It’s official. 9/10 people like surveys.

Well, this stat may not be true but does it matter? Surveys have been used to communicate ideas, introduce campaigns and launch products for many years now and this trend show no sign of stopping.

A flick through a handful of today’s newspapers reveals about five stories based on surveys per publication.

Why do surveys work? With them, PRs can shape a story, offer compelling headlines to the media, and ultimately position clients as thought leaders in a given area.

A survey can be applied to any product, service or idea. Want to ask the opinions of dog owners, find the political persuasion of pensioners, or compare the grooming habits of men and women? It can all be achieved with a survey.

Identifying the types of statistics that will really capture the interest of the media and their readers is key, as is gathering enough responses so the survey is seen as credible by the media, customers, partners and the industry as a whole.

This is important. The amount of press releases, let alone surveys, that journalists receive per day runs into the hundreds (according to 4/5 hacks!). The survey needs to achieve cut through. If executed correctly, you’re on to a winner.