Usage and Attitude Studies
In marketing, a Usage and Attitude study is conducted to analyze and determine the factors that influence the consumer’s’ usage of a product or service and their outlook or position on a brand. This type of research is a vital element in collecting customer data and encompasses broad topics such as the recurrence of product purchase, the frequency of its usage, and perspective towards the brand to name a few.
The goals of a Usage and Attitude study is to uncover truths about brand awareness, brand attitude, and brand usage. Generally, questions associated with this type of study normally involve understanding the areas and purposes in using the product, determining the pattern and frequency of product usage, discovering the ways or styles that consumers employ in using the product, and recognizing the reasons for using the product in consolidation with another product.
Brand Awareness
When evaluating the different degrees of consumers’ brand awareness, researchers take into consideration whether or not the product, its advertising channels, or the product’s classification affects or drives a customer’s knowledge about the brand.
Brand awareness encompasses the customer’s ad awareness (brand’s advertisements), product knowledge (beliefs regarding the product), general awareness of the brand (brand recognition), and the top-of-mind metric (the first brand that customers think of when asked about a product category).
Brand Attitude
This gauges the attitude of the consumers towards a brand. Attitude pertains to the mix of the customer’s beliefs and their feelings. Metrics used under this include an image (customer relevance), perceived value for money, perceived quality, intentions (customer’s behavior), and intention to purchase (how likely will the customer buy the product?).
Brand Usage
Brand usage pertains to the recurrence of purchase and the quantity or number of products acquired per purchase. It also answers the “when was it purchased?” and “where was it bought?” type of questions.
Creating Questionnaires for Your Survey
Developing content for the questionnaires to be used in the study can be a bit of a challenge. Marketers and analysts must know and comprehend first the rapport between consumers and the products or services. To do this, one will have to spend time with the customers at the place where the customers are consuming the product or availing the services at that moment.
There are some pointers to follow on how to make your survey questionnaires more efficient. First, identify your respondents. Respondents are not limited to regular customers but can also be previous users and non-users. Second, identify key brand and product metrics. Third, anticipate noise in measuring ad awareness as respondents may have a hard time recalling the brand and associated advertising channels. Fourth, illustrate product and brand usage. Information related to product and brand usage are the most essential element of any Usage and Attitude survey. Fifth, create effective scales. Since most of Usage and Attitude surveys ask respondents to rank or scale certain products and brands, it is important to use a scaling system that will clearly show product features that are vital to customers. Sixth, do not forget the customer’s purchasing process. For surveys whose objective is to boost the company’s revenues, having a good grasp and deep knowledge regarding how consumers and non-consumers make a purchase seems only fitting. Lastly, be consistent. Always observe if what you are doing is aligned with your main objectives. Making even small adjustments that you think won’t matter will have a substantial effect on your data.
Significance of a Usage and Attitude Survey
Any form or type of consumer research such as a Usage and Attitude Survey can undoubtedly help a business in a lot of ways. This type of research will help companies discover their product’s strengths and flaws, better position their brand in the market, provide insights on effective brand development, and shed some light regarding the customer’s’ behavior patterns and product usage.