Primary Research

The methodology applied to any project is driven by the research objectives. Most of the time, clients approach us with research objectives that necessitate a primary study. Primary research is research that's tailored to a the specific needs of a project.

There are two basic kinds of primary research, quantitative and qualitative. Please read below to find out more.

Qualitative Methodologies

Qualitative research is used when the the information sought from market representatives doesn’t fit within the boundaries of a typical questionnaire. When seeking out feedback on a new concept or trying to gather a deeper understanding of how the customer interacts with a product or service, a dialogue is the ideal dynamic. Qualitative research can be conducted with either a group or with a series of one-on-one interviews. Qualitative primary research is often the first step in the research process for many of our clients. It is often invaluable in the development of quantitative survey tools.

Qualitative Methodologies employed by SMG for our clients include:

     Focus Groups
     In-Depth Interviewing
     Observational Studies

Quantitative Methodologies

Quantitative primary research generally relies on robust data sets and random sampling to derive results that are representative of a larger population. This kind of research allows for detailed, insightful and most of all, reliable analysis.

Quantitative Methodologies employed by SMG for our clients include a variety of data collection options:

     Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)
     Internet Interviewing
     Mail Surveys
     Intercept Interviews