Dig Deeper...

In my Tip Remix last week, I said that using opinion polls as behavior research is fraught with problems. By asking a prospect what they MIGHT do you can't always assess what they WILL do. We don't always know what we'd do until we are in the actual situation.

For example I was the perfect parent. That is before I had a child. Somehow what I thought I'd do isn't exactly what I do. Turns out I'm a little less patient in reality than I was in my imagination.

The other side of opinion polls as behavior research is even if you ask what people DO, they are not honest. Not that they're lying to you. The real problem is often we aren't honest with ourselves.

For instance, if my dentist asked how often I flossed, I'd say a couple times a week. But the year-old spool of dental floss in my medicine chest might tell you differently. (Maybe it just FELT like I flossed a couple times a week!)

A better way to get the answer in a survey might be to ask me how often I buy dental floss. You could check that against a question about my flossing habits. If the answers don't jibe, you need to dig a little deeper. (Perhaps asking Beth how often she thinks I floss might be more accurate!)

Another option is to track my dental floss purchases on my grocery store rewards account. The problem? Aside from privacy issues, you don't know if I buy floss at another store or if I share the container with six others in my home.

Moral: True research isn't always easy. And easy research isn't always true.

- Phil Sasso