5 Reasons Your Market Research Campaigns Aren't Working

Market research campaign not working? It’s a market researcher’s nightmare: You designed your survey, sent it out through all your channels, and… nothing happened. A few responses trickled in, but they didn’t indicate any clear trends. Should you redo it? Promote it somehow? Why aren’t you getting the data you need? If you had a low response rate on your survey, or didn’t get much useful data, you’re probably wondering where you went wrong. Here are a few potential problems to consider:

You're Not Using the Latest Tools

There are a vast number of tools at your disposal, but it’s up to you to find the right ones that align with your specific needs and objectives. Even more, using the latest apps, APIs and tech integrations will help you achieve better results for your market research strategy because you’ll have the most up-to-date data and technology on your side. Whether you’re using social media, Google Analytics or marketing automation, the latest tools will ensure that you’re handling everything in a more efficient and productive manner.

You're Not Using the Right Methods

How are you reaching your audience? Are you approaching them on the right channels? Audiences are most responsive when brands connect with them through appropriate platforms specific to the target demographic.

For example, are you sending out email surveys to an audience that’s more active on social media? The methods you use to connect with your audience depends on many factors like age, gender, region and industry; it’s essential that you know your audience’s preferred modes of communication, and reach out to them through the channels that are most likely to elicit engagement.

You're Not Asking the Right Questions

Are your consumer behavior surveys failing to provide the information you’re looking for? You’ve been using the best platforms and methods and you know what your data is telling you, so what’s the problem? It’s possible that your survey isn’t asking the right questions.

Depending on your survey type, topic or audience demographic, certain types of questions will be more relevant than others. In some cases (e.g. qualitative research purposes), it’s better to ask more open-ended questions that can lead to more shared information.

In other scenarios, such as for quantitative research, specific yes or no questions are more suitable because they’re more straightforward and easy to answer. It may also be more beneficial to ask matrix questions (e.g., from least relevant to most, or least satisfied to most) for more specific insight into how your audience feels about a certain issue.

It’s also possible that your survey design is confusing. Is it hard to tell which end of the scale is good or bad? Are questions phrased in an unclear way? Try completing the survey yourself, or ask a friend or family member to complete it and share their feedback.

You're Not Understanding Your Data

In marketing, knowing your data is paramount to understanding what content is working. The same applies for market research. Your data will give you the information pertaining to consumer behavior.

There are various platforms that can help you measure audience behavior; using this data, you can develop specific and personalized market research campaigns that can be delivered through the right channels to the right audience. By doing this, you are more likely to increase engagement because your numbers are divulging what content your audience is responding best to.

You're Not Incentivizing Your Audience

If your audience doesn’t see the value in providing you with data, two things can happen: either they don’t respond to you at all or they don’t put much thought into their responses. A great way to ensure audience participation and high-quality responses is to offer rewards. Providing gift cards or rewards of a certain value not only gives a participant a reason to engage, but it also gives your brand a more personalized feel.

In a world where consumers are overloaded with information, you need to find new and effective ways to stand out from your competition. By making sure your campaign is effectively engaging your audience—while providing you with valuable information about your consumer base—you increase the likelihood of seeing the results you desire. The tips above can help you establish a stronger foundation on which you can bolster your market research strategy.