Surveys are ideal for exploring individual’s attitudes, perceptions, preferences, need states, and beliefs. Surveys can also measure behavior but are not always the most valid method of doing so. Surveys are not an appropriate tool for establishing cause and effect relationships or quantifying socioeconomic realities. 
A survey is a great tool for a small company as a way of getting them into the conversation. For large companies, a survey can establish them as a thought leader expert on a certain topic or elevate them as a source of data for others. A survey can validate a brand’s messaging or positioning and provide ammo to back-up thought leadership.

The more specific the audience, the more expensive and difficult data collection becomes. General consumer studies are very cost effective and widely applicable for media pitching. A specific B2B audience, such as IT DMs will be harder and more expensive to reach, but can carry a lot of punch with trade publications or as establishing expertise and thought leadership.

For general consumer studies, Method recommends no fewer than n=1,000. For highly specific B2B audiences a lower sample size such as 300-400 may be sufficient. 

Depending on the data provider, sample costs are usually unchanged for any survey length up to 10 minutes. Method recommends sticking to ~30 questions in a single survey. We never know exactly how respondents will answer, so while we design the survey around certain objectives and hypotheses, we always recommend including a few questions getting at the same thing so that if one is a dud, there are backup options.

First-party owned data is a valuable asset that can be used in myriad ways for an extended period of time. It is Method’s philosophy that a designed asset such as a report, summary, or infographic is a critical component of effectively communicating research results. It is strategically wise to make sure the survey results live in a format beyond a moment-in-time press release so that journalists, customers, prospects, and others can refer back to this as a resource. Method will provide a content strategy brief following data collection and analysis. This document contains specific recommendations based on the study results for additional assets for purposes such as earned media outreach, lead generation, sales outreach, social content, etc.

Survey projects at Method typically range in cost from $12k to $25k, but this is always highly dependent on the specific sample profile.
The cost of a research study includes two parts: Method Research services hours and external vendor sample costs.  
Research hours typically include:

• Questionnaire design and writing (~25 questions) 
• Project and data collection management 
• Analysis, including written survey brief in Word doc with key findings
• Content strategy brief with specific recommendations for research amplification assets

External vendor costs typically include:

• Sample
• Programming & hosting
• Data tables (crosstabs) 

Method works with a variety of different sample partners and selects one based on audience characteristics, survey complexity, and timeline – always with the goal of providing the most cost-effective partner for our clients.
Generally, PR hours for press release development, media outreach, etc are covered within the monthly retainer. Depending on other client priorities, however, Method may occasionally build some PR hours into the project SOW.
Method can also provide designed content assets to support your research project, such as eBooks, infographics, social graphics, interactive web pages, and data reports.

From questionnaire development to completed analysis, you should usually plan for about 5-6 weeks. We can expedite this timing in some cases, and in other cases (for example, if we are surveying your customers rather than purchasing sample) timelines may extend longer.

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