With the holidays just around the corner, you may be looking for easy opportunities to earn some extra cash. Good News! Participating in market research studies is a legit way to get paid for your participation.
There are a number of types of market research studies, from focus groups to surveys. No matter what type of study, researchers and recruiters are constantly looking to find the most qualified participants, with the help of screening guides.
While market research cannot happen without participants recruited from specific demographic or psychographic profiles, there remain a number of responsibilities, borne by the participant, in order to take part in a market research study.
If you’re serious about getting selected and participating in market research studies, we’ll walk you through your responsibilities.
HONESTY
The saying, ‘honesty is always the best policy’ is particularly pertinent when it comes to market research studies.
Before knowing if you’ll be selected to participate in an open study, you’ll first be screened by a recruiter. It is very important that you answer all the questions honestly to know if you qualify to participate. Recruiters have lots of experience reading between the lines and can usually tell if a respondent is fudging answers so that they’ll be selected. To weed out dishonest respondents at this stage, there might be a double screening required, or you might be asked to show proof that you have the credentials you say you do.
Once you’ve been selected to participate in a research study, it’s important that all your answers and input you give during the study are honest. There are no right or wrong answers in qualitative studies. Market research outcomes depend on honest and sincere answers to questions.
AVAILABILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY
If you’re lucky to have been selected to participate in a study, the recruiter will coordinate with you about the logistics and requirements of participation.
As a selected participant, it is your responsibility to stay in contact with the recruiter. The recruiter will convey information about scheduling and requirements of participation. Recruiters understand that life can sometimes throw curveballs. If you find that you cannot participate in the study, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to contact the recruiter/project manager as soon as possible.
Some market research studies take place in person, and some online or over the phone. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they have a strong wifisignal or phone connection, if the study requires it. If you don’t have the required technology in place during the scheduled time of the study, you maybe dropped from the study without pay.
ETIQUETTE
As mentioned previously, there are no wrong answers in qualitative research. If you’re participating in an online or in-person focus group, you’ll be with 6-8 other people. Being comfortable speaking and sharing your thoughts is important, but be mindful that you’re not dominating the conversation. Moderators are trained to try and get the most from each participant, and sometimes they need to try and silence one participant to make space for others to speak up.
So long as you follow the lead of the moderator, you’ll do just fine.
Remember, you’ve been selected to participate because you met all the qualifications during the screening process. Your opinions and insights are valuable, so don’t be shy about sharing them!
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