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Welcome to on “On the Wild Side of Research”. In this
month’s newsletter I discuss the importance of thanking
research participants. Feel free to email me your thoughts
on this subject at
cmonaco@marketwiseinsights.com.
Warmly,
Carol
Carol Monaco
President
'To Thank or Not to Thank?'--THAT is the Question!
Hopefully, Shakespeare will forgive my adaptation of his
famous phrase—which of course has been completely
overused. However, it seemed appropriate here.
Recently, I received a neck cushion in the mail from
American Express (one of those types you use on a
plane, in an effort to make the sardine-like plane
experience more comfortable). It was unexpected, and
made me think that perhaps this huge corporation does
indeed appreciate my business on some level. It got me
to thinking about thank-yous and incentives and the many
I’ve received over the years. From the hand-written
cards from our nephews thanking us for the birthday
gifts to the free dinner I received at a favorite
restaurant—I have to admit, it’s nice to be thanked.
So, you may be wondering, what does thanking people
have to do with research? Well, I believe it’s very
important to thank people who give of their time and
opinions to contribute to a research project. Let’s face
it, without people filling out surveys, participating in
phone interviews, coming to focus groups, and
participating in the various other ways that we market
researchers dream up to figure out people’s (and their
companies’) beliefs, wants and needs, market research
wouldn’t be possible.
And, everyone is busy these days. From the
administrative assistant to the operations manager to
the marketing executive to the company’s CEO, everyone
has too much to do. Thanking people for taking the
time to participate in a research project is just good
business sense. It makes it easier to convince that
individual to participate in the next project (whether
it’s you or some other researcher asking the next time),
it leaves them with a good feeling about research and
your company (possibly leading to future sales) and in
general just makes the work day better. And hey, as Earl
in the TV show
My Name is Earl would say, “It’s good karma.”
So, remember to thank your research participants. At the
very least, it would make Emily Post and your mother
proud.
Next month, I’ll write about the specifics of thanking
research participants—and when a simple ‘thank you’ is
appropriate and when a more formal incentive is
required.
Image of the Month
copyright Carol Monaco
As you may know, I'm an avid nature and outdoor photographer
in my 'spare' time. This month, I've included a photograph
of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine.
Have a wild photo you'd like to share?
Click here to email it me (please send it in jpeg) and
it might be featured in a future newsletter!
Tell me what you think about this photo, the newsletter or
anything else on your mind!
Click here to email me.
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