I have recently begun a new career diversion. Having completed my PhD and spent 10 years trolling the university landscape I realised that I needed a job that wasn’t based on the weeks of a semester’s duration. So...here I am in the real world – with a real job, a grown up hair cut and wearing semi professional clothes. And you know it’s not too bad except for the 8:30 to 5:30 business hours (but I am working on that!).

My new role is in market research - online market research - which is good.

It’s on the edge exactly where market research needs to be. And I feel like a quazi pioneer making up my own rules as the boundaries aren’t set for innovation in market research sector.
Online research tools are the new thing – yet I believe that such research needs to be place firmly in context. It has to be done (the research) with some forethought about how such tools are actually going to benefit the client and research objective. It isn’t a carrot to dangle in front of every client in an attempt to show how “cutting edge” your company is.
So how do you go about understanding such context, what are the question’s you should ask to determine if online tools are necessary?

1. Look at your client carefully – is the use of these online tools going to excite them into seeing the capacity of such a strategy. If it isn’t I probably wouldn’t bother.
2. Is the research objective going to benefit from online tools? Are the participants geographically dispersed? Are they a time poor sector that usually doesn’t respond to invitations to research even when the incentives are extremely high?
3. Are you dealing with the consumer 2.0 – the savvy group who walk, talk and live online – the always connected, meta networked group who aren’t even a demographic!
4. Are your deadlines tight – and can you benefit from using a fast programme of research you can churn over in a nick of time.

If you answered yes to any of the above go on be brave !