Benchmark Surveys - This is the first survey of a primary or general election campaign effort. This is the most comprehensive survey of a campaign because many issues, scenarios and potential opponents are tested at once. These survey to help develop a long-range campaign plan and the campaign's strategy. They allow the strategy team to play out possible campaign scenarios within the survey, providing respondents with incremental bits of information they may learn during a campaign to test their reactions.
Brushfire Surveys - These are shorter surveys oftentimes conducted before and after media flights, to gauge the impact of specific media events or simply to measure campaign progress. Comparing these surveys to benchmark or previous brushfire studies allows us to identify shifts in opinion both in the aggregate and among key target groups. They are also excellent method of monitoring the campaign's overall strategy. Are we succeeding? Are we failing? Do we need to adjust the strategy? How effective are our tactics?
Tracking Surveys - These are short surveys that are almost exclusively used during the closing weeks of the campaign to monitor the status of the campaign and develop closing strategy and tactics. Tracking polls can be conducted in short intervals, usually nightly, with data and analysis available to the client first thing in the morning.
Panelback Surveys - These are separate surveys conducted among the same groups of respondents before and after an event. They are frequently used to gauge the impact of direct mail or specific media but can also be used to determine pre and post reactions to events such as debates or a news program.
Mail Surveys - FMA conducts mail surveys, and sometimes phone-mail-phone surveys, to get opinions from hard to reach audiences such as people in the work place or professionals. Using a variety of incentive methods, FMA can use this low-cost method of research when specialized audiences are required.

Focus Groups - We conduct our own focus groups, or small discussion groups, to probe issues that are difficult to understand through quantitative methods like surveys. By probing the reasoning and logic of participants, strategists and members of the communications team are better able to connect with their audience. While not necessarily projectable to a broader audience, focus groups give insight into the depth of understanding people have of issues, and sometimes undercover fears and hesitations that remain hidden in surveys.
Remote Interactive Focus Groups - FMA can also conduct remote focus groups through the use of state-of-the-art video conferencing technology and equipment. This technology allows more observers to witness focus and dial groups first hand without travel or travel costs. That means there is nothing lost in the translation. Our clients can view their groups and capture all the nuances and flavor without having to leave town. Dial Group Testing - FMA also conducts state-of-the-art video testing (advertisements, promotional videos, news segments, speeches, debates, etc.), using interactive, hand-held dials for small and large groups. This technology allows FMA to collect input to the test material from many people at one same time. The dial method permits focus group participants to register their opinions anonymously; reducing "politically correct" responses that are often heard in-group discussions. It also allows for group discussion of the tested material, based on the responses. Interactive feedback will alert our researchers to the parts of the material, which elicit responses that should be probed through discussion.
Video Kiosk Testing - Individual tests are also possible using kiosks at shopping centers. Called CAPI (Computer Aided Personal Interviewing), touch-screen video technology is used to self-administer questionnaires and video segments through these walk-up, user friendly devices. These self-serve testing units allow larger samples of respondents to input their opinions at their convenience. These CAPI kiosks will also record verbatim comments from respondents on the test material. As with CATI interviewing (Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing), CAPI interviews are more reliable than human administered personal interviews. In-Person Interviewing - Talking to respondents one on one, in person, allows a quantitative survey to be gathered along with qualitative discussion. Sometimes it is critical to see the body language to get at difficult subjects or uncover hidden meanings. Unlike focus groups, personal interviews remove "group think" biases that can sometimes cloud independent thinking.
Internet-Based Research - We are currently developing research platforms making use of web, interactive television and other developing mediums.