Market research data is only as good as the questions used to obtain it, plain and simple.
At Drive Research, we're sticklers when it comes to creating questions that will yield the best quality data. Asking relevant questions in a market research project ensures the data is actionable for our clients - which means they get the most out of it.
Below, we'll discuss the importance of asking the right market research questions, and run through a few examples.
What Is Market Research?
Market research gathers information - at least, that’s the simplest way I think of it.
This information may be gathered via primary or secondary research, and the purpose or use of the information is to inform strategic decisions.
Primary research refers to the information/data being gathered first-hand, while secondary research means the information being gathered has already been collected by another source (e.g., Census data).
In addition to distinguishing primary and secondary research, market research is also typically approached as a combination of qualitative research, quantitative research, or both (i.e., mixed methods).
Common questions market research answers include:
- What is our market positioning versus competitors?
- What drives satisfaction for our customers and how are we performing on those?
- How can we enhance our product/service offering/design?
- How can we create content for lead generation?
- What are satisfaction drivers for our employees and how are we perceived?
Why Is Market Research So Important?
Simply put, market research helps separate facts from opinions.
Without market research, decisions are based on hunches rather than actual data. This is risky, and can cost businesses time and a significant amount of money spent on a failed plan.
Instead of taking this risk, turning to market research will provide businesses with solid data they can use with confidence. This gives organizations the information they need to make data-driven decisions, ultimately driving their brand's success.
Who Answers the Questions?
Defining the right target audience is a major aspect of assessing a market research project.
During the proposal phase, a researcher will help organizations set parameters for their research needs.
For some projects, the target audience may look like finding 10 business owners, in a specific industry, with specific revenue requirements. For other projects, the target audience may simply be a representative sample of 1,000 consumers in the U.S. or another location.
How to Write the Questions
Writing survey questions is a skill that requires a keen eye and lots of patience.
Ultimately, this skill focuses on asking the right questions with the right answer options, and ensuring they are in the right order.
Striking a balance between the question styles is also (very) important.
This means asking targeting criteria up front, while also asking the survey qualifications and including close-ended versus open-ended questions. On top of this, it's essential the survey doesn't become too long and cumbersome for participants.
In general, we typically recommend starting with qualifying questions (i.e., ensuring you’re reaching the right target audience), moving to general/overarching questions, followed by more specific/targeting questions, and ending with general demographic questions.
Here’s more on survey design tips.
The Main Types Of Market Research Questions + Examples
Below is an overview of different types of market research questions.
When reviewing these examples, it’s important to remember that research can be truly customized to the unique needs/objectives of a single project.
Demographics Research Questions
1. Which of the following age groups best describes you? Select one.
- Younger than 18 [Disqualify]
- 18 to 24
- 25 to 34
- 35 to 44
- 45 to 54
- 55 to 64
- 65 or older
2. Which of the following do you most identify with? Select one.
- Male
- Female
- Non-binary
- Other
- Prefer not to answer
3. Including yourself, how many people live in your household? Select one from the dropdown menu.
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▼ 1 to 8 or more |
4. How many children (under the age of 18) primarily live in your household? Select one from the dropdown menu.
- I do not have children in my household
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8 or more
5. Which of the following best applies to you? Select all that apply.
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Hispanic or Latino
- Middle Eastern or North African
- Native American or Alaska Native
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- White
- Other
6. What is the highest level of education you have completed? Select one.
- Did not graduate high school or earn GED
- High school diploma or GED
- Trade or technical school
- Some college, no degree
- Associate (2 year) degree
- Bachelor’s (4 year) degree
- Master’s degree
- Doctorate degree
7. Which of the following best describes your employment? Select one.
- Full-time
- Part-time
- Self-employed
- Unemployed and looking for work
- Unemployed and not looking for work
- Retired
- Disabled
- Other
8. What state do you primarily live in? Select one from the dropdown menu.
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▼ List of U.S. states |
9. Which of the following best describes your total annual household income? Select one.
- Less than $15,000
- $15,000 to $24,999
- $25,000 to $34,999
- $35,000 to $49,999
- $50,000 to $74,999
- $75,000 to $99,999
- $100,000 to $149,999
- $150,000 to $199,999
- $200,000 or more
Customer Research Questions
10. How long has your organization been using [insert brand]’s services? Select one.
- 1 year or less
- At least 1 year but less than 2 years
- At least 2 years but less than 4 years
- At least 4 years but less than 6 years
- At least 6 years but less than 10 years
- 10 years or more
- Unsure
11. Which [insert brand] service(s) does your organization currently use? Select all that apply.
- Placeholder 1
- Placeholder 2
- Placeholder 3
12. How frequently do you engage with [insert brand]’s staff for customer service or account-related needs? Select one.
- Multiple times per week
- Once a week
- Multiple times per month
- About once a month
- Multiple times per year
- About once a year
- Less often than once a year
- Never
13. How satisfied are you with [insert brand]’s services overall? Select one.
(Very dissatisfied to satisfied)
14. Please describe why you rated your overall satisfaction as a [insert response] out of 5 Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
15. How likely are you to recommend [insert brand] to a colleague or peer? Select one.
(Not at all likely to extremely likely)
16. How likely or unlikely are you to continue using [insert brand] next year? Select one.
(Very unlikely to very likely)
17. Please describe why you rated your likelihood to continue using [insert brand] in the next year as a [insert response] out of 5 Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
Product Research Questions
18. Have you used providers similar to [insert brand] in the past?
-
- Yes
- No
19. [If has not used another provider in the past] How have you previously met the needs that [insert brand]’s services currently provide for you? Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
20. [If has used another provider in the past] What providers (similar to [insert brand]) have you used? Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
21. [If has used another provider in the past] How does [insert brand] compare to the provider(s) that you have used in the past?
(Brand is much worse to brand is much better)
22. How important are each of the following factors when choosing a provider like [insert brand]? Select one for each.
(Not at all important to very important)
23. How satisfied are you with each of the following factors from [insert brand]? Select one for each.
(Not at all important to very important)
Brand Research Questions
24. What [insert industry topic] comes to mind first? Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
25. Which of the following [insert industry topic] are you aware of? Select all that apply.
- [Placeholder 1]
- [Placeholder 2]
- [Placeholder 3]
- Other (Please specify)
- None of the above
26. What is the first word or phrase that comes to mind for the following [insert industry topic]? Enter a response for each.
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Questions: |
Textboxes |
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[Textbox] |
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[Textbox] |
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[Textbox] |
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[Textbox] |
27. Based on your knowledge, what is your perception of the following [insert industry brands]? Select one for each.
(Very negative to very positive)
28. Which [insert industry brands] are you most familiar with? Select one.
- [Show those heard of]
- None of the above [Disqualify]
- Other (Please specify)
29. Which of the following words/phrases best describe [insert brand most familiar with]? Select up to 3.
- Easy to use
- Difficult to use
- Helpful
- Unhelpful
- Convenient
- Inconvenient
- Reliable
- Unreliable
- Informative
- Uninformative
- Modern
- Outdated
- Efficient
- Inefficient
- Comprehensive
- Limited
- Trustworthy
- Untrustworthy
- User-friendly
- Inaccessible
- Well-designed
- Poorly designed
- Organized
- Disorganized
- Detailed
- Vague
- Popular
- Unpopular
- Other (Please specify)
- None of the above
30. How likely is it that you would recommend [insert brand most familiar with] to a friend or colleague Select a rating.
(Not at all likely to extremely likely)
31. Please explain why you rated [insert brand most familiar with] as a [insert response] out of 10? Enter your response below.
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[Text box] |
Why We At Drive Research Are the Best to Help With Your Market Research Questions
Our team at Drive Research combines a unique approach that includes experience in designing custom research and using industry best practices to meet objectives.
Rather than using strict templates, our team uses our vast knowledge of executing research for a wide range of organizations with various objectives.
The team is distinguished by our ability to understand our client’s objectives, design research that fits their needs, and ultimately deliver the data needed to act.
Contact Our Full-Service Market Research Firm
Ready to partner with us for your next project? We'll work with you to create a set of market research questions unique to your brand's needs. To learn more about our market research services, get in touch with us today.
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Emily Taylor
As Director of Operations, Emily does more than wrangle data. Her work includes executing company OKRs, company-wide project management, training/onboarding, team culture initiatives, and more!
Learn more about Emily,here.
