Logistic regression - choosing predictor variables

Posted by Marc Feuerstein on Jun 29, 2006; 7:27pm
URL: http://spssx-discussion.165.s1.nabble.com/Logistic-regression-choosing-predictor-variables-tp1069437.html

Hello Folks,
I have basic statistics hands-on knowledge but am a beginner in the
predictive modelisation area.

I am executing an assignment for a company that has each year a long list of
prospects that they contact to try to convert them to paying customers. Some
of these prospects become clients. We have all the needed historic data
about these prospects and which ones become clients.

I am asked by this firm to use logistic regression techniques to estimate if
prospects of this company will likely convert to customers.

We have a discussion about which fields of data to use in the regression
model as predictors. Their sales planning department state that they have a
good opinion on which data fields will be good predictors. However, I would
like to challenge this statement.

Is there a statistic test that would indicate which variables will "likely"
be good predictors ? Something that would indicate if there is a good
"interaction" (is the term correctly employed) between the predictor
variables and the predicted variable ?

I know it's a wide topic, but if someone could give me some directions, it
would help me out !

Thanks,

Marc.