How To Choose a Qualitative Research Market

Qualitative research, whether individual interviews,in a location rut?According to the website of the Las
in-homes, focus groups, ethnographies and the like areVegas Chamber of Commerce:* More than 5,000
conducted all over the world, as everyone knows. Butpeople move to Las Vegas each month* 69.9% have
how are the markets to be studied selected in the firstlived there more than 6 years* 10% of the residents
place?New York, London, Paris, Chicago, Los Angeles,are over the age of 65* 62% of the Households have
San Francisco, Toronto, Boston and Dallas are all greatincomes in excess of $35,000Depending on the topic,
places to see first rate entertainment, dine out and byLas Vegas might just be a selection for a market in
their size, must be great places in which to conductwhich to conduct a qualitative project involving children,
qualitative research or so the common thinking goes.Anew homeowners, health issues, food, beverages and
little research into the demographics of a market canmore.The other argument for selecting a City is the
save researchers more than a little money, and getability to get a direct airplane flight from the client or
better research. Take for instance...The State with themoderator residence City. If one lives in a hub city like
most Dentists per capita - If you said Arkansas, youChicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland,
would be right. The City with the most new homes builtPittsburgh or other hub town, direct flights are a
in the last year - If you said Las Vegas you would bebreeze. Higher airfares to go anywhere direct,
right. The City with the highest incidence of couponespecially if there is no competition on the same leg
clippers - If you said Buffalo you would be right. Theprevail.Many times a less populated City / area has
City with the most new Volkswagens sold per capita -more diet soft drink drinkers, cancer survivors,
If you said Minneapolis you would be right. But how doremodeling contractors, hog farmers, children ages 8 to
you know?Let's take Las Vegas; bright lights and a12 per capita than a major city with direct flights. What
City that truly never sleeps. Most focus groups arehappened to the old "If it'll play in Des Moines, it'll play
conducted there in concert with the world classanywhere?" That is not an endorsement for Des
convention center. It's a great idea. Go where folksMoines either.Okay, so how does one determine
from all over the country or even the world convergewhere to go to conduct qualitative research? The
for days of meetings, walking aisles and of courseanswer can be simple in many cases. All one needs is
dining, shows and gambling. But Las Vegas is nota search engine connection from a computer to visit
usually considered for testing the folks that live there,websites of Chambers of Commerce, International
outside of occasional television show tests for newTrade Offices, Federal, State and local Government
programming. In fact, in recent interviews with severaloffices and more. There are also companies who
QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association,assist researchers determining markets such as the
888 - 674 - 7722) researchers, not one had been toQualitative Research Network - 800-601-0834.John
Las Vegas other than to conduct research inCashmore, President of Market Resource Associates,
conjunction with a show or convention.This is not aInc.and member of the Qualitative Reseach
promotion for Las Vegas, as the City does enough ofConsultants Association specializes in qualitative as
that on its own, but let's look back at thosewell as quantitative market research techniques. Mr.
homeowners. Who are they? Retirees - Right - wellCashmore is based in Minneapolis, MN and consults
some yes, but not so fast. The greater metropolitanwith many Fortune 500 companies in a variety of
area is building schools like crazy. So it may not be asindustries.
you or your client suspected. This is the point. Are we