How to Make Money with Focus Groups and Product Tests

Looking for new opportunities to increase your income? If you haven’t already checked out our bestselling article on the 11 best ways to make money from home, do so now. I guarantee you will find at least one active or passive income stream that aligns with your interests and skills.

You may also be interested in opportunities for people willing to venture outside of their homes. Driving for rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are classic examples. If you are looking for opportunities that offer the best of both worlds, it may be beneficial for you to earn additional income by participating in market research. With options to work at home or in person, I’ll show you how much you can earn, how to get involved, and when to take precautions.

How market research works

In a 2014 blockbuster study, “US Media Use and Ad Exposure: 1945-2014,” Media Dynamics calculated that modern Americans are exposed to 362 discrete ads during nearly 10 hours of daily media exposure . Of those 362 exposures, 153 were “noticed,” defined as “attracting the audience’s full attention for a few seconds or more.”

Unsurprisingly, Americans’ daily media exposure almost doubled from 1945 (the study’s first projection year) to 2014. But overall exposures and annotations increased only modestly.In short, we are getting better at disabling ads. Since the mid-20th century, we have dramatically increased and diversified our media exposure. Television was still a novelty in 1945, and the Internet was decades away. However, as the opportunities to internalize marketing messages have multiplied, we have held back. For better or worse, we’re a smart bunch.

Market research methods and objectives

Market researchers are willing to pay ordinary people like us decent money to share subjective opinions about the products and information we consume every day. They then pass those feedback on to their customers, who use it to refine their marketing messages and develop new or updated products in hopes of breaking through the noise and capturing the attention of busy consumers.

I spoke with Liz Scholz, a Minneapolis-based market research professional, to learn more about the art and science of market research, MR, as she calls it.Scholz cautions that MR is not a monolithic discipline. She identifies three main categories, each with discrete goals:

1. Innovation-driven research : Innovation-driven research seeks feedback on new products, services, or attributes thereof. It can be done in focus groups, at home and in other settings. It is often hands-on: Participants often try out the product or a prototype, sometimes for long periods. I tried a new body wash at home for two weeks before providing feedback on my experience, for example.
2. Advertising Research – Advertising Research seeks feedback on advertising and marketing material, including product packaging. It’s suitable for in-person focus groups and online panels, where groups of varying sizes of participants can consume content (for example, watch a video ad or examine a prototype tag) and provide feedback. Advertising research aims to refine messaging for the core audience of the customer or product. For example, I sat in a beverage container packaging focus group with a dozen self-proclaimed coffee drink enthusiasts, answering questions and sharing insights on more than a dozen subtly different label designs.
3. Consumer Research: Scholz dubs this “know your consumers” research. Brands use consumer research to “develop end-user insight,” she says, “because [sometimes] they don’t know as much as they want to know about their customers.” Consumer research can also point to new sources of potential users. For example, Scholz says, automakers originally designed boxy, utilitarian hatchback crossovers, like the Kia Soul and Scion xB, for millennials. Later, through consumer research, they discovered that these vehicles appealed to a hidden demographic: baby boomers, who appreciated their low clearance and ample cargo space.

Participant Incentives

Regardless of the type, market research almost always pays. Within the industry, compensation for study participants is known as “incentive pay.”

For focus group participants, the most common incentives are cash and cash equivalents, such as gift cards. Online panels and in-home product trials may use cash that can be redeemed for prizes or cash payments. For example, FG Finder, a large market research recruiter with offices in multiple US cities, pays “points” to test subjects at home. Pointes can be redeemed for gift cards, cash and merchandise. Incentives may be taxable. Participants are always responsible for collecting and paying any state or federal taxes due on their incentives. Check with your tax professional.

Roles and study structure

Most of the magic of market research happens behind the scenes, out of sight of the participants. That’s how the pros want it. But, in the interest of knowing what they are getting into, participants need to understand the basic roles and structure of a typical MR study:

• Clients . Clients are consumer brands or their authorized representatives (such as advertising agencies). They commission the study, closely monitor its progress, provide feedback, and exercise executive authority at key points during its life cycle. However, they are not responsible for minute-by-minute execution.
• Market Research Firms . Market research firms develop and populate the study in concert with clients, and are responsible for its execution on a minute-by-minute basis. They employ or retain project managers, moderators, interviewers, and other professionals without whom market research would not be possible.
• recruitersRecruitment companies search, screen, and screen potential study participants. They act as the market research industry’s sales force, pitching consumers to MR’s two-pronged proposition: the opportunity to simultaneously earn additional revenue and influence brands’ decision-making processes. They maintain extensive lists of potential participants and notify them whenever their demographic profiles or expressed preferences qualify them for a study opportunity. They serve these prospects with screening surveys designed to gauge suitability for the study in question. And they outperform prospects who successfully complete those surveys of market research firms and clients. As a market research participant, Recruitment company representatives are your main points of contact. Outside of an actual focus group or online panel discussion, you will rarely, if ever, interact with representatives of market research companies, and never with the clients themselves.
• Participants . The participants comprise the study sample. They are carefully screened by market research firms, which work with clients to narrow down the pool of prospects who made it through the initial screening process.

How to make money with market research opportunities

The following market research opportunities promise compensation in exchange for your honest opinions. That’s where the similarities end.

1. In-person focus groups

If the phrase “focus group” brings to mind a sterile room in which a small group of strangers engages in a structured conversation with a trained moderator, you’re on the right track.

In a focus group, you are expected to honestly express your opinion on the topic at hand, often with visual or physical aids, and always with the help of a human moderator. Moderators are experts at using lead questions to coax answers from shy participants, so expect to talk as much as everyone else. If you are reluctant to speak, the moderator will gently but clumsily select you for questioning. Depending on the topic and length of the focus group, the exchange can be divided into different formats, such as small group conversations and written reflections. Focus groups are closely monitored. Most take place in conference rooms with a one-way glass wall, behind which representatives of the client or ad agency loiter and watch. They are also recorded on video. At various points you will be asked to agree to monitoring and recording, even before the group’s scheduled start time. If you don’t agree to share your image, don’t bother applying.

Generally, you don’t need to bring anything special to a focus group. You’ll be asked to put your phone on silent and refrain from recording the conversation, but you probably won’t be asked to hand it over for the duration. You’ll probably also get a pen and paper, which you can use to take notes and organize your responses during the discussion.

Time Commitment
Most in-person focus groups are over in one to three hours. In rare cases, I have seen half-day or full-day commitments. Unless they sound convincing, I avoid them, since I can’t spare four to eight hours during the middle of the work day. Focus group participants also need to budget time for testing and grading. In general, it takes five to 10 minutes to complete a screening survey. Unsuccessful surveys take less time, but since they are more common, the investment adds up. Follow-up interviews can take 10 to 15 minutes. And then there is time spent traveling to and from the focus groups.

Potential Payoff
The main determinant of the size of a focus group incentive is the length of the engagement. In my experience, the general rule of thumb is $50 to $75 per scheduled hour, so $100 to $150 for a two-hour commitment, $150 to $225 for a three-hour commitment, and so on. successively. In high-cost areas, like San Francisco and New York, hourly compensation may be higher.

Subject matter also plays a role: sensitive topics, such as health and hygiene, can generate higher incentives.If the client’s selection criteria produce a very small or specialized sample, participants who make the cut can earn more. For example, I’ve seen one-day focus groups targeting participants with specific medical conditions paying more than $1,000, and 90-minute focus groups for physicians paying $200 ($133 per hour). Remember that these “hourly” rates only apply to your scheduled time. The time you spend at the interview site and paperwork does not count.

Participants usually receive their incentive after the study ends. In my experience, you should confirm (by signature or initial) that you have received your payment before leaving the establishment, as cash and gift card payments cannot be traced back to individuals.

2. Online consumer panels

Online consumer panels are digital collections of people who share certain demographic, behavioral, attitudinal, or preference characteristics in common. Some panel operators have extensive capabilities: Survey Sampling International claims to have more than 17 million panelists in at least 90 countries worldwide. However, for panelists, the experience tends to be more intimate. In the US, SSI operates OpinionWorld, its consumer survey app. Panelist experience varies considerably. Companies like SSI periodically service panelists with online surveys for which they are deemed suitable for customer input and automated selection criteria. Other online panels are more formal. For example, in addition to moderating in-person discussion groups, Scholz has run online forums that required regular feedback (via posts and chats) on various topics from a rotating group of long-term panelists, somewhat like a focus group. delayed .

Online consumer panels feel more anonymous: For example, your image and voice are not recorded, and you rarely, if ever, have to talk to anyone. However, the panelists are subject to intense verification procedures: the SSI process mentions “fingerprint”, “verification of origin”, “two-factor authentication”, “third party verification”, “GEO-IP control”, “timestamps” and More. Unless you’re extremely tech-savvy, you can’t hide your identity from online consumer panel companies.

Time Commitment
The great advantage of participating in the online consumer panel is flexibility. You can serve on a panel from the comfort of your home (or anywhere), on your own schedule. If you need to complete an urgent survey or answer questions from the live moderator, you usually have hours or days to do it. And, if you’re expected to be there for real-time virtual conversations, you’ll know about them well in advance.Your total time commitment will vary depending on the nature of the panel. Groups of the type managed by Scholz are more time consuming: several hours per month, at least. Survey panels with limited (or no) participation requirements are more relaxed. You can take advantage of them whenever you want.

Potential Compensation
Hourly online panels are not as lucrative as in-person focus groups. It is unrealistic to expect to earn more than $15 to $20 per hour, on average, taking online surveys or participating in roundtable discussions. Highly specialized or detailed surveys pay better, but are rarer.

Incentive payout occurs after successful completion of a survey or discussion, often on a timely basis. You may need to save your points until you reach a minimum redemption threshold, for example, the equivalent of $10 or $20.

3. Home product testing

At-home product trials are ideal for consumers who like to try new products without paying for them. In my experience, opportunities favor hygiene and beauty products, prepared foods, electronics, and certain apparel items. If you’ve signed up with market research recruiters, you’ll periodically receive product trial offers, but you’ll also want to sign up with companies that specialize in home product testing.

A standard home product test asks you to use the prototype product for a set period of time, usually in a carefully specified way. In all cases, you must complete a survey after completing the test. Depending on the customer’s needs, the length of the trial, and the nature of the product, you may need to complete surveys during the trial itself or provide other forms of feedback.

Certain product tests may require an in-home interview with a market research professional, but these are not common for lower-value hygiene or food products. Assuming this isn’t part of the deal, at-home product testing is the least invasive of the three formats discussed here.Time Commitment
If your at-home product trial commitment simply requires you to trade in a product you already use for one you’re being asked to try, the time commitment is minimal. For example, during my soap test commitment, I didn’t change anything about my shower routine other than the soap. In the end, I completed a 10-minute survey. Along with the selection survey, the experience set me back about 20 minutes total.

Other product testing commitments can be more time consuming. If you’re selected to test a more complicated product with a steeper learning curve, or to provide extensive feedback or documentation on your experience during and after the trial period, you’ll need to set aside hours, perhaps entire portions, of multiple days. The project brief should clearly describe your testing responsibilities. Please read it carefully before accepting the gig.

Potential Compensation
Most home product trial gigs are not lucrative. My soap studio paid the equivalent of $3, plus a free bar of soap, which is hardly worth even for the relatively low investment of time. More demanding engagements can pay substantially more, but hourly rates still don’t come close to in-person focus groups. Compensation usually comes in the form of a point, after you have completed the final survey of the project.

Other consumer market research formats

Many of the market research opportunities follow those three big formats: in-person discussion groups with up to a dozen participants, online panels, and in-home product testing. Although they are not the only three. Others exist, and although they are less common and more difficult to catch, they can be quite lucrative. Often you won’t even know you’re applying for them.

“Unfortunately, recruiters usually won’t tell you what the [opportunity] will be until you’ve gone through screening,” says Scholz. In other words, the reviewers’ questions frequently appear similar, even when the format of the study may change.

• individual interviews . Individual interviews (also known as in-depth interviews or IDIs) are like “focus groups of one,” says Scholz. They take place in a market research facility with one-way windows, but are more intimate; only you and the moderator speak. If you’re not much of a talker, one-on-one interviews may not be your thing, but they offer the chance to share unfiltered opinions without fear of being judged by others in the room.
• mini groups . Mini groups (also known as dyads) are like small focus groups, usually with two or three participants and a moderator. They are also conducted at market research facilities with standard monitoring. “If you get nervous in larger groups, you may feel more comfortable in mini groups,” says Scholz. You’ll have to talk more, but you’ll feel less pressure to act.
• Interviews at home or in the field . These formats send moderators into the wilds of the consumer to interview participants in their natural settings. Some take place in the residences of the participants, where they can freely and naturally discuss the products they consume in that environment and demonstrate their usage patterns. Others occur in the field, where consumers make purchase decisions or buy products for use elsewhere, for example in retail settings. There’s obviously no one-way mirror in either case, but your conversation may be recorded. And, for home interviews, you should feel comfortable inviting an investigator to your home. You will be asked to agree to this during the selection process.
• UX Testing UX testing is a more hands-on process that assesses your experience with a (often digital) product or service in real time. It typically occurs in a market research facility, although more complicated studies may require the participant to test the product over a period of days or weeks at home, similar to traditional product testing.

Compensation varies by format, time commitment, and topic. Since home interviews are the most invasive, market research companies are often willing to pay a premium for them. One-on-one and small group interviews can also be lucrative, although you shouldn’t assume you’ll receive a larger “share” of the client’s budget simply because you have fewer participants.

How to Find and Request Market Research Gigs

Finding market research gigs doesn’t take a lot of time. A quick Google search is enough to get started. However, if you really want to find that many baskets, use these strategies:

• Ask your friends for the leaders . Meet others in the market research circuit. I have never had the opportunity through my personal network, but many participants have. “A friend of mine signed up [with a market research recruiter],” says Rona, a Boston-area writer (pseudonym: Rachel Kenley) who supplements royalty and freelance income with cash for focus groups. “She had one that she didn’t qualify for, but she thought I might be interested. She loved the opportunity to share information while earning extra income.”
• Read comments . Before you sign up with a recruiter, do some due diligence. Rank through reviews from real market research participants, taking semi-verifiable sources (Twitter, Reddit) with a healthy dose of salt. Beware of paid reviews disguised as authentic reviews. You’re looking for red flags: complaints about slow communication, snafus programming, misleading filters, and the like.
• See online classifieds . Craigslist is a great place to find market research opportunities. Unfortunately, it’s also a haven for sketchy outfits, so it’s imperative that you subject each and every Craigslist candidate to close scrutiny. Do not provide any personal information before verifying that the opportunity is legitimate.
• Sign up with more than one recruiter . Market research companies avoid prolific participants whenever possible. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will receive more than a handful of opportunities from the same recruiter each year. “I signed up with only one agency and only share an offer every few months or so,” says Rona. By signing up with multiple recruiters, you ensure a steady stream of opportunities, regardless of engagement patterns.
• Understand the Conflict of Interest Rules . Most screening questionnaires exclude participants who work in “no go” industries right away. Because they know too much about how the process works behind the scenes, market research professionals are almost always eliminated from consideration. Marketing and advertising professionals, including creatives, are also often excluded. So are media professionals, due to the risk of them sharing their experiences with a large audience. (Ex.) And the people who deal with the subject of the study on a daily basis are also not good. For example, employees of beverage companies will not pass the selection process for a focus group on energy drinks.
• Keep your hours flexible . This isn’t as important for online and at-home opportunities, but if in-person focus groups appeal to you, you’ll want to keep your schedule as flexible as possible. Market research companies frequently schedule focus groups in the evenings, especially if they’re targeting a white-collar outfit. Weekend focus groups aren’t that common, but I’ve seen a few make it to my inbox. If you don’t work 9-5 or have the freedom to set your own work hours, you’ll find plenty of focus groups scheduled during regular business hours.

General application and detection procedures

Here’s what you can expect from the market research qualification process. This is a general guide only: each company’s screening procedures are different, and more involved formats (such as home interviews) may require additional scrutiny.

1. Notice and Offer . Once you are listed with recruiters, you will receive periodic emails notifying you of market research opportunities for which you may qualify. These emails typically describe the opportunity in general terms: whether it is online or in person, expected time commitment, expected incentive, and the industry or topic. If you are interested, click on the selection questionnaire link and go to step two.
2. Initial Screening Questionnaire. The initial screening questionnaire requires a combination of demographic and behavioral questions that assess your suitability for the research opportunity. Your responses are compared to the customer’s selection criteria in real time. A single “wrong” answer (one that conflicts with the customer’s criteria) is enough to disqualify them, leading to an abrupt termination of the survey. For example, if the study targets frequent snack bar users and you state that you never eat snack bars, you are not likely to qualify. These criteria can be demanding: I have taken the same evaluation survey for a yogurt study at least 20 times, varying my answers each time, without reaching the rating stage.
3. Follow-up interview . When you successfully complete a selection survey, you are informed that you may be a match for the study opportunity and advised to seek further instructions. Within a few days, you will receive a call from a representative of the recruiting firm or market research company leading the study. In my experience, these calls are brief. Mainly, the representative asks new questions to check the consistency of their evaluator’s answers and provides more details about the study opportunity. If the opportunity is an in-person group scheduled for a specific time, the representative confirms that they can do so. You may also be asked to provide verbal consent to share your answers and personal information with the client.
4. Approval and programming . If you are approved for the opportunity, you will be informed during your follow-up interview or a subsequent call. If the opportunity is not open, then you will formally schedule your participation date and time, typically choosing from a handful of date and time options or a tight date range. You will be told when to arrive, what to bring, and what to expect from the experience.
5. Identity Verification and Waiver . For in-person studies, you will need to arrive at least 15 minutes early to verify your identity, complete paperwork, and give your formal consent to participate. For online panels, you will consent and receive participation instructions digitally.

Proven Tips for Market Research Success

Market research is what you make of it. Here is a list of things you can do to get the most out of your market research journey.

Tips to improve your experience

Follow these tips to enhance your experience with in-person focus groups, online panels, product trial engagements, and other forms of market research:

• Ask questions . If you’re confused about something in the lead up to an in-person focus group, “contact the recruiter with all questions,” says Scholz. “That’s what they’re there for.” Recruiters are expected to respond promptly and thoroughly to entrants’ questions. Don’t wait until the last minute to ask important questions, especially those whose answers could affect your decision to participate.
• Leaving early Don’t pay bail on the day of the engagement. “If he finds out that he no longer wants to participate, tell the recruiter sooner rather than later,” says Scholz. Recruiters and market researchers alike hate it when participants cancel at the last minute, even if they give notice. A cancellation could be enough to exclude future opportunities with that recruiter.
• Arrive Early Arrive at in-person events at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time to complete paperwork, sign the waiver, and receive last-minute instructions. If you arrive at or just before the scheduled start time, you may be denied entry and will be forced to forfeit your incentive. On the other hand, some recruiters give early first-comer rewards to each focus group.
• Be honest and direct . Be honest from start to finish, starting with the online evaluator. Don’t say you use a product when you don’t, overstate your expertise, or lie about your profession. Even if you make it through the online interview and the online interviewer (if applicable), it’s unlikely you’ll successfully bluff your way through a full focus group. “You will be found out and you will feel so uncomfortable during the whole process,” says Scholz. Moderators are trained to ask questions that will uncover dishonest participants. If you are found to be out of tier, the client will pass this on to the recruiter, who can then remove you from their rosters. If the dishonesty is egregious during the session, Scholz says, “you may even be fired without your incentive.”
• Comply with the waiver . Before you officially participate in any market research opportunity, you will be asked to sign a waiver that limits your rights and remedies. Waiver language varies by recruiter, client, and MR format. Typical language includes a prohibition on discussing the details of your experience with non-participants; contact the customer directly; misrepresenting in written and verbal communication before, during and after the study; and more. If the recruiter or client learns that he has violated any of the terms of the waiver, he will likely be removed from consideration for future opportunities. In extreme cases, you may find yourself in legal danger.
• Don’t be shy If you’re an introvert, you probably won’t relish the idea of ​​speaking freely in a group of strangers. Being watched by a moderator in the room and at least one other person behind a one-way glass wall doesn’t help. That said, it’s in your best interest to let go of your nerves and get comfortable with the fundamental subjectivity of the process. “The moderator actually comes from an independent research company contracted to talk to you,” says Scholz. “They really want your opinions, there is no right or wrong answer.” In other words, it is not a test.
• Avoid referring to previous MR Experiences . Intuitively, you might think that referring to past MR experiences in a focus group or online discussion board would ingratiate you with the moderator. Quite the contrary, says Scholz. Recognizing the fundamental artifice of a focus group or panel discussion interferes with your goals. “Market researchers want to make sure that our research subjects, the consumers, don’t have preconceived notions that might affect the other consumers in the group,” she says. “Saying, ‘In my last group, this happened,’ is counterproductive because every group is different: the participants, the target, the moderator, the client.”
• Don’t try to reach a consensus . In the group setting, remember that the moderator does not care if the subjects reach a desired conclusion or reach a consensus. As long as you honestly share your opinions and interact with other group members appropriately, you’ve done your duty.
• Don’t try to guess the brand . Don’t get hung up on the identity of the brand that brought you to the table. While it can be fun trying to figure out who’s (literally) behind the glass, it can also distract you from the real reason you’re there: providing feedback and collecting your paycheck. If you’re spending all your mental energy trying to figure out the brand identity and then calibrating your answers accordingly, you’re not going to give an honest answer. This will not attract you to the moderator or client, and could hinder future opportunities with the recruiter.
• Be realistic about your earning potential. Rona earns $150 to $300 per engagement, depending on the length of the session and (in her opinion) the client’s budget. Becky Lockridge, a working mom from Orange County, California, earns between $25 and $225 per session. She participates in a handful of in-person discussion groups annually, adding (at most) about $1,000 to her annual income. Clearly, market research is not a full-time income stream for either of you. And, as Scholz points out, market research recruiters are good at excluding “professional” participants, primarily because they want a representative variety of opinions, rather than input from a relatively small group of participants committed to market research. . Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect to replace full or partial employment with market research courses. “Market research is fine [to make] good money for a small time commitment,” he says, “but you wouldn’t have a consistent source of income … more like ‘fun money.'”

What to watch and avoid

Beware of recruiters waving too many red flags:

• Incomplete information during incorporation . To protect the anonymity of clients and prevent potential entrants from gaming the selection process, recruiters are intentionally vague during screening and onboarding. That said, there is a fine line between vagueness and incomplete or deliberately misleading information. For example, my summary of the home soap trial project did not clearly spell out the incentive, which (I learned after the fact) was a pittance. It’s my fault I didn’t ask sooner, but it would have been nice if the recruiter was closer before accepting the gig.
• Poor organization and communication. MR recruitment isn’t rocket science, but it’s not a logistical walk in the park, either. Some recruiting agencies are short-staffed: a director or two and a handful of junior associates. This hampers your abilities to recruit many projects at once or keep more complex projects on track. My at-home soap testing project was a large national effort overseen by a single market research company that divided the test sample by geographic region and delegated it to local recruiters. My communications with the national supervisor and the local recruiter revealed a stark disconnect: each directing inquiries at the other, waiting days before responding to simple requests, and generally
• Substandard Incentives . In general, “you shouldn’t worry about not getting paid enough,” says Scholz. For comparable projects, “incentives are pretty similar across the industry, so you’ll rarely get a better price elsewhere.” [Recruiters] aren’t trying to trick you.” This doesn’t mean that incentive offers are standardized. If you’re signed up with multiple recruiters, it’s natural to favor those who offer a higher salary for comparable work. reliable about 25% more per two-hour focus groups, enough to influence my time allocation.
• excessive reach. If you’re already overwhelmed by your daily email load, don’t sign up with market research recruiters. Unless you’re willing to log into your panelist account several times a week, the best way to learn about new opportunities is by email. Some agencies are downright prolific. One of the larger agencies I’m registered with sends five to seven study notification emails per weekday, on average, and two to three per weekend day. Since I don’t have time to complete each filter, and it’s clear at this point that the agency doesn’t filter their notifications, I automatically delete most of their emails. You are more likely to act on less frequent and higher quality notifications from other agencies.
• Double Dip Some of the market research recruiters I signed up with seem to be actively recruiting participants and panelists for contract and full-time employment. In other words, in the entrants sections of their websites, they advertise current job opportunities and invite entrants to apply. In at least one case, I have seen similar language in emails advertising study opportunities. There is nothing inherently wrong or illegal about this tactic, but it strikes me as aggressive, and is a possible sign that the recruiter is chomping at projects bigger than they can chew or presiding over an unpleasant, turnover-prone work environment.

final word

If you’re willing to work for your money, the sharing economy offers plenty of opportunities to earn extra income at home and in the city. Thousands of people make a lot of money selling their skills as freelancers on platforms like UpWork.

And, if you’re drawn to market research because you genuinely enjoy influencing corporate decision-making processes and providing actionable insights to the companies that shape your everyday life, you may be interested in more “hands-on” opportunities like plasma, sperm, and egg donation, though all have risks and may not be available to everyone.Bottom line: If the market research blues has you down, don’t despair. There are plenty of other fish, and bucks, in the sea.

Have you ever sat in a focus group or participated in market research in any other way?