2016 RMS Election Survey Results

We recently conducted a 2016 election survey amongst our RMS ViewPoint Research Panel, as well as Central New York residents. Respondents were not asked who they would be voting for, however, they were asked about their overall impression of the elections. Below is a summary of some of the results.

RMS is a full-service market research firm located in Syracuse, NY. If you are interested in learning more about our research capabilities, please contact Sandy Baker, our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 1-866-567-5422. Visit our website at www.RMSresults.com.

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RMS ViewPoint Panel Book—An Inside Look

RMS recently released the RMS ViewPoint Panel Book—a dynamic and graphic first edition detailing the demographics of our research panel. Check out some features of the new Panel Book below!

Demographics

Explore the data everyone wants to know about. We’ve created eye-catching graphics to showcase the demographics and workforce data of our entire panel. Consumer behaviors give you a detailed look into what our panel members plan to purchase, are interested in purchasing, their online shopping habits, media usage, and much more. More than half (55%) of the RMS ViewPoint panel members live in Central New York, with 74% residing in New York State and 26% living outside of New York State. Of those panelists 72% of them have children in their household under the age of 18.

Consumer Behaviors

The RMS ViewPoint Panel book gives you a detailed look into what our panel members plan to purchase, are interested in purchasing, their online shopping habits, media use and much more. For example, 46% of panel members watch more than 10 hours of television per week, while 21% watch 7-9 hours and 21% watch 4-6 hours per week. In terms of preferred news sources, 77% of panel members obtain their news from television, 73% visit websites, 56% review social media outlets, and 43% read printed sources. To dive deeper into our panel members’ behaviors, we asked them to identify their interests. We found that panel members are interested in a myriad of topics, including: health and wellness (70%), travel (58%), art and entertainment (58%), and beauty and style (46%).

Central NY Appeal

With Syracuse being a top rated test market, the panel book demonstrates how Onondaga County mirrors the U.S. population. Onondaga County has become the choice market to test and re­fine campaigns and products before a product launch due to its striking representation of the US population as a whole. RMS ViewPoint is a valuable yet cost-effective resource for organizations planning to conduct product testing, gauge advertising effectiveness, or determine the desires of their target market.

Click here to view a copy of the new RMS ViewPoint Panel Book!

RMS is a full-service market research firm located in Syracuse, NY. If you are interested in learning more about our research capabilities, please contact Sandy Baker, our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 1-866-567-5422. Visit our website at www.RMSresults.com.

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New Product Launch Case Study

This blog post is a summary of a recent project completed by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS).

Background: An organization that creates outdoor gardening products partnered with Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) to conduct a product perception study. The client wanted to test the market perception of several new product concepts. The market research objectives were to (1) evaluate awareness of the product, (2) learn the shopping habits of target consumers, (3) measure the interest of each new product concept, (4) determine the anticipated price of each concept, and (5) obtain feedback regarding features that are most liked and/or features that need improvement.

Approach: The study consisted of a five minute online survey sent to RMS ViewPoint Research Panel members. The RMS ViewPoint Research Panel is representative of both the United States population and Central New York in particular, an area with a long history as one of the nation’s top test markets. The RMS Analytics team developed the 31-question survey in consultation with the client. The survey covered various topics which gauged shopping habits, current product awareness, new product interest, anticipated price, and most/least preferred features. Survey results allowed the RMS team to identify key consumers and segment the data by consumer group throughout the report. Fieldwork lasted approximately two weeks, with a total of 487 responses collected. After the completion of fieldwork, RMS provided the client with an in-depth report that included a dashboard, executive summary, data tables which highlighted responses from key consumers, as well as next steps and recommendations.

Results (A few highlights of the study’s findings):

• As a result of survey responses provided, the RMS Analytics team identified target consumers as those who currently own products similar to those tested and are likely to make purchases of comparable products in the future.
• The data revealed which product was favored by respondents and why that concept was more preferable than the other concepts tested.
• Features that were most and least preferred were identified to provide the client with the insight needed to make design alterations and message enhancements before producing the product.
• The research revealed an anticipated cost to determine a competitive price point for each new product concept.
• Overall feedback was gathered and analyzed which provided the client with the direction needed to produce the ideal product and market it effectively.

RMS is a full-service market research firm located in Syracuse, NY. If you are interested in learning more about our research capabilities, please contact Sandy Baker, our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 1-866-567-5422. Visit our website at www.RMSresults.com.

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Central New York Music Preferences

Summer’s here and the time is right: Central New Yorkers are ready to face the music, RMS ViewPoint Poll Shows. 

According to a recent poll of Central New Yorkers conducted by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) ViewPoint, 83 percent of individuals plan to go to a concert this summer. Thirty percent of Central New York respondents are planning on attending at least two concerts this summer, 21 percent are preparing to go to three concerts, and nine percent are planning on attending eight or more concerts this year. The average respondent plans to spend $76 to $100 per concert, and will travel 21 to 50 miles for a concert this year. When it came to choosing the concert respondents were most excited about, the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Lakeview Amphitheater was the most anticipated by Central New Yorkers, followed by Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Journey and Hall & Oates.

“Everybody loves music, and that is especially true in Central New York,” said Zachary Shaw, RMS ViewPoint Panel Associate. “Not only are there are so many great music venues in the area, but there is such a wide variety of music that you’re able to experience as well.” Respondents surveyed were asked about favorite music genres, listening habits, preferences, venues, and concert spending behaviors. “Because CNY is a top test market in the country, media companies continue to test new programming and music services in this area,” said Sandy Baker, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy.

With the summer concert season officially underway, CNY residents spend lots of time prepping for upcoming shows. Thirty-nine percent listen to ten or more hours of music per week. Almost half (48 percent) listen to music the most while in their car, while 21 percent listen at home and at work. And it’s no secret that Central New Yorkers love their local radio: 62 percent typically listen to music through traditional AM/FM radio. Forty percent typically purchase their music and another 40 percent stream through Pandora. Twenty-seven percent listen to music with satellite radio, 23 percent listen through YouTube and 14 percent stream with Spotify.

When it comes to a favorite music genre, classic rock stole the show with 76 percent. The other top categories followed with rock at 67 percent, and close behind was pop at 64 percent, country at 48 percent, R&B/soul at 36 percent, and hip hop and rap at 32 percent. When asked if they could see anyone in concert, the top response was Adele. Beyoncé came in second, followed by “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Garth Brooks.

Central New York offers many live music venues, each with unique qualities that tend to draw locals depending upon their music preferences. According to respondents, the favorite local concert venue is the Chevy Court Pavilion at the Fairgrounds. The Lakeview Amphitheater came in second, followed by Turning Stone Resort and Casino as third favorite venue.

A detailed infographic depicting the full survey results is included below. If you would like to participate in upcoming RMS ViewPoint polls and surveys, please visit RMSViewPoint.com to sign up.

The RMS ViewPoint poll was conducted from May 25, 2016 to June 5, 2016. A total of 501 surveys were completed. Respondents consisted of RMS ViewPoint Research Panel members, as well as the general community. All respondents resided within the 6-county CNY area (Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego). For more information on RMS ViewPoint, visit RMSViewPoint.com.

About RMS

Research & Marketing Strategies (RMS) is a full service marketing and market research firm located in Baldwinsville, NY. RMS provides an array of research methodologies that result in actionable analytics and recommendations for the client to enhance decision making. RMS is also home to QualiSight, a premier focus group and interview research facility, and RMS ViewPoint, a leading consumer research panel in Central New York. Visit our website at RMSresults.com. If you are interested in learning more about our research capabilities, please contact Sandy Baker, our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 1-866-567-5422. Visit our website at www.RMSresults.com.

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Image and Awareness Focus Groups Case Study

This blog post is a summary of a recent project completed by Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS). 

Background: An advertising firm partnered with Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) to conduct image and awareness focus groups for their client, an international quick service restaurant. The end-client wanted to better understand consumer perceptions of the restaurant’s menu, products, pricing, facilities, employees, and the brand overall. The market research objective was to gather the insights needed for the restaurant to improve the customer experience.

Approach: The study consisted of three 100 minute focus groups. Focus group participants were selected from the RMS ViewPoint Research Panel based upon the frequency that they visit the restaurant. The first focus group included millennials who were either current or former restaurant users. The second group was made up of current restaurant users, and the last group included only former users of the quick service restaurant. RMS staff moderated the focus groups, which were held at the RMS QualiSight Focus Group facility in Baldwinsville, NY. RMS recruited 12 participants for each group, to ultimately seat 10 to participate in the discussion. RMS completed the project in approximately six weeks.

Results: Here are some highlights of the study’s findings:

• Participants reviewed several commercials, identified their favorite, and provided feedback on how the commercials could be improved. This allowed the end-client to determine the appropriate message for each customer type.
• Research revealed what the restaurant is known for among consumers, allowing the end-client to identify brand strengths and areas of opportunity.
• Participants identified top competitors and reasons for choosing them instead of the end-client restaurant. Consumers noted that they are willing to pay slightly more for what they perceive to be fresher, higher quality ingredients.
• It was clear that the consumer definition of “fresh” has evolved in recent years. Although the client was a previous leader in the healthy eating movement, focus group participants felt that the quick service restaurant has not evolved with the perception of fresh and has thus faced steep competition by newer restaurant entrants to the healthy eating movement.
• Participant feedback revealed the need for the restaurant to update the quality and variety of ingredients, and refresh the restaurant facilities. One of the recommendations offered by RMS in the project report included the suggestion that the restaurant re-tool the commercials to demonstrate the improvements made in an effort to better meet consumer needs.

RMS is a full-service market research firm located in Baldwinsville, NY. If you are interested in learning more about our research capabilities, please contact Sandy Baker, our Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at SandyB@RMSresults.com or by calling 1-866-567-5422. Visit our website at www.RMSresults.com.

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Why Should You Participate in a Research Panel?

The following post was written by Zach Shaw, Panel Coordinator at RMS.

One of the most frequently asked questions we hear at RMS is, “How does signing up for a research panel benefit me?” Many people don’t realize how much surveys, focus groups, and secret shoppers impact the services and products we use in our everyday lives. It’s common for companies to use market research before releasing their service or product to gain a better perspective on what their consumer’s need, in turn allowing the company  to tailor goods and services which results in a better service or product for the customer. When joining a research panel, you are directly influencing the decisions of local, regional, and even global businesses to create better services and products. Below is more information on what you can expect from different research opportunities offered by the RMS ViewPoint Research Panel.

Surveys

RMS ViewPoint members who participate in surveys are typically sent an online questionnaire via email. These questionnaires are designed to be quick and easy to complete. Once we receive enough survey completions, our team then reviews the data and transforms it into useable information for the client. Our clients are often interested in learning the full overview of the consumers: who is their target audience (age, gender, location, race, etc.), why they purchase a particular product or service, how they got interested in that product or service, what other products and services they buy from competitors, and where they heard about the product or service. When our RMS ViewPoint members complete these questionnaires, it helps companies get the feedback they need to make strategic decisions regarding their product or service. It allows you to tell a company what you are looking for as a consumer, what price range you are willing to pay, the location the company should distribute the product or service, how it should be advertised, and much more. In the end, your feedback may make the product or service easier to use, more affordable, and easier to purchase. Most of the questionnaires provided to RMS ViewPoint members also include the opportunity to enter into a raffle for a reward. Previous rewards have included trending products, cash, and event tickets.

Focus Groups

Focus groups are a type of qualitative research, and typically involve a guided discussion between the moderator and participants. The goal of the discussion is to gather opinions on a particular topic from the focus group participants. It is common for companies to utilize a focus group during the first phase of research to get a baseline idea of what the research should focus on, or as the end phase of the research to probe deeper into a particular topic that resulted from previous research. By participating in a focus group, you have the opportunity to shape the evolution of a product or service. Participants of a focus group are typically paid for their time, with cash incentives typically ranging from $50-$200 for a two hour focus group.

Secret Shoppers

Secret shoppers look more at how the customer interacts with a company. Secret shoppers are given a task to collect information which will allow the company to solve an issue or improve a product or service. Mystery shoppers may collect information on things such as displays, pricing, store layout, sales staff, and customer service, and in return will relay the findings to RMS. Research findings generated by RMS allow the company to make informed decisions which impact the customer experience. When we recruit mystery shoppers from RMS ViewPoint, they are typically compensated for their assistance. What a great way to get rewarded – retail therapy!

Being a part of a research panel has an impact on the products and services we use daily. If you would like to share your opinion and be the first to know about our research opportunities, register for RMS ViewPoint. It’s quick, easy, and free. Just click here!

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