In
this issue: Cathy Cromley has joined Market Connections as our new business  development director. She’s charged with identifying and pursing sales opportunities for our research solutions. Cathy’s impressive career includes sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility at IDC, Secure Computing (acquired by McAfee in November 2008), 3Com, GTSI/Falcon Microsystems, Centel, and Sears Business Systems. We’re very pleased to welcome her to the Market Connections team!   Research companies can typically submit a relevant and thoughtful proposal without delving into detailed background on the project or the intricate details on implementation strategies. But, once it’s time to get underway on the research, they’ll require a much deeper information dive at the kick-off meeting in order to structure an effective program. In this initial session, key stakeholders from both your organization and the research firm should do the following: 
With online research software and panels (pre-screened individuals who agree to participate in surveys in exchange for an incentive) now commonly available, some mistakenly assume
 they should always conduct market studies via the internet to save time and money. While the online methodology is indeed viable and appropriate in some research situations, in other cases the telephone and in-person methods deliver more reliable and richer insights.For example, online focus groups are now a viable alternative to in-person groups. The technology enables a real-time, dynamic discussion to develop between the researcher and the respondents, similar to what happens in a face-to-face focus group. With the online approach: | 
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