By Erin Chun, Data Analyst, Polaris Marketing Research

Deciding to do research for your business is an important investment of your money and time, and when you�re running a business, time is money. Numerous sites aid you in DIY research that is cost-effective, but in the wrong hands, doing it yourself can lead to detrimental results. Think of it this way: just because you may enjoy wine, have discerning taste for it, and read a few books about wine doesn�t make you a sommelier. It�s important to remember that having the equipment and a general knowledge doesn�t necessarily make you the expert in marketing research.

However, if you�re confident enough to continue on down the DIY research path, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Avoid asking leading questions

It�s easy to get too involved in the results, especially if you�re doing a face-to-face interview or a focus group. It�s vital to stay as neutral as possible so that respondents don�t feel pressured to answer your questions in a certain way.

Keep it short and simple

Put yourself in your respondent�s shoes. Would it be worth it to you to sit through a long questionnaire, especially if there�s little to no incentive involved? Remember, you don�t want what we call a �data dump,� especially when answer fatigue sets in and respondents aren�t even thinking about their answers.

Be specific

The last thing you want is to have the respondent misread or misinterpret the question you�re asking. Instead of asking, �What is your favorite restaurant?� you can ask �What is your favorite Italian restaurant?� or �What is your favorite restaurant to go for special occasions, such as birthdays?�

Who is your target audience?

This may seem like an obvious one, but it�s often overlooked. For example, if you want to launch a new type of shaver for men that�s more affordable, be sure to target the right income range and don�t forget that women often make these purchases for men!

Sample size

Typically, when small businesses do DIY research, not enough people are surveyed. This leads to large sampling errors and significant results that may not really be significant.

If you have any questions or need guidance in conducting a DIY research or if you want to go beyond simple surveys and need our analysis and expertise, don�t be shy! Contact us today.

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Erin Chun is a Data Analyst in the analytics department at Polaris Marketing Research Inc., where she handles a variety of data manipulation tasks involved in survey research. She holds a bachelor�s degree in marketing from Georgia State University.