Research Tips

Plan Ahead

As with many things, planning market research ahead of time and allowing adequate time for completion of research projects tends to lead to better results. Allowing a little extra time makes it possible to implement good research practices like using pre-tests to make sure you’ll really capture the data you intend to, taking care in selecting your sample to ensure it’s as representative as possible, and using the data collection method(s) best suited to your particular objectives. Sometimes, market research is undertaken in response to an unanticipated event (e.g., launch of a competitive product, unexpected change in consumer attitudes or behaviors, etc.), and when that happens, it is possible to get answers quickly if necessary. However, whenever possible, it’s better to allow a little extra time to avoid making compromises that could affect the reliability or validity of your results.