Pretesting

Pretesting allows you to determine the effectiveness of messages in achieving the desired objectives. It provides an opportunity to refine messages and materials prior to their distribution, allowing you to save time and money.

Pretesting can be used to assess perceptions or understandings of:

• Brands
• Taglines
• The organization
• Product concepts
• Frequently asked questions

Pretesting concepts helps to identify:

• Which concepts are most appealing
• Whether concepts are clear or confusing
• Language used by the target audience
• Weaker concepts that should be discarded
• New concepts
• If materials are personally relevant to the target audience

Steps in pretesting
1) Determine the specific objectives of conducting tests
2) Choose methods
3) Secure moderators, interviewers, facilities (if necessary)
4) Identify, screen and recruit respondents
5) Draft test instruments (discussion guides, questionnaires)
6) Conduct pretesting
7) Analyze results
8) Use the results effectively