September 3, 2021

The Ultimate Guide To Surveys

Futuristic device polling a woman about her day. — Photo by Celpax on Unsplash

500 words; 1 min 59 sec reading time

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What is a survey?

A market research survey is used to collect data and feedback and analyze and interpret the views of a group of people from a series of targeted questions.

Before going over our 12 simple steps to survey creation, ask yourself the following:

What is the goal of your survey?
What answers are you looking for?
Take a look at our survey questions and tips for survey creation.
How do you want to build and distribute your survey?
We’ve already covered our survey creation tools FAQ (found here).

1. Clarify the purpose.

What are your survey needs? What issues and questions do you wish to research? How should you plan and prepare for your market research survey? Agree on the scope of your survey project and consult with key stakeholders.

2. Formulate survey goals.

Begin the design process by establishing goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve by launching a survey? Create actionable goals for yourself, and then write specific questions to answer your objectives.

3. Verify the resources.

Evaluate the constraints of your available budget, time, effort, and other resources. Consider your survey reporting in the design stage. Don’t forget to research the topic and your target population thoroughly.

4. Choose a survey method.

What type of survey will satisfy your purpose, goals, and available resources? Review which survey type would be most useful.

5. Perform the sampling.

Decide on your sampling technique. Which method is appropriate for your research goals and method?

6. Write the questionnaire.

Develop questions that will satisfy and meet each goal. Your survey objectives will guide your survey question writing. Keep your questions short and the language as simple as possible. Be specific and phrase questions in a direct way.

7. Pilot test and revise or change the questionnaire.

Is your questionnaire ready to go live? Examine your survey for any errors, bias, and response rate. After the pilot, review the feedback and refine your survey, instructions, key messages, and communications.

8. Administer the questionnaire.

Ensure that your interviewer is properly trained to administer the survey to your target sample. Methods for getting electronic survey responses include email, websites, social media, mobile devices, and auto-responders.

9. Process and store the data.

How will you handle and store your collected data? Have you obtained consent from your respondents, and have you been transparent with the purpose of your research?

10. Analyze and interpret the survey results.

What does the gathered information say about your product or concept? Analyze the results of your findings and identify key trends. Develop recommendations and create a compelling and focused report.