We got your goat.

Helping out with some good ole nannies.

Another one of ZINC Research’s pillars is community support. Over the course of this year we supported a number of events – The North American OutGames and The Calgary International Festival - run by some very hard working not-for-profit organizations, with our research and consulting services. We also sponsored the Net Gain 2.0 and TTRA Canada annual conferences.

Given our success this year and our fortunate lives here in Canada, at this time of giving we would like to help at least four families in developing countries to realize some of their own opportunities. We have purchased four (4) female goats through a recognized charity. While we all find our way in celebrating the season, for those who are looking for new

avenues for giving, our charity of choice – Oxfam - indicates that a goat “will also provide vaccinations, health and market awareness training and much more. More importantly, the income your gift generates will create greater self-sufficiency, self-esteem and educational opportunities.”

For more information on Oxfam’s program, click here.

Calgary OutGames - A Research Legacy

The North American OutGames were held in Calgary, Alberta from April 1 to 8, 2007 (click here for website). The week-long event comprised a human rights conference, a cultural program and the annual Western Cup sporting event. ZINC Research was proud to be a sponsor for this international gay and lesbian event (click to see our program ad).

ZINC Research OutGames Advertisement

One of the challenges of doing research on the gay and lesbian market is the issue of self-identification. Much gay and lesbian research is done online - may it be via snowball sample or panel - that requires that respondents self-identify themselves by their sexual orientation. While this is great for directional purposes, it is not representative. While many gays and lesbians are out - they are a limited group of “card carrying members” - there are still issues related to stigma and self-identification.

One means of getting “representative” feedback is doing research with a well-defined and receptive “population.” Within the gay and lesbian population, this is done onsite. Thus, the findings are pertinent to the environment where the data were collected, but not projectable to the general or gay and lesbian population. It does however provide solid direction, as the respondents are drawn from a well understood environment. And that environment may serve as a proxy for another environment or event.

Over the course of the OutGames, our team conducted 347 complete surveys. The findings emphasized some of the real and perceived impacts of the event. Of great value is the expenditure impact estimates - these clearly demonstrate the inclination of this market to spend while attending these events.

We welcome all to review these findings and assist you in enhancing your knowledge of this solid and lucrative, and sometimes elusive market.

For more information about this survey and doing research with the gay and lesbian market, please contact Brian F. Singh at brian@zincresearch.com or (403) 861-9462.

North American OutGames Onsite Evaluation

Why you hire a market research professional (Part 1)

I used to be a member of an online grocery delivery service. I discontinued the service for a host of reasons.

However, they retained my contact information and they recently sent me an online survey to better understand why I left and what was important to me. While I commend them on their effort to do research, their execution was poor.

First, it was obvious that they designed this survey instrument themselves - the questionnaire had a host of double-barreled and in-appropriate questions. Here’s an example (one of too many!):

Which option(s) best describe your lifestyle?

Single
In a long-term relationship
Do not have children
Want children in the future
Pregnant
Have one or more children

They did not ask my gender (I am male), and I found that I was able to check off that I have a “pregnant lifestyle.”

This leads to my second point. While there are great online tools available to us all, they are meaningless unless they are used properly. Here is a case where if they knew how to program skips and text piping properly, they could have obtained better feedback.

At this point, consulting with a professional - even on meagre budget - would help businesses avoid these (identified) pitfalls and ensure that they obtain meaningful and actionable feedback.

Your beliefs, your actions - Part 2

On Monday I went to the recycling depot. The deposit bins were being blocked by the biggest SUV I ever saw in my life. I tapped my horn to let the owners - a couple also dropping off recycling - know that I wanted to get by and access the bins. I got the nastiest look from them. Hmmm.

Crap from Outer Space

Just in case you were ever wondering…

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=719635#

Thank you, Marc Garneau.

Presentation: Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network - May 4, 2007

On May 4, 2007, I had the opportunity to present at the “Demographic Change” session at the Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network in Quebec City.

I have attached my presentation and notes.

What is clear, the tourism sector is competing for talent in an increasingly tight human resources market. The sector has to get creative in what it has to offer prospective workers. To retain staff, affordable housing is one of the avenues that needs to be developed. Such housing will have a two-fold benefit - have staff close to their place of employment, and also, if done well, will encourage staff loyalty.

One ready pool of labour that the tourism industry is ideally positioned to attract “retiring” baby boomers. These boomers are really not ready to retire, and they are ready to follow their passions. And amongst most, one of their renewed passions is travel. In Career 3.0, this cohort will likely be willing to work in the service industry - they are business savvy but want to work on more relaxed terms - as long as there are fringe benefits. Hotel chains can offer discounts at affiliates in far flung countries and incentive programs can be developed to subsidize travel (barring this whole new notion of buying carbon offset credits).

While this is not going to happen tomorrow, for the astute business/corporation, understanding this trend will serve them well for managing revenue yield, securing a talented work force and ultimately improving their financial sustainability.

Presentation: Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network - May 4, 2007

The Facebook Phenomenon

Well, I have finally caved in to the pressure. I have signed up and you can find me under Brian Singh in Calgary, Alberta.

One of the cool features is the poll feature. Over time I will be posting results here on this blog. It is interesting how people are able to do research in such a forum to get quick feedback. Statistically reliable? I think not. But directional and targeted, I’d say yes… sometimes that network is your exact audience. Even with a wording limitation of 100 characters, you may not get the exact question you want, but it certainly does make research fun.

While social networking is not for all, it is a topical phenomena that is not going away. Young people today are living their lives online, and we as researchers need to get a grasp on how they are using this vehicle.

Your beliefs, your actions.

Yesterday I saw a hybrid vehicle taking up two parking spots. Hmmm.

ZINC Research – The Official Research Supplier to The Calgary International Film Festival

ZINC Research is pleased to announce that is an official sponsor of the 2006 Calgary International Film Festival. The Festival is the premier event of the fall festival season in Calgary and is being held over September 22 to October 1.

Under its sponsorship ZINC Research is recognized as the Official Research Supplier to the Festival and is responsible for the audience survey. In its first year of sponsorship, ZINC research will be deploying its Onsite PDA product. Given the financial constraints of a not-for-profit organization, ZINC Research worked with the Festival to deploy a solution that used a volunteer cadre to administer the survey. Over the ten days of the Festival, the survey team is forecast to complete over 750 interviews in a logistically challenging environment of attendee crowds, multiple locations and different screening times.

“We are pleased to support the Festival and its business objectives,” says Brian F. Singh, Managing Director of ZINC Research. “We appreciate that the Audience Survey is the critical component to help the Festival improve and continue to deliver what attendees love, and to retain and grow sponsors. With our PDA platform powered by Techneos Systems’ Entryware™ System, we are able to turn these survey findings around within days after the Festival’s completion and ensure that their stakeholders get a rapid evaluation of some of their key performance indicators.”

“We do this service on a contra basis for the Festival. We are film buffs ourselves and love to support an event that raises the profile of Calgary, as well as brings diverse ideas and cultures via the media of film to our community,” added Brian.

For more information on the Calgary International Film Festival, go to www.calgaryfilm.com.

For more information about the products and services provided by ZINC Research, visit www.zincresearch.com. For more information about the Entryware software platform for mobile survey automation, visit www.techneos.com.