Show Me the Money: 4 Tips to Work Within Your MR Budget

Keeping a project on budget (or, dare we say, under budget!) tops all of our priority lists. While there is no catch-all solution, we’ve assembled the following list that can be applied to almost all market research projects. Remember, first and foremost, communication is key!

• At the time of bidding, be sure to clearly define specs, including length, IR, and sample size. Share as much information as is available.
• If assumptions that are made at the proposal/bid stage turn out to be incorrect, rebid immediately and communicate any changes in costs/feasibility before moving forward.
• Finalize the questionnaire before programming or translation begins– changes can be costly – not just money-wise, but time-wise, and the potential for errors increases.
• Be sure all programming instructions, including any respondent quotas, are clearly defined and outlined in the questionnaire.
• A kick-off call can be helpful to review instructions and avoid any potential pitfalls before a study is launched.
• Finalize tab plans or other data processing requirements as soon as possible – as field starts is preferred- in order to turn the deliverable around shortly after close of field.
• Keep the lines of communication open throughout the process.

This list certainly isn't exhaustive. Each project has its own special mine fields to avoid. Keeping these things in mind from the start of any project gives you a bit of leg up. Comment below any budget-saving tips that have helped you!

We would love to be a part of providing quality insights from quality data. Click below to get in touch!