Quantitative research is the process of gathering and processing numerical data used to identify and predict trends, test relationships within variables, and generalize datasets evenly across a larger audience. The statement ‘Stats don’t lie’ is true but incomplete, the people in charge of securing, processing, and interpreting them might incorrectly record or process data intentionally or unintentionally. There are numerous chances in which a human error impacts quantitative market research, from conception through implementation. In this blog, we are going to discuss three common mistakes that a quantitative research firm should avoid. Read on.

1. Asking the Wrong Questions

As a research firm, the most common mistake you can make is conducting qualitative research for a study which requires a quantitative approach. Both include different nature of questions to be asked, you need to be thorough about where to use which approach. Quantitative research revolves around answering questions such as ‘what’ and ‘how much/ how often’, while qualitative is more about dealing with ‘why’ and ‘how’ of consumer behavior to derive an in-depth analysis. Understanding what to ask, when and to whom is the key to conducting effective global market research.

2. Self-verifying your Data

It is common for a quantitative research firm to assume its research is thorough and flawless, however, a lot of work needs to be done before the data you've collected may be certified as scientifically valid. Self-verifying your data not only skews the outcome of the research but also puts your credibility in jeopardy, which is an essential value proposition for any quantitative research firm. Until the data is backed by a precise and reliable study design, sampling system, and data cleaning methods, the data should be treated as the plain numbers that they are. This is helpful for not only inspiring constructive criticism during the study but will also remind quantitative market research firms and researchers to understand conclusions in context.

3. Not targeting the Right Audience

It is critical to gather a sufficient sample size for your quantitative survey to obtain statistically meaningful results. The larger the sample, the less susceptible to errors your quantitative descriptive research will be. The results will also be more representative of a larger audience base helping you reach concrete conclusions. Furthermore, ensuring that you've already identified and pursued your target audience is critical to get the insights you require from the research study. For example, if you are working on the average salary package for high-school teachers, it would not make sense to roll out the survey to the university professors in your audience base.

Conclusion

When it comes to conducting quantitative market research, firms should be careful about what they are asking and to who. With continuously decreasing attention spans, asking wrong questions will not only divert the research towards a pointless direction but also result in your core audience becoming distanced. If you are looking for quantitative research companies that can gather actionable data for a market study, contact a market research firm with years of experience and global outreach.