The Survey System to the Rescue!

Surveys are primary data collection methods that aid global PR campaigns throughout the event-planning process. In particular, statistical surveys are quantitative research methods used to collect information about people inside of a population. For example, one can conduct a survey before the hypothesis is developed to see where the target audience statistically stands currently.  This data can be used later by the agency to compare how effective their campaign was as the firm now has the ability to see what statistics changed, if any, within the target audience. Additionally, a practitioner can conduct a survey during the event or at the "communication" stage (of the RACE acronym, reading Research, Analysis, Communication and Evaluation)to see how well people are receiving purposed messages. Also aiding the necessity for surveys in world-wide public campaigns is the simple fact that surveying does not usually cost a lot. Add that with the rise of new technologies such as a sample size calculator, and surveying has become a quantitative research method of choice for many working in the PR world.

Going in to further detail about 'sample size calculator' technology, which is used to show "how many people one needs to interview in order to get results that reflect the target population as needed. Also the level of precisions you have in the existing sample" all can be found on the Creative Research System's Web site. A site that offers a software package for all types of questionnaires and campaign data collection from web, phone, PDA, to paper questionnaires. Combine the two or choose one, Survey System also offers users live reports on results and production of tables, charts, of this data. Survey System also can run an agency's survey in different languages from Arabic, Thai, and Russian to classics such as French, German and Italian. All of which aid national PR campaigns as one could conduct data in foreign countries without changing the questions. 

Most of these advanced features are paid for, but the site does offer the sample size calculator for free as a quick aid to those collecting data for PR campaigns. Other free information the site gives out includes a guide of reminders for how to conduct a survey. The following steps are noted directly from the site:

"Establish the goals of the project - What is it that you want to learn?

Determine your sample - Whom will you interview?

Choose interviewing methodology - How will you interview?

Create your questionnaire - What will you ask?

Pre-test your the questionnaire - Test the questions!

Conduct interviews and enter data - Ask the questions!  

Analyze the data - Produce the report".

That's it! Survey System really helps to break down what needs to be done to conduct a survey and how you should go about it. I find such technologies really helpful to PR professionals, but more importantly to those who may not be as advanced in this area. College students, early practitioners, or those in another field of business who are conducting a report and need a quick crash course on data collection methods, all can greatly benefit from the use of this service. Especially important, I believe, is the systems ability to break language barriers, helping to make the data a better representation of the entire population overall.