Help Us Launch The First Small Business Market Research Program
Traditionally, survey-based research and focus groups have only been available to billion dollar companies. However, for many small business owners, every dollar spent on marketing is one dollar taken away from another part of their business or income.
If you could test a new website feature or get instant feedback from a potential customer before you invest money, wouldn’t you want that? It would be amazing to get feedback from real humans before diving “head first” into advertising.
A quick Google search reveals that focus groups cost at least $15,000. It’s not new that billion dollar companies spend $100,000+ on surveys and focus groups before launching a new product, or while upgrading their brand look, or website. While surveys are more cost effective than focus groups, they still are out of reach for many companies at a whopping starting cost of $25,000.
Understanding financial limitations faced by small businesses, we’d like to make market research more accessible. Without compromising the quality of research, we can work with smaller focus groups or test part of your marketing strategy, so that you can do a gradual roll-out. Knowledge is power, but it shouldn’t be reserved for the most (financially) powerful.
If billion dollar companies spend budget on surveys and focus groups ahead of launching marketing efforts, then it must be worth it for any size business, if only they could afford it.
At Kielo Digital, we work exclusively with small businesses (read: mom and pop shops) and startups, where we often solve cosmetic and technical issues with websites and social media efforts as a first step with a new client. However, when our clients are looking to spend a few thousand dollars on ads in the first 3 months they work with us, it would be vital to understand whether our audience would find issues along the way such as product or shipping cost, ahead of burning that budget.
So, would it be possible to build a list of 500 individuals who want to support small businesses and startups and dig into qualitative and quantitative research without breaking the bank?
What’s in it for the brand?
We work with B2B and B2C brands that wish to have more insights about their own brand, from real humans, who may be interested in their product or service. This way, they would be able to optimize their site, product, price point, or other, with tangible facts.
The types of insights they’d find valuable would be thoughts on:
Pricing of products
Pricing of shipping
Promotions/value adds
Understanding of their messaging
Perception of their product
Perception of their branding
Testing of their consumer journey (website/usability)
Testing of advertising creative and messaging
What’s in it for the survey taker, or focus group participant?
It feels good to support local businesses, and it’s exciting to be part of their journey. In addition to that, the participants would receive VISA or brand gift cards, so you can shop small with our token of appreciation. The value would be based on whether it’s a survey or focus group.
Why are we doing this?
Kielo Digital was started to offer a step up from “having your intern do it” and an alternative to $5,000+ minimum retainer agencies for small businesses and startups. As we work with our clients, we are learning that a cost-effective way to do market research would be a budget-saving gold mine for our clients.
Yes, we know it won’t be of the same caliber of $20,000+ research, but it’s a lot more effective than asking friends and family to “be honest.”
We are currently applying to grants to be able to bring down the cost of surveys, but with your help, our goal is to offer surveys starting at $1,000, and focus groups at $2,000 for local small businesses and startups.
How does it work?
Participants sign up to join our research participant list here (takes max 2mins)
We’ll sort participants into groups based on interests, location, and age
We’ll send participants an email once we have a survey or focus group ready for them
Participants complete the task and receive gift cards
Client receives a comprehensive research study, breaking down our findings