To people who don’t work in market research recruiting, it may seem that recruiting participants for a qualitative market research study is nothing more than an administrative task. We’ve seen time and again companies that tried to manage a market research study internally, only to discover how hard it is. We won’t name names, but we’ve been called in a panic by lots of different companies to bail out their internal recruiting efforts once they realized that they were in over their heads.
What many don’t realize is that market research recruitment isn’t just about getting people to participate in a research study, it’s about aligning the various stakeholders and participants. Let’s explore the four stakeholders in successful market research outcomes:
The Client
Market research studies don’t happen, ‘just because.’ Behind every study is a client that has decided that gaining more insights from consumers will inform strategic and marketing decisions. Knowing what the objective of the study is informs the other stakeholders in a successful market research study– the researcher and the recruiter.
The Market Researcher
Market research outcomes directly affect the reputation of the market research agency. Researchers remain hyper-focused on quality. From the quality of the screening guide to the quality of recruits, the researcher knows that the backbone of every market research study is quality participants.
The Market Research Recruiter
Recruiters are tasked with competing objectives. One the one hand recruiters want to be as inclusive as possible in their recruiting efforts so that qualified people aren’t accidentally missed; and on the other hand, they need to exclude identified candidates if they don’t meet all of the screening guide objectives.
Study Participants
No qualitative market study can move forward without study participants. Nationwide recruiting agencies have built their businesses one recruit at a time. Market research recruiting isn’t just finding warm bodies, but is really about relationship building. Relationships and professional networks are two key components of successful market research recruiting firms. Recruiters know where to look and how to connect with a variety of people who may be suitable to fill a study. For any study that is specialized, such as healthcare or B2B, partnering with a proven recruiting firm is key.
Focus Insite has a proven track record when it comes to market research recruitment. We’ve recruited for general studies to specialized medical studies. We know that the success of every study rests on our shoulders, which is why we take our roles seriously.
