| How much money should you expect to spend | | | | recruiting has already begun, field may stop recruiting, |
| recruiting respondents for your qualitative market | | | | leaving you with fewer respondents than requested. |
| research? That depends on you. What you spend is | | | | Or, the naughtier recruiters, who prefer not to rock |
| largely a function of what you specify. | | | | the boat, may keep the budget problems to |
| Like most fees for service, recruiting budgets are | | | | themselves and fill the groups with any warm bodies |
| determined by the estimated number of hours | | | | they can find. |
| required to complete the job. Recruiting costs are, in | | | | List recruiting costs more |
| large part, based on the anticipated difficulty of the | | | | - You cannot predict how accurate, useful or limiting |
| job as ascertained from specifications furnished. | | | | a client-provided list will be, so expect higher |
| Getting the costs right--and getting the job done--is | | | | recruiting fees and incentives. |
| determined by how thorough your initial project | | | | - Many recruiting shops add a surcharge to the |
| specs are, how practical your project is under the | | | | original recruiting estimate if a percentage of the |
| circumstances, and the recruiter's experience and | | | | sample is inaccurate or unusable. |
| capabilities. | | | | - Show rates from client-provided lists are generally |
| Are your project specs adequate? | | | | lower than recruiting from a database, even with |
| A lot rides on the thoroughness of your project | | | | compelling topic and adequate incentive. Many |
| specs. The more information you provide to field | | | | recruiters do not adjust costs for low show rates |
| when you request a bid, the better your chances of | | | | when recruiting from lists. |
| getting what you want. Using the specs you provide, | | | | - To bolster participation, reveal the research |
| recruiters evaluate your project and make the | | | | sponsor. It costs you more if you don't. |
| following determinations: | | | | - Be prepared to pay for the time invested to |
| - Whether they have the necessary experience. | | | | list-recruit regardless of the number of respondents |
| - The anticipated incidence. | | | | scheduled or interviewed. |
| - How long recruiting will take. | | | | How to use your budget wisely |
| - How many recruiters and man-hours to assign. | | | | Some researchers wrongly believe that recruiting |
| - Whether other obligations should be (and can be) | | | | expenses only accrue when a respondent is recruited. |
| put on hold. | | | | The fact is the clock starts ticking once recruiters |
| - How much respondents should be paid. | | | | pick up the telephones. And it keeps ticking whether |
| - How much to charge for recruiting. | | | | respondents are recruited or not. Once your |
| Additions and revisions cost more | | | | recruiting budget is set, here are some tips to help |
| Making a few "small changes" can increase a project's | | | | you get the most for your buck: |
| complexity and raise your costs. But it's not only fees | | | | - Limit calls to consumers to evening hours. It's more |
| that are affected. Depending on the amount of | | | | effective to call in the evening when there's a higher |
| recruiting time available, and whether respondents | | | | likelihood that consumers will be available to take the |
| have already been recruited, making changes to your | | | | call. Save daytime calls for business people. |
| project once costs have been established can have | | | | - When recruiting is moving slowly, it's common |
| any or all of the following consequences: | | | | practice to demand that recruiters "put more people |
| - Field will re-bid the project to reflect the new scope | | | | on the phones!" Don't use this non-strategy. Nothing |
| of work. | | | | wastes your recruiting budget faster. |
| - Fewer respondents will be recruited. | | | | - Keep track of screening terminations and the total |
| - Respondent incentives will increase. | | | | number of recruiting hours used. Ask recruiters to let |
| - Respondents that are already scheduled will have to | | | | you know when the budget is getting used too |
| be canceled and replacement respondents will have | | | | quickly with little results. It may be time to make |
| to be recruited (of course you will pay for the | | | | changes that will improve the recruitment rate. |
| recruiting of the canceled respondents and maybe all | | | | You must give recruiters the things they need for |
| of the incentives promised). | | | | them to give you the right respondents. Most |
| What if there's no additional money in the budget to | | | | important among these is a budget that reflects the |
| cover the changes? Good question. Reduce the | | | | scope and degree of difficulty of your project. So |
| scope of the project. That means fewer | | | | plan to provide a comprehensive glimpse into your |
| respondents, less screening criteria or both. Or move | | | | project when you are requesting bids, or plan to be |
| the project to a less expensive market. | | | | cautioned that your costs, timing, and expected |
| If those options aren't practical, you can take your | | | | respondent numbers are merely a guesstimate and |
| chances. You might find a supplier who can get the | | | | nothing more. |
| work done for the original price. But remember this: If | | | | |