[Mediamind]

Hey guys, Im trying to put together some ideas to get college students more involved in supporting local businesses. What i need is to see how comercially viable my idea is. My plan was to interview some college students and also set up an online survey with a drawing for a free ipod to generate some interest. I am open to any other suggestions.

Thanks

[CDRamming]

If you are trying to get feedback from only your local colleges go to the business school and ask the dean if he would allow you to distribute surveys in certain classes. We have these large intro to business lectures that all freshman business students are required to take, and I took more surveys in that class than I ever have before. Using the business school may limit the total market, but will be a start.

[jasaunders]

If you are going to conduct your own surveys, how you frame the questions is very important and can significantly alter the responses you get. I suggest you read up on writing surveys before you do this if you want accurate results.

[jasaunders]

Also, from what you stated, you may be better off with a qualitative survey. You can't perform qualitative surveys online.

[GuyBBY]

J's post above is very key. People spend countless hours getting the wording just right on surveys to evoke certain feelings and emotions that will make or break your results. Some people would answer yes and no to the same question just based upon the semantics and connotation it has with them.

Next task for YE...ask people on here for resources or experience they have with structuring the type of survey you wish to distribute.

Good luck!

G

[Mediamind]

Thanks guys. I did consider the business school approach and its major disadvantage is that it limits the market too much. But why wouldn't an online qualitative survey work. Im just going to list several businesses in the area and gauge the students' knowledge for each. If you guys can help me out with this, I would really appreciate it.

A.

[jasaunders]

Qualitative surveys don't work online because people don't sit in front of the screen and type hundreds of words into a text box that conveys their entire feelings. In addition, there is no way to probe responses.

Qualitative studies work best with focus groups, then face to face interviews, then telephone interviews. People are more willing to talk than they are to type into a box. Plus, you can dig deeper into their responses and find out why they have certain opinions.