Market Research

WashingTime

Hello knowledgable business people!

I'm doing a course on marketing and business and for a bit of coursework I have to research a business niche. Obviously this has loads of different elements, but one thing had got me stumped: how to get people to complete a 2min online survey.

The target market is young professionals and their families (so pretty broad). Any suggestions gratefully received!!

Also, if you have 120seconds to spare and would like to help a damsel in distress, please PM me and I would be delighted to let you have the link!

Thx
WT

Fruittea

How about using your face book account?

WashingTime

Hi Fruittea

Yep - really good idea; its helped with a handful but not mega amounts (mainly because I use it for v. close friends and family only). Also, I worried slightly that coming from me might skew some answers (people being nice, etc.).

I would dream about buying email lists from everyone working in, say a business park ... but that's not going to happen for data proctection / finance reasons!

paulwf

The thing with online is that sometimes it is easy to forget that combining online with offline can work well together. I would get some flyers printed and hand them out in the high st or something like that . You could even carry an ipad so people can fill in the survey there and then, perhaps have some low cost giveaways. (Note some councils have restrictions, you'll have to do some research, I'm just saying don't focus solely on twitter and facebook and other virtual environments but do some real world promo too.)

InsideInsurance

Can you think of a business that occupies the same target market, ideally one that is none competitive (though assuming this is just purely for educational purposes that bit may not be so much an issue)?

If they are a physical place (eg Starbucks or Pret) then stand outside with an iPad etc and get them to do the survey online or just give them a flyer. If they are online you could ask them if they'd be willing to help a student by including something about it in their news letter, packing etc and offer to share the results with them or such. Obviously not every company would say yes but many are more approachable than you'd imagine - ideally need to find an appropriate person to approach, press office can be a good route in, as if you email the generic customer service you may get a bog standard no response from their indian outsourcers as it isnt on the list of questions of how to respond

PasturesNew

The phrase "professionals and their families" is very broad.

I'm not a professional (I don't think) and I don't have a family.