FOCUS: MARKET RESEARCH - Turning answers into news columns/A proliferation of survey results being offered to the media means that PR agencies need to think more carefully about the positioning of information to ensure the best coverage. Mary Cowlett repo

There is no doubt that conducting a survey is an excellent way to generate publicity for a client. Although some PR practitioners may dismiss the technique as a soft option, a quick scan through any publication shows that journalists like statistics. Whether to create an eye-catching headline or add weight to a debate, reliable facts and figures are a media winner.