Public Survey

Public Survey

A Public Survey is a survey of a representative sample of your target audience.

How You Do It

Almost always, you hire a research specialist. You write the questions you'd like to ask, and the researcher edits them to make sure they don't prejudice the answers and reduce the accuracy of the survey.

Typically, the researcher performs the survey and summarizes and interprets the responses.

Strengths

This is a valuable navigational tool. It can measure the audience's awareness and perception of your product and company. And because it is wielded by a research specialist, it will probably carry some credibility with your management.

You can also ask questions about behavior; e.g., whether someone bought your product and why. That is to say, it is also an evaluative tool. However, the survey will usually be less reliable for questions of this kind. For the reasons why, see Barriers to Accuracy.

Weaknesses

Not surprisingly, a Public Survey can be expensive. However, there are ways to lower the cost. For example, some research specialists maintain continuing surveys, on which you can inexpensively "hitchhike" if you have only one or two questions.

Although it can measure an audience's awareness, perception and behavior, it can't automatically identify the causes.

For example, during the 1970s and 1980s, the American public slowly but steadily accepted the idea that it was safe to make bank deposits via automated teller machines. That is certain – it is known via the actual behavior of bank patrons.

However, it would probably be invalid to attribute the trend to any one bank's advertising or PR campaign.

Therefore, if you're going to use a survey before and after an ad or PR campaign, be sure that you can correctly isolate the cause(s) of any changed awareness, perception or behavior.

Consider using Isolation or Tracking. Discuss this with your research specialist or agency.

Return from Public Survey to Measuring What They Did

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