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Market research supplement
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Go to www.b2bm.biz
“Whilst there is a role for online
Market research – key
research in B2B, especially if a
facts and figures
pre-existing relationship exists,
• The UK is the world’s second largest market
there is often no substitute for picking for market research.
up the telephone given the importance
• The annual survey of the UK market research
industry, undertaken by Market Research
of building a rapport to persuade
Society, revealed that total industry revenue
individuals to participate”
increased by 2.3 per cent during 2007, to an
estimated total value of £1.8 billion.
Andrew Dalglish, director, Circle Research
• Recent years have seen the rapidly
increasing use of faster, lower-cost online
methodologies for data collection in
All of which leads to a slightly enough about what the panel is,” says market research.
confusing picture for business owners. Barr. “The panel needs to be • In consumer research, online approaches
An obvious question that springs to mind of a certain size to be relevant and offer an effective means of collecting large
is, ‘how reliable is research data that has I would certainly treat the results volumes of information; in B2B research, the
been gathered via online methods?’ And of research gathered from panels target audience – business decision makers –
what about the growth of research panels with greater caution.” has proved to be much harder to access
– groups of decision makers brought electronically.
together to offer opinions – which are Face-to-face is best
increasingly being used in the B2B arena? Experts agree that if it’s quality
Can the data gathered from such panels information you are looking for, there is
be trusted? no substitute for talking, whether it be be in the future.
Nick Hague is MD of B2B face-to-face or over the telephone. Dalglish says, “An important trend
International. He says: “People have Indeed, businesses are becoming is the continued and growing
been talking about online research increasingly switched on to the recognition of the value of a strong
and what it offers for some time now, benefits of creating and nurturing a brand in the B2B arena and in turn
and we have certainly seen more panel brand over time. Only high-quality the role of research in helping to
usage with B2B clients. The reason for research backed up by water-tight develop and nurture that brand.
this is that in the B2B arena, historically methodologies can enable them to Research in this context can provide a
it has always been hard to get do this, keeping a tight rein solid foundation.
respondents such as financial directors, on where a brand is in the public’s “By understanding customer
plant managers and senior executives perceptions – and where it needs to needs, desires, motivators and
who are generally hard to pin down. frustrations, the brand can be
Therefore, certain companies have formed around elements that
created B2B panels of respondents and strongly resonate with the market.
this has been a significant development By exploring brand perceptions a
in carrying out B2B research, but it is credible and differentiated positioning
not the magic silver bullet that can can be adopted. And monitoring the
deliver everything.” health of a brand over time allows
Hague continues, “I am still the success of marketing activity to
sceptical of some panel companies be measured and remedial action
and the validity of their panels. There are taken if necessary.”
professional panellists out there who And finally a message for those
use multiple identities to get paid. who believe that research is an
Having confidence in your sample
“I am sceptical of some panel
expendable luxury during more
provider is key because you can’t challenging economic times. This is
just bang out an email to a business
companies and the validity of
undoubtedly a tempting idea but think
respondent without being sufficiently
panels. There are professional
it through and the fuzzy nature of
remunerated for your time. You can this logic becomes clear.
always get results with e-panellists,
panelists out there that use
Claire Roy says, “Historically, during
but can you trust the data?” a slowing of the economy, there is a
The message is clear: there are no
multiple identities to get
tendency for marketing budgets to be cut
short cuts to high quality research data. If
paid. You can always get
back and this has a knock-on effect on
you choose to go down the panel route, market research. Where appropriate we
you need to be very certain about
results with e-panellists but
are encouraging our clients not to take
what you are dealing with.
can you trust the data?”
that approach; it is imperative during a
“[Information gathered from panels] downturn for businesses to ensure that
can offer value in the same way as in the Nick Hague, MD, B2B International any marketing activities carried out are
consumer sector, provided you know properly focused.”
B2BM SEPTEMBER 08 – www.b2bm.biz
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