Money in My Pocket!

According to our textbook marketing research is the systematic design, collection, interpretation, and reporting of information to help marketers solve specific marketing problems or take advantage of marketing opportunities. This can take forms such as polls, surveys, and focus groups. Today I want to tell you about E-Rewards, an online opinion panel.

E-Rewards is free to join and they give you a small incentive to try to qualify for surveys and you collect your awards in the form of gift cards or discounts. The surveys are not very long taking my 20 minutes max and with all the points I receive I am able to cash them in for American Eagle or Borders gift-cards along with other great promotions. 

Do you feel as if you need a promotion in order to fill out surveys?