December 10, 2009
In conjunction with our media polling partner InsiderAdvantage, Majority Opinion Research holds a perfect record of predicting the outcome for every election we have polled. Over the past year or so, we have together been polling the Atlanta Mayor’s race for WSB TV, the ABC affiliate station in Atlanta. Our last poll on this race was released on November 19, 2009 (12 days before the election) and our prediction was Kasim Reed 50.2% and Mary Norwood 49.8%. After all votes were counted (and recounted) the final result was Kasim Reed 50.4% and Mary Norwood 49.6%. Our projections were within two-tenths of one percent.
|
Prediction |
Election Result |
Kasim Reed |
50.2% |
50.4% |
Mary Norwood |
49.8% |
49.6% |
Although political polling is one of the very few arenas of marketing research where the researcher/pollster can be graded (comparing the prediction of the poll to the actual vote), the principals and practices that allow for such accurate polling also apply to corporate marketing research. These include:
- Being completely objective
- Using a representative sample
- Writing a good questionnaire
- Employing quality control methods for data collection
- Properly weighting the data
- Accurately analyzing the data
Following these steps results in accurate polling, useful marketing research and the conclusion that polling/marketing research done well is polling/marketing research well done. |
