In conducting primary market research, there are different types of tools used to collect information or data, including surveys, interviews, and questionnaires. In this article, we will specifically talk about a questionnaire, what it is, and how to make a questionnaire for market research purposes.

What is a Questionnaire?

In primary market research, a questionnaire is a series of structured questioned designed for statistical analysis of the feedback. Unlike face-to-face and phone interviews, it is much cheaper and does not require researchers to call people.

There are several key advantages of using questionnaires to conduct market research, such as:

• Easier to approach a large number of people (participants)
• Much cheaper than phone surveys and face-to-face interviews
• Relatively easy to analyze participants’ answers as the questions are generally standard.

How to Make a Questionnaire for Market Research:-

There are some strategies you can use to make a questionnaire for market research purposes. First of all, make sure to make it as simple and easy to understand as possible for participants to fill out. This will help you to easily define the likes, dislikes, needs, and purchasing habits of your target customers.

Here are some useful tips in making a questionnaire for market research:

• Design your questionnaire short and brief no more than two pages to make it more time-efficient for your target audience
• Provide clear instructions on how respondents should answer all the questions
• Use clear and simple language to prevent confusion
• Each question should only focus on one topic only
• Ask general questions, like age range (it helps to determine respondents’ demographic category)
• Make sure your questions are straightforward
• Use open-ended questions appropriately to allow them to answer the questions freely with their own words
• Provide all options, including “no-options” as an answer
• Provide a space for comments
• Do not ask for respondents’ names or other personal information. Make sure to make it as anonymous as possible so that they are not hesitant to give their honest answers
• Ask questions about product preference in an objective manner
• Avoid using leading questions that can make their answer are not genuine
• Use clear response scales to assess a respondent’s level of agreement or disagreement about a statement on your questionnaire
• Ask different types of questions to get general and more specific responses. (You can provide multiple choices)
• Design your questionnaire as appealing as possible to fill out and do not make it like a homework assignment
• Make sure to pre-test and review your questionnaire before handing it to your target audience

When handing out a questionnaire to respondents, make sure they are the right market for your business because the success of the questionnaire lies on who your respondents are. Additionally, it’s worth noting to give your respondents a small gift or incentive after completing your questionnaire. It should be something appealing to your target audience

Though it is relatively simple and easy to collect data using a questionnaire, it will take time to create a well-designed questionnaire that can provide you useful and accurate insights from your audience.