Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Industry Survey Creation - Where Do I Start?

Posted by Anonymous on 3/10/2009 at 9:21 AM ET 500 Points
My company, InteQ, provides a SaaS-based help desk solution. I am interested in creating and organizing a survey called 'State of the Help Desk' which will ask questions that relate to the IT Help Desk and also questions related to SaaS.

I am trying to gain some visiblity of my company by conducting this survey and also have a great content piece which includes the results once the survey is complete. I envision a Lunch and Learn as a spin off, public relations activities, etc. The list is seamingly endless.

Has anyone ever started and conducted a survey like this? (not necessarily to my market, but in general). I already pitched the idea to my company and the response was excited but skeptical. Where do I start? And how do I validate this is a noteworthy exercise? I have already done some research and havent found any survey like this.

Thanks in advance for letting my pick your brains!! :)
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 3/10/2009 at 12:08 PM Accepted
    I've done several of these ... all unique, of course, but still in the same mold. There are a few things you need to do.

    First, determine precisely what the objective of the research will be. Who will you research? How will results be used (by the ultimate end-user)? What will your target audience do differently when they have the results of your research? What's that worth to them?

    Next, find an outside market research expert -- for guidance through the process, assistance with the steps you can't do yourself or that require special know-how, and the credibility that comes from a recognized professional market research firm. (If you need a referral, contact me off-line.)

    Once you have the results, think about how many different ways you can use them. You could develop a weekly/monthly finding discussion in a newsletter; you can give away a topline report; you can sell the full report (assuming it has real value); and you can release articles to your trade press that position you as the true expert on the topic you've researched. There are probably another half-dozen we could come up with.

    You can obviously outsource most of the project, or you can do it in-house with some expert coaching and consulting. It's a big undertaking either way, so be sure you've thought through the marketing plan that will allow you to recover your investment and achieve your real objective.

    Good luck. Sounds like a great idea. Let me know if I can help.
  • Posted by saul.dobney on 3/10/2009 at 1:20 PM Accepted
    Just be careful. If it really is a survey there are codes about respondent anonymity and data protection issues. Running the research for PR purposes is OK, but you might find it quite expensive as the cost of contacting and getting an questionnaire response from specifiers and decision makers for IT help desks.

    The list itself will be quite expensive. Then you will have contact costs and interview time on top. I'd fire it off to a research agency and see what costs they come back with. My guess is it won't be the handful of change that you're probably thinking.

    Cost is also the reason you probably haven't found a big public survey in this area. If you spend the money to find out what customers really want, what's the point of telling all and sundry and losing the competitive advantage?

    For that reason most PR-focused surveys are generally consumer focused where the survey costs are less and the questions can be more media friendly.
  • Posted on 3/19/2009 at 12:49 PM Member
    If you are looking to do it yourself and do so affordably, I'd check out https://www.questionpro.com/

    They offer sample surveys in different categories that you can use and revise as you see necessary. It's a great starting place for someone who is new to this.

    Good luck.

    Kate LaFrance
    Marketers VA
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