Research for Your Marketing

5. Quantity or Quality?

5.1 You must base quantitative research on samples that are big enough to give reliable information, if you aim to establish statistically valid data.

• This means that your survey must usually involve questioning at least 150 people.
• Scripts must be used, to make sure all participants in the study are asked exactly the same questions.

5.2 When you need to know about people's feelings and motivation, you must use qualitative research methods. These are concerned with depth, rather than breadth.

• Participants are encouraged to give detailed answers and discuss their opinions, rather than just replying to a strict questionnaire. Qualitative research is often done in small groups, known as focus groups.
• Allow plenty of time for qualitative work. It always takes longer than you expect.
• Qualitative research is harder to analyse than quantitative research.