Sampling which is a very known word that helps in defining various actions. But what is it?
In market research, sampling means getting opinions from a number of people, chosen from a specific group, in order to find out about the whole group. Let’s look at sampling in more detail and discuss the most popular types of sampling used in market research.
It would be expensive and time-consuming to collect data from the whole population of a market. Therefore, market researchers make extensive sampling from which, through careful design and analysis, marketers can draw information about their chosen market and these are known as SAMPLING COMPANIES.
Sampling companies are the companies which act as a helping hand to all the other companies which are looking for an agency to help them expand and grow. All companies or brands require a right hand to convince their customer base to know more about them and also help them to know more about the customers. This is what the sampling companies do. These are responsible for creating a one to one communication with the customer base in the market so that there is a sense of trust and communication with the customers. For this the sampling companies use various methods.
METHODS USED BY SAMPLING COMPANIES:-
Sampling companies use various techniques and methods to gather various information and to provide the right amount of exposure to the customers as well as the company.
- Straight talk from your sample provider can help set a research project up for success. Understanding the options available can also speed up the process, helping deliver a shorter time span to first value for any study. As research design begins, often stakeholders are included in important discussions. But these stakeholders may not have experience in the field or be familiar with respondent sampling options. Likewise, survey design may be impacted by the choice of sampling technique, so having a short primer can be helpful. What follows is an overview of six techniques frequently used for market research sampling.
- True random sampling is the gold standard for probabilistic studies, but it may not be attainable with certain limitations. The most common method of random sample selection involves assigning numbers to the population of available participants and the use of a random number generator for selection. This technique is used so that each respondent within a pool has the same probability of being selected for feedback. In this way, it aims to remove bias by allowing chance to dictate research participants.
- Systematic sampling is the more common cousin of true random sampling. It allows for a methodical approach to retain the benefit of removing bias that comes from random sampling. Systematic sampling is based on the size of the population to be surveyed. The actual number of that population is then sampled according to the radio needed for representative sample size. Because this sampling method does not require such a large pool of ready participants, it is easier to achieve the required sample size.
- Stratified sampling is a modified approach to systematic sampling is called stratified sampling. This method is often preferred in an attempt to reduce the chances of a misrepresentative population sample. If respondent data is first separated according to strata of demographics, or segments. Participants are then selected systematically from these strata.
- Quota sampling is a technique which takes stratified sampling to greater detail by requiring quotas to be reached within each of the strata. In this way, it is a non-probabilistic version of stratified sampling. The downside to quota sampling is that with an inadequate sample pool, quota sampling can force a hand-picking of participants which gives an opening for bias. Also, as the selection is no longer random, the margin of error cannot be calculated.
- Cluster sampling is when a large population, especially one over a wide geographic area, needs to be sampled, cluster sampling can be a good option. In research design, the population of study is broken down into smaller groups, referred to as clusters. Individuals are then selected randomly from the clusters to create the study sample.
- Area sampling is a random sampling technique applied with geographic boundaries. Area sampling is a common technique used for ecological or geographic sampling. It is not often used in the study of humans or human behaviour as the potential to end up in areas with no observational instances, such as a desert, or sparsely populated area is possible. If area sampling is used to observe humans, selecting random areas within a known populated region can ameliorate these issues by combining some standards of cluster sampling with this technique.
These are some of the marketing techniques used by sampling companies.
Nowadays sampling companies have started to offer free sample products to the customer. Giving out free sample products has proven to be a plus point as when customers get free sample products they think that the company has got a good customer base thats why it is giving out free sample products.
