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Getting an ROI on On-Site Surveys

Introduction

Brand marketers say surveying on-site is still one of the best ways to gauge how a consumer feels about a company and its activities while they're experiencing an event. Until true behavioral-based ROI models evolve past the "theory" stage, intercepts will remain one of the most effective tools.
On-site survey techniques, which haven't changed much over the years, can be useful for finding out if a brand is actually making a connection at an event. Does the consumer know the brand and why it's there? Does the event or the sponsorship affect purchase decisions and affinity? Is this the right event for this branding objective?

Quick Overview

Small tweaks to survey programs can result in increased effectiveness. The structure of the event defines what you can do and where. Amphitheatres or park events provide a scattered crowd, which means interview crews can wander. Stadium and sporting events, however, force intercepts to take place during time-outs or at halftime (go stake out the concession stands or even the bathrooms).

Approaching the Consumer

Approach consumers in a sincere manner. If they are made to feel their opinion matters, they're more likely to take part in the survey. "Excuse me, the sponsors need your help in making this event even better than it is. Would you mind helping us out?"

Don't bribe with a premium or a coupon, as it will skew the answers. For marketers that really want to give something, make it a "surprise gift" handed out after the interview ends. And if the consumer quits in mid-survey, dump whatever information had already been collected.

Have the brand interviewers wearing appropriate outfits for the event (nothing too stuffy), but have the word "feedback" or "surveys" on their shirt or cap. They'll also need some kind of identification card around their neck or on their shirt. If the ID is issued by the venue, make sure the brand's name is covered.

Make the interview last between three and four minutes tops and involve between 18 and 24 questions, say the experts at Dallas-based Real Feedback, Inc. Field staffers should ask the questions and write the answers. Let consumers write their own and they'll streamline them into lean, useless blurbs. From here, we head into the eight parts of the survey.

Asking the Questions

• Step 1: Start with "soft questions" to get respondents comfortable and make them feel that they'll be able to handle the interview. "Was the parking convenient?" "Did you enjoy the halftime show?"
  
  
• Step 2: Begin with unaided questions and help the participant if they start to struggle. An example: Offer an unaided query ("Name as many sponsors of this event as you can"), then stop when the surveyee starts looking for signage. If the consumer can't name your brand, try a category-aided question ("Do you know of any soda sponsors of this event?"). If they strike out again, hit them with the aided-awareness technique ("Are you aware that Brand X is a sponsor of this event?").
  
  
• Step 3: Fire multiple-choice questions. "How does knowing X sponsors this event affect your opinion of the brand?" (Choices: Improves, Same, Decreases.) "How will X's involvement at this event change your purchase likelihood?" (More, Same, Less Likely.) "How appropriate is it that X is associated with this event/sport/ team?" (Very, Moderately, N/A.)
  
  
• Step 4: Move into open-ended questions about the brand. Example: "What do you think X is trying to say to you by sponsoring this event?"
  
  
• Step 5: Next come open-ended questions about the event's activities, which are "the heart of the survey," according to David Willis, ceo of Houston-based survey specialist Real Feedback, which handles on-site and telephone surveys for the likes of Toyota and Ford Motor Co. "Did you visit the brand's exhibit? What did you like? What didn't you like? Why do you think X is sponsoring this event? What is the benefit of X being here? What are some adjectives that you associate with X?"
  
  
• Step 6: Serve up ownership questions about the sponsor's products. If the sponsor is a car company, ask what car they drive, when they bought an automobile last, what type of vehicle they'd buy today if they were buying, etc.
  
  
• Step 7: Get the consumer's first name and ask if he or she would mind providing a phone number "for verification purposes" (80 percent will give up the digits, Willis says). Then end by asking if they'd be willing to participate in follow-up research (again, most agree) and thank them for their time.
  
  
• Step 8: Follow-up via phone or email with a section of the surveyees to see if anything has changed. Ask the same questions and compare notes. (For an added bonus, do a random calling to consumers in the geographic area the night before the event starts.)

Costs

On-site surveys cost between $7,000 and $15,000, depending on the window of opportunities and the number of questions. Off-site telephone efforts will run between $3,500 and $10,000 depending on the quality and quantity of the lead list and the length of the survey (keep it under four minutes).