How to Sign Up for Focus Groups — 6 Steps to Starting Your First Focus Group
Most people who are wondering how to sign up for focus groups are doing it for a simple reason — they want to earn a little cash doing something easy and fun.
Focus groups are both of those things and more. There are tons of focus groups out there, and not just for products and services.
You might not know it, but your opinions can have a huge influence on everything from attorneys and the arguments they might use in court to where you find info in your day-to-day life to your opinions on your community and more.
It’s actually super easy to sign up for a focus group.
Here’s how you do it.
1. How to Sign Up for a Focus Group — Determine What Kind of Focus Group You’re Interested In
Before you start signing up for focus groups, you need to figure out what kind of focus groups you’re interested in.
There are tons of focus groups out there, so you want to make sure you’re not spending time signing up for focus groups that aren’t for you.
Make a list of the kinds of focus groups you’re interested in. Do you want to talk about new products and services? Are you interested in talking about your opinions? Do you want to talk about your community?
Not all focus groups are right for everyone, so narrow down your interests before you spend your valuable time signing up.
2. Decide if You Want to Do Online Focus Groups, In-Person Focus Groups, or Both
Fortunately, not all focus groups have to be done in person (or online for that matter). You have the option of doing either.
Not everyone can do in-person focus groups, and one of the big difficulties for many people, especially people who live in small towns or cities, is that many focus groups are only available in large metropolitan areas.
If you live in a small town, you might only be able to do online focus groups, but you never know — sometimes you might be able to travel a short distance to get to an in-person focus group.
In-person focus groups don’t necessarily pay more than online focus groups, so don’t let that keep you from looking into focus groups. You can sign up for focus groups online that pay just as much as the in-person ones.
And even if you live in a big city with lots of opportunities, you might just feel more comfortable doing them online, so decide which one is going to be best for you.
3. Find Companies That Conduct Focus Groups or Do Market Research
Not all focus group companies are created equal. Unfortunately, there are some focus group providers who don’t pay as well as others, and some of them don’t have as many opportunities as others.
You might want to spend some time looking at online reviews of the companies you’re considering doing a focus group with. To sign up for a focus group that pays well, you want to work with a company that has a good reputation and lots of opportunities.
Do your research. Don’t just sign up with the first company you find online. You might be able to make a lot more money with another company.
4. Sign Up/Register to Be In Those Companies’ Databases
The next step is to register with the company. This will include filling out surveys that take down all kinds of information about you. Then, they put you in a database that they use when they’re looking for someone to join a particular focus group.
Some companies make this as simple as possible, and you might be able to sign up and start browsing focus groups in minutes. Other companies take down a lot of information, so you might have to sit at your computer for a little while before you can start looking for opportunities.
This is why doing your research on which company you want to work with is so important. If you’re going to spend that much of your time signing up, you want to make sure that time isn’t being wasted.
Once you’re in the database, you can start the fun part — finding out just what types of focus groups are available!
5. Browse Available Focus Groups
Now that you’re in the database, it’s time to find the focus groups that are right for you.
Usually, companies will have a list of available focus groups on a web page that you can browse. you’ll be able to filter the available results by area, whether they’re online or in-person, how much they’re paying, and more.
Not all focus groups are going to be right for you. You might not be interested in them, or they might only be for certain people. You might not fit the criteria, or you might not be in the area (or be available at the required time).
6. Apply to Focus Groups That You’re Interested In
Once you’ve found a focus group that you’re interested in, if you fit the criteria, it’s time to apply! Just like when you signed up, depending on the company, you might have to fill out a long, detailed survey, or you might be able to apply with just a few simple clicks.
It really depends on the focus group. However, you have to keep in mind that you’re applying to be a part of the focus group — you’re not guaranteed to get in.
That’s why you want to look at and apply to as many focus groups as possible. That gives you the best chance of getting picked.
And once you’re picked, it’s time to do the focus group! Usually, it doesn’t take too long (maybe a few hours, possibly a few meetings over a few days), and then you get paid.
And that’s how you sign up for a focus group.
Interested in Doing a Focus Group? Find One in Your Area
If you’re looking for a focus group in your area, we can help.
Click here to find a focus group near you.
