BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Four Steps To Creating Better Marketing Research Questions

Forbes Agency Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Ahmad Kareh

For marketers, research is a foundation for sound decision making. Data that's gathered from research can provide direction for new product development, AI, big data and marketing strategies. Good research is designed to answer a single research question. But in order to get there, marketers must first determine the right question to ask.

A research question addresses an unknown that research will attempt to answer. It's the reason for your research, and it keeps you focused on discovering actionable answers. Taking the time to define the research question ensures that marketers seek out answers to the right questions and, ultimately, create recommendations that drive results.

Think of it this way. Compare a doctor who rushes into prescribing medication to one who takes their time diagnosing the symptoms. Which do you prefer? Aimless research may gather interesting trivia and facts but taking the time to find the right research question will help marketers collect meaningful answers.

Based on the steps our own research team has adopted when working with clients, here are some ways to find a succinct marketing research question:

Identify the problem.

A researcher’s primary goal during this step is to understand the need for the research. Despite the benefits of a client telling you firsthand what they believe the problem is, their answers may not lead you to the right question. A client may give you 12 problems instead of one, or they may list symptoms of a problem rather than the root issue that needs to be addressed.

In order to combat these obstacles, researchers need to ask probing questions that dig beneath the surface. For example, a client may suggest that low social media engagement is the problem they’d like the research report to solve. A good researcher could challenge them by asking questions such as: "If we find the reason you’re experiencing a low level of social media engagement, how would you use that to improve your business?" The client’s response may uncover insights that bring you closer to the real need for the research.

Define the research problem.

The right research question is one that seeks out actionable answers to real problems. Researchers in this step define variables that could lead to the problem declared in the step above. It's important for researchers to continue to work with their clients on restating the research question until they find the one that would truly satisfy substantive needs.

An example of a problem might be low sales. This could be attributed to weak sales team morale, poor packaging, shortcomings with a PR strategy, or low-quality products. These are all different variables that beg different solutions. Once identified, researchers should dig deeper into these variables to assess their significance to the client, and the client’s willingness and ability to address them. Digging deeper means asking the client a series of questions that explore each path, such as: "What percentage of your sales team hit their assigned targets?" or "Have you experimented with different packaging and measured how that impacts sales?"

Typically, researchers and clients interact frequently to define the research problem. As in most team projects, the result of the collaboration doesn't necessarily deliver the right answer the first time. Groupthink, burnout and other factors can sometimes influence the quality of the defined problem. This is why researchers must dig deeper by challenging the question.

Challenge the question.

When reviewing the research question, think SMART. Test your research question by asking if it is specific enough to solve the identified problem. Check if the question is measurable -- can you measure the impact of the solutions proposed? Test whether or not the research question is attainable given the availability and accessibility to the information required to examine it. Check for the relevance -- is your question solving the problem that keeps your client up at night? Lastly, be realistic with the project’s deadlines. Can the solution to this research question be accomplished within the time allocated for this project?

Realign with the client.

A hypothesis is an excellent way to offer more clarity about the validity of the question. It also presents a well-packaged forecasted solution to the research question. This is where you inform your client on what problems would be explored, and propose the hypothesis as a possible result. If your client has a different vision, you should change your research question. During this time, researchers should check their questions by asking: "If we were to find that X causes Y, how would that impact future decision making?"

Take your time coming up with the right research question. The steps listed above are not limited to the sequence presented. Researchers frequently find themselves turning back to the drawing board after checking the question with the client. This is normal. To maintain momentum and motivation, remind your team that the right research question lays a strong foundation for valuable research. It outlines the research design, the sampling plan and the design of the questionnaires. A poorly written question, on the other hand, leads to results of little value.

Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?