1: Decisions about which market opportunities to pursue, what customer needs to satisfy, and how to reach potential customers are not made in a vacuum. The information provided by marketing research activities is essential in developing both the strategic plan and the specific marketing mix. Focus on the following issues as you relate the concepts in this chapter to the development of your marketing plan.
1. Define the nature and scope of the questions you must answer with regard to your market. Identify the types of information you will need about the market to answer those questions. For example, do you need to know about the buying habits, household income levels, or attitudes of potential customers?
2. Determine whether or not this information can be obtained from secondary sources.
3. Using Table 4.2, choose the appropriate survey method(s)
you would use to collect primary data for one of your information needs. What sampling method would you use?

Table 4.2

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Economy Flexibility Interviewer bias Sampling and respondents' cooperation Mail Surveys Potentially lower in cost per interview than telephone or personal surveys. Low response rate is a limitation. Inflexible. The questionnaire must be short and easy for respondents to complete. Interviewer bias is eliminated. Questionnaires can be returned anonymously. Obtaining a complete mailing list is difficult. Nonresponse is a major disadvantage. Telephone Surveys Avoids interviewers' travel expenses. Limited by large part of population with cell phones. Flexible because interviewers can ask probing questions, but observations are impossible. Some anonymity, but it may be hard to develop trust in respondents. Sample limited to respondents with accessible telephones. Refusals are a problem. Online Surveys The least expensive method. Nonresponse and privacy limits access to respondents. Less flexible. Must be easy for online users to receive and return; short, concise questions work best. Interviewer bias is often eliminated, but privacy issues exist. The available email address list may not be a representative sample for some purposes. Nonresponse is an issue. Personal Interview Surveys The most expensive survey method. Shopping mall and focus-group interviews have lower costs than in-home interviews. The most flexible method. Respondents can react to visual materials. In-depth probes are possible. Interviewers' inability to maintain objectivity may result in bias. Not-at-homes are a problem, which may be overcome by focus- group and shopping mall interviewing.