Qualitative Marketing Research -2

The main types of qualitative marketing research are Depth Interviews, Focus Groups and Projective Techniques. we talk on Depth Interviews first.

• interview is conducted one-on-one, and lasts between 30 and 60 minutes
  
• best method for in-depth probing of personal opinions, beliefs, and values
  
• very rich depth of information
  
• very flexible
  
• probing is very useful at uncovering hidden issues
  
• they are unstructured (or loosely structured)- this differentiates them from survey interviews in which the same questions are asked to all respondents
  
• can be time consuming and responses can be difficult to interpret
  
• requires skilled interviewers - expensive - interviewer bias can easily be introduced
  
• there is no social pressure on respondents to conform and no group dynamics
  
• start with general questions and rapport establishing questions, then proceed to more purposive questions
  
• laddering is a technique used by depth interviewers in which you start with questions about external objects and external social phenomena, then proceed to internal attitudes and feelings
  
• hidden issue questioning is a technique used by depth interviewers in which they concentrate on deeply felt personal concerns and pet peeves
  
• symbolic analysis is a technique used by depth interviewers in which deeper symbolic meanings are probed by asking questions about their opposites

we will talk on Focus Group in next post.

ref: wikipedia, agentswebword, insurance software