Qualitative market research recruiting is the beating heart of any market research study. If recruiting isn’t well thought out and properly managed, it can derail the entire study. Market researchers understand the challenges of recruiting, but when organizations try to manage market research internally, they often underestimate the time and energy required to manage this facet of the study. Market research isn’t just about asking the right questions, it’s about asking the right people. It doesn’t matter if your study is B2B, medical, or consumer-oriented, recruiting qualified participants is the common denominator.
1. Know Your Audience
Once you decide on the what you want your study to achieve (product testing, concept testing, UX feedback, etc.) the next step is to understand who the target audience is. There are a number of factors to consider such as, does the study aim to gain insights from across an existing customer base, or is the objective to solicit feedback from a specific market segment. The better you can define the target audience of the study, the better the insights will be. Once the target audience has been defined, a market research recruiting team can find the participants who match the criteria of the study.
2. Participant Segmentation
Segmenting is shorthand for making sure you recruit across a broad spectrum so you don’t end up with a homogeneous audience. If your study includes focus groups, you’ll want the make-up of participants to be similar, but not identical. Ideally, you’ll recruit participants who share commonalities but also want some variety. This is where segmentation comes into play.You can segment participants into various categories such as geography, language spoken, age, ethnicity, or profession.
3. Screening guides
Screening guides are an essential tool for recruiters when selecting participants for a study. Taking the time to write a thorough screening guide helps ensure that you don’t waste time on unqualified recruits. Recruiters use screening guides to ask potential study candidates specific questions to see if s/he qualifies for selection. Depending on the type of the market study, you may need a two-step screening process.
Nationwide Recruitment Services
After you identify the participants you want to include in your study, the next step may feel like herding cats. Scheduling, last-minute changes, managing no-shows, and paying incentives for participation all take considerable time and energy. For all these reasons, outsourcing recruiting to a nationwide recruitment agency will save you time and money.
Want help recruiting for your next project? Request a proposal today!
