Market research and consumer insights projects have clear benefits to the organizations sponsoring the research, but what are the benefits to the participants?
The most obvious is financial, in the form of an incentive or honorarium (though quantitative research is notorious for low financial compensation). Participants may also get an intrinsic benefit (expressing their opinion to someone who can take action, helping a brand they like to improve, genuine curiosity). But can researchers go further, providing significant benefits to the participants in their research?
Here are a few examples.
- Conducting research for a government ministry, we conducted focus groups with displaced workers about education and training. During and at the end of the focus groups, participants discussed their experiences with mid-career training. Participants shared that the groups served as an education for them, giving them new ideas to explore.
- During an ethnographic study with small business owners (who were asked to set up business software during the study), participants received the benefit of a one-year subscription to the software. But in addition, several of the participants were grateful that the study gave them the reason to take the time to set up the software, and the reason to press on when it was difficult. “Thanks for kicking my butt to get this website created!”
- Although not always possible, providing participants of surveys with educational materials or results after the fact can be a valuable tool in creating mutual benefit from participation.
- Working with a professional association (surveying the general public and members), the survey provided correct answers after the survey about overall mandate and services provided by the association.
- A 2020 survey on alternative energy asked unaided awareness and preference for different energy sources, provided some educational material about them, then re-asked questions about the topic. Opinions were swayed by the educational information provided. [Add: https://portal.advanis.net/a/en/report/saas004280/NDk.YKjj2guiQA2Fv3u-xPigHMWFAv4/ ]
- In a 2019 survey of Ontarians, 50% of participants requested to receive the results of the survey at the end of the project, showing how valuable this exchange of information can be.
As a society, we are more aware that our time, and our data, is valuable. Marketers and researchers should strive to value the inputs of research participants, providing tangible benefits for their participation.
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