Membership market research: sourcing participants
When commissioning membership market research, one of the most common questions clients ask is "Where do you find people to take part?". In this post, we'll explain how we source right-fit participants for organisations such as Chartered Institutes, professional bodies and CPD providers.
Ways to find membership market research participants
Member databases
Professional bodies and organisations typically have rich databases filled with engaged members and professionals. This is often the most accessible and cost-effective starting point for finding participants. Over the years, we've developed effective strategies to help you ask your existing customer base to take part in membership market research in a respectful, non-intrusive way.
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External recruiters
In the membership market research industry, recruiters specialise in sourcing and screening participants for eligibility. Their huge network and vast experience in locating hard-to-reach groups often speed up the recruitment process. This is especially helpful if you need to gain insight beyond your existing membership. Insightful Research has built strong relationships with MRS-accredited recruiters across the country.
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Social media advertising
Running Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn ads is another effective way of sourcing participants for membership market research. The targeting features on these platforms allow us to search for niche audiences, whether that's subject specialists, people in certain roles or those in specific locations. We've successfully run campaigns both under our own brand and our clients, depending on the project's needs. For international research, social media targeting is particularly useful when looking for profiles overseas.
Snowball sampling
Once we've recruited initial participants, we often ask them to refer colleagues who fit the research criteria. This is known as snowballing. It works particularly well in professional communities where members tend to know others with similar roles or challenges. If necessary, we may offer referral incentives to encourage participants to spread the word.​
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Challenges when finding membership market research participants
Finding participants for membership market research is just one part of the jigsaw. Once we've sourced them, we need to entice them to take part. Here's what to keep in mind when recruiting.
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Time constraints
Members often have packed schedules and finding time to participate in membership market research can be challenging for them. This is often true for senior professionals and those in high-demand fields where market research must compete with CPD requirements, client work and other professional activities.
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Reaching international audiences
Some membership bodies operate internationally, with members spread across different regions and time zones. This can complicate scheduling, impact communication and increase costs.
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Reaching disengaged members
Often, the most valuable insights come from disengaged members - those who've stopped participating or let their membership lapse. These individuals are typically harder to reach as they no longer open emails or engage with the organisation. Finding ways to connect with this 'silent majority' requires creative approaches. As active members are more likely to respond to market research, it's easy to end up with a biased sample of participants that may not give you the full picture.
Participant scepticism
Professionals may object to taking part in membership market research for a number of reasons. They might question what they'll gain from participating, be wary of how their data will be used, or unconvinced their feedback will lead to meaningful change.
How we overcome membership market research recruitment challenges
Insightful Research's years of experience in conducting membership market research means we've learned how to entice responses and encourage participants to take part. Here's how we do it.
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Allow enough time
While project timelines can be tight, we always look to give potential participants plenty of notice to take part. This allows members to fit research into their busy diaries. It's also a good idea to factor in additional recruitment time in case we struggle to find enough participants.
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Make it easy to take part
Offering various ways to participate can help overcome certain objections. This might include methods like online communities or surveys that allow members to participate when it suits them. For international members, we may consider translating materials into their native language.
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Be clever with scheduling
Avoid peak periods in your members' professional calendar. For example, accountants are often busy at the end of the tax year, while teachers are tight on time during exam periods.
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Communicate benefits
Crafting clear and compelling invitations that explain why the research matters and the potential benefits for members can significantly boost uptake rates. We provide our clients with a communication strategy, including email templates and well-timed sequences, that can encourage participation without being intrusive or annoying.
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Offer incentives
Providing appropriate compensation acknowledges the value of your members' time. The right incentive varies by profession – sometimes monetary rewards work best, while others prefer exclusive content such as a first look at the research results. Tailor your approach to what motivates your specific membership segments.
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Plan for a buffer
We always aim to recruit more participants than we actually need. No matter how carefully you plan, some people will drop out at the last minute. Building in a buffer ensures you'll still have enough participants even if some cancel.
Correct profiling
Before starting recruitment, we'll define your exact participant profile based on your organisation and research goals. This helps gather insights from truly representative participants rather than just the most accessible ones.
Work with Insightful Research
Whether you're looking to improve your membership offering, develop a CPD course, or attract more professionals, Insightful Research can help. Our extensive experience in conducting research in membership sectors means we know all about finding the right participants and encouraging them to take part, delivering the insights your organisation needs. Contact us today for a friendly chat.​
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How can we help?
If you would like to ask our advice, book a
no-obligation 30 minute consultation with us to discuss your research requirements or to simply have a chat and find out more about what we do.
Alternatively, use the briefing form to start discussing a new project, give Jill Elston a call on +44 (0)7703 462179 or email us jill@insightfulresearch.co.uk