Poorly structured research drives me crazy

I am a great fan of the UK B2B Marketing magazine.  They have created a strong presence and a great monthly magazine within a couple of years of launch.

I am subscribed to a few of their emails (although unsubscribing is an issue) and today received a message asking me “How are you using telemarketing as part of your demand generation or new business activity?”

As a rule I like to take part in surveys becuase as a marketer I rely on people doing them for me.

This was an unmitigated disaster.

How not to structure a questionnaire survey

I started to answer the questions but more and more doubts arose about the quality of information I was imparting and the ability of the company [who presumably paid to do this] to use any answers I gave.

1. How can you use two points in a matrix that are on both horizontal and vertical axes to gain any meaningful data? see question 5 below the fold.
2. If the answer to question 8 was ‘no we don’t use telemarketing’, how can you answer question 10 about how closely integrated email marketing and telemarketing are?
3. question 12 “Do you use email analytics to help assess the effectiveness of your campaign and assist in prioritisation of telemarketing activity?”  This is two questions in one.  What if I use email analytics but don’t use it to prioritise telemarketing?
4. Question 17 “Which of these processes would you describe as the most effective?”  How about making this a top 3 choice?  You’d gain more insight from the answers.
5. Consider these three questions (18, 19 & 20) They can be organised better through an automated questioning so that when yes or other is clicked a new question 19 appears.  Freak this is SO basic.

18. Do you regularly seek to enhance prospect data to ensure more effective marketing in future? Yes/No/Don’t know

19. If you answered ‘yes’ how do you do this? Through telemarketing/Through email newsletters and dedicated offers/Other

20. If you selected ‘other’ please specify

6. Is this question written in good English? How accurate would you describe the current size/status of your business database?  Plus the tabulation is crap.  First select the size of your database, then answer the quality question.

What do you think?
The full survey text follows

B2B Marketing Demand Generation Survey

How are you driving new business?

1. In terms of your marketing priorities, how important is generating new business or sales leads for your organisation?

It’s my top priority
It’s in my top three priorities
It’s on my ‘to-do’ list
It’s not a priority in 2010
It’s not something which we’re doing this year
Don’t know

2. What percentage of your overall marketing budget do you allocate to generating new business?

0%
1-5%
5-10%
10-15%
15-20%
20-25%
+25%
Don’t know

3. If you selected ‘don’t know’, please specify which of the following reasons best explains why

Still awaiting confirmation of budget sign-off
Have not started the budgeting process for this financial year
Don’t know what previous spend was
This is confidential

4. How will this allocation changed in 2010 compared to 2009

It’s going to increase a lot (by over 25%)
It’s going to increase a bit (by less than 25%)
It’s going to remain broadly constant
It’s going to decrease a bit (by less than 25%)
It’s going to decrease a lot (by more than 25%)
Don’t know

5. Which of the following marketing techniques, tools or channels do you use to support new business or demand generation activities? Please identify which activities are part of your plan for this year, and which are one of your top priorities?

2010 activity     Is it a priority     No activity
Search marketing (SEO/PPC)
Email
Social media
Telemarketing
Events
No activity for new business

6. For what specific new business/demand generation tasks do you use telemarketing?

Prospect identification
Data cleansing
Qualification
Appointment booking
Conversion
General feedback
Other
We don’t use telemarketing

7. If you selected ‘other’ please specify

8. What role does telemarketing play in your new business/demand generation activity?

Telemarketing is the lead channel and focus of activity
We use telemarketing as a support function, following up emails
Telemarketing does not play a role – we focus on web, email etc.
Don’t know

9. Do you or have you considered outsourcing your new business/demand generation activity?

Yes, we currently outsource this function entirely
Yes, we outsource elements of this function
We are looking at this, but have not outsourced yet
We’re not looking to outsource
We’ve not even considered this
Not relevant to us

10. How closely do you integrate your telemarketing activity with your email activity, as part of your demand generation/new business process?

Email and telemarketing are very closely integrated
Activities are co-ordinated, but not completely integrated
Email and telemarketing are completely separate

11. Are you using demand generation technology, or a marketing automation application, to enable this activity?

Yes, we’ve implemented a marketing automation system
We’re seeking to implement one, and are currently evaluating options
We’ve looked at options but discounted this approach
We’ve not even considered this technology
Not relevant to us

12. Do you use email analytics to help assess the effectiveness of your campaign and assist in prioritisation of telemarketing activity?

Yes, we have a detailed and formal process in place
Yes, but only on an infrequent basis
We have the technology but don’t use it
No, we’ve not even considered this
Don’t know

13. Who is responsible for new business/demand generation-orientated telemarketing within your organisation?

The marketing team
The sales team
Neither
Both
Don’t know

14. Have sales and marketing teams agreed a framework for development, management and handover of leads?

Yes, we have a process adhered to by both departments
Yes, we have a formal process but it’s not closely followed
No, we have no framework
Not sure

15. What processes do you use to manage prospects from initial identification, prior to handing over to the sales team? Please select as many as are relevant

Telemarketing to enhance prospect data
Email to push out additional content
Marketing sets appointments via telemarketing
Tracking by social CRM
Invitation to events
Other

16. If you selected ‘other’ please specify

17. Which of these processes would you describe as the most effective?

Telemarketing to enhance prospect data
Email to push out additional content
Marketing sets appointments via telemarketing
Tracking by social CRM
Invitation to events
Other

18. Do you regularly seek to enhance prospect data to ensure more effective marketing in future?

Yes
No
Don’t know

19. If you answered ‘yes’ how do you do this?

Through telemarketing
Through email newsletters and dedicated offers
Other

20. If you selected ‘other’ please specify

21. How accurate would you describe the current size/status of your business database?

Up to 2500 contacts     2500-10,000 contacts     10,000 plus contacts     Don’t know
Excellent: 75 per cent highly qualified, accurate and up-to-date
Good: 60 per cent + highly qualified, accurate and up-to-date
Okay: Approximately half qualified and up to date
Weak: Less than half qualifed and up-to-date
Poor: Very poor and patchy data
Don’t know

22. What industry sector does your organisation work in?

Technology/telecoms
Business services (e.g. transport, logistics, post, etc.)
Professional services
Financial services
Automotive
Construction/property
Leisure/health/beauty
Retail
Manufacturing/engineering
Marketing/media/publishing
Other

23. If you selected ‘other’ please specify

24. Which turnover band does your organisation fit into?

Under £1 million
£1-5 million
£5-10 million
£10-30 million
£30-50 million
£50 million and above

Submit your responses to the questionnaire by clicking the “SUBMIT” button below.

Submit

Tags: Sales lead