Andrew Edwards’ Post

When was the last time you saw or heard a news story that contained survey results? Probably multiple times this morning. Did any of these stories move the dial on an issue or highlight a new trend you should care about? The use of surveys in PR tactics has increased exponentially in recent years, satisfying journalist demand for data. But, when is the right time to conduct and publish a survey and what do you need to consider? 🚀 If your business doesn't have its own proprietary data it can be helpful to use a survey to uncover answers you need, as well as evoke discussion about a particular matter. 🤓 Surveys are more likely to give you open and honest feedback compared with speaking with a customer / member of the public face-to-face. Generating emotive stories for the media on issues such as financial matters, political viewpoints. 💡 Surveys give you a snapshot of behaviours and feelings at a certain point. If you are keen to build a picture or habits and feelings over time, survey people over a year or two. Add a case study of someone who can talk about the changes and you're in an even better position to have the story covered by the media. 🤔 Before you commission a survey, research the media targets you would like to appear in. Take a look at the survey findings they have covered recently -where are the gaps you can exploit? Make sure your survey provides something different and moves a discussion or trend along. If it doesn't, you are just wasting your resources. So, before you commission a survey, think about whether there are other PR tactics that can deliver a similar result. Make sure whatever you decide to do, you're adding something new. #survey #PRtactics #standout #surveyfindings #data #stats

With surveys, rushing the questionnaire design has the potential to completely destroy the final results. So when a client asks me what is needed to conduct a quick turn-around survey – I share three critical components I NEED from them to make the survey a success: 1.A confirmed objective/theme: This can’t be too broad, it needs to be very specific. Everything starts here. 2.Exact identity of respondents: Who are they? Job titles? All US or international? Genders? Ages? These are just a few and we then figure out how many respondents are needed. 3.Usage of results: Media outreach efforts? Thought leadership? Sales Campaign? It could be a combination of all of these…..and more! But DISASTER awaits if….. There is NO feedback from the Public Relations, Marketing, Demand Gen, Sales, Internal Research Teams and all stakeholders who will eventually use the data. They need to see the questionnaire and be involved BEFORE fielding the survey. Always. All have different uses with the results so they all need to see the questions and contribute thoughts early on.

With surveys, rushing the questionnaire design has the potential to completely destroy the final results. So when a client asks me what is needed to conduct a quick turn-around survey – I share three critical components I NEED from them to make the survey a success: 1.A confirmed objective/theme: This can’t be too broad, it needs to be very specific. Everything starts here. 2.Exact identity of respondents: Who are they? Job titles? All US or international? Genders? Ages? These are just a few and we then figure out how many respondents are needed. 3.Usage of results: Media outreach efforts? Thought leadership? Sales Campaign? It could be a combination of all of these…..and more! But DISASTER awaits if….. There is NO feedback from the Public Relations, Marketing, Demand Gen, Sales, Internal Research Teams and all stakeholders who will eventually use the data. They need to see the questionnaire and be involved BEFORE fielding the survey. Always. All have different uses with the results so they all need to see the questions and contribute thoughts early on.

A few reasons why your PR & Marketing survey failed: -The objective was finalized AFTER the questionnaire design.  *Confirming the objective is always 1st step! -Survey was too long & respondents lost interest; 35+ question online surveys lead to severe survey fatigue. *You are likely getting bad data from tired survey respondents. Keep it between 15-30 questions. -The topic was not current. *Pitching reporters with State of Media Outreach Efforts with 2023 data in March 2024 – they won’t care! Pitch it as close to field date as possible. -Poor questionnaire design... like too many simple true/false & yes/no questions; these questions rarely help. *Develop ranking, grid, agree/disagree statements and more sophisticated questions to maximize the data you receive. You’ll get more usable data this way/ -Your survey already exists as someone else did the same topic. I was contacted yesterday for a survey topic that appeared in WSJ, CNN & Fox News just last week! Same exact topic!  It took me 2 minutes to find it. Don’t copy existing surveys. These are just a few but they are the ones I see most often. Feel free to share yours! #pr #publicrelations #marketingcommunications #marketing #marketresearch #qualitativeresearch #quantitativeresearch #surveys

When online sample isn't enough! Exploring alternative methods for gathering survey respondents is crucial to meet researchers’ evolving needs. Here are 6 alternatives to online panels for finding qualified survey research respondents. https://bit.ly/4bcUPpj #marketresearch #sample #panel

Erick's Takeaway: "Is it my imagination or is social media left out of the equation"? Social media has the power to influence consumers, decision makers, and everyone in between. So, how do we make the most of it for the betterment of our clients? I ask a small exercise from all of my colleagues: 1) Please take 1 hour this or next week and go online on to check for customers comments/reels/shorts 2) Take notes of the number of positive, neutral, and negative comments 3) Cross-reference them with your existing survey data, you'll find a surprise... Customers tend to resort to social media when their voice (survey) wasn't heard. To sum up, social media isn't part of official survey results (for most organizations)... but the multipliying effect (negative) will be tied to those unattended comments they were once expressed through a survey. #Feedback #VoiceOfTheCustomer #FeedbackMatters Disclaimer: Erick Giron is a firm believer of surveys for the value in its content and strategic source to address root causes on troublesome processes/practices shared by customers. Nevertheless, if we aren't taking action and act on the feedback provided, a simple post/short/reel may override any survey's value.

Struggling with surveys? Learn how to get higher response rates, craft clear questions, and engage your audience effectively. Start creating better surveys today! #SurveyTips #CustomerFeedback #SurveyFatigue #DataInsights #SurveyDesign #FeedbackMatters

It’s not quite Father’s Day yet – so why the old throwback photo? Today Ipsos North America published my latest paper, which starts with a lesson from my Dad: When you have a big question about what’s going on in the world around you, remember to “follow the money”. Meaning, follow the trail of money and it will eventually lead you back to why the decision was made. It’s super advice, which I see not taken time and time again working in the world of advertising. Lots of people following their guts, the ego in the room, or the click data to make decisions on which ads to pursue & invest in. Recently there’s been a lot of discussion here on LinkedIn about the value of advertising research. It’s been driven by a few very loud industry voices who likely have not spent any time looking at advertising research methods in the last decade and spout off their perspectives with little to no data or evidence to back it up. I’m not a professor or a best selling author, but I have lived and breathed advertising research for nearly 17 years now. I have been involved first hand in the 3rd party validations of our work to business results. And I’m here to tell you that in a world where everything feels complex, unmeasurable, and unreliable – our research with the real humans that experience your advertising – has huge returns on research investment. Insights leads, Marketers, and Creatives can obtain larger budgets and influence if we follow the money by: 1. At a bare minimum, using research to ensure you're not airing poor ads 2. Getting to stronger creative with less time and investment through early stage research 3. Fostering an environment of continuous learning & improvement I hope you’ll take 5 minutes to have a read and let me know your thoughts! https://lnkd.in/gnfJe2Bi Special thanks to Pedr Howard for all the math help & ideas, to Dave Walker for making sure I didn't say anything inaccurate about his amazing work, and to Adam Sheridan, Shaun Dix and the rest of the Ipsos team that ensures we have products that make a difference for our clients. #advertising #advertisingresearch #ROI

Engaging subject lines and captivating survey invitations are crucial for capturing the attention of potential respondents and encouraging them to open and participate in your survey. By crafting email subject lines that are intriguing and invitations that clearly communicate the survey's purpose and benefits, you can significantly increase the likelihood of attracting respondents and boosting response rates. Need to launch a survey? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gyQgTfpQ For more tips like this, make sure to follow us on social media: Facebook: @tandemsurveys LinkedIn: Tandem Surveys Twitter: @tandemsurveys #survey #surveytips #tandemsurveys

Figuring out survey sample size can be confusing, especially if it's not something you deal with daily. Often, understanding survey respondent criteria can be overwhelming with terms like margin of error, statistically viable, and representative. If you're in #PR or #Marketing and conduct surveys, these words might throw you off. Have you ever cancelled a survey due to this 'foreign language' we researchers call "normal"? Two tips to simplify survey sample sizing: 1. Assess the number of respondents available via a survey panel. - More respondents in the panel = Larger sample size needed. - Fewer respondents in the panel = Smaller sample size required. 2. Analyze "real" world data. Check existing surveys to determine the number of target respondents covered in the media. For instance: - How many IT-Decision Makers participated in recent Fortune, Forbes, or other verticals' surveys? - How many physicians were surveyed in recent USA Today, WSJ, or LA Times articles? - How many SMBs were surveyed in recent Inc., Fast Company, or industry trades articles? Real-life cases are the best benchmark. In the current media landscape, various respondent groups are receiving earned media coverage with specific sample sizes: - Gen pop: 1,000-2,000 - CISOs: 200-300 - ITDMs: 250-500 - Homeowners: 500 - Moms/Dads: 1,000 - Gamers: 1,000 This list is extensive. If you need more examples, feel free to reach out!