who can figure this out???

[johnbears]

Today I hired someone (a female 23 years old - average looking) for the day to come with me to the city to interview people on the street about their needs/wants/preferences/etc. for a business that I want to start. In other words, a primary market research about customer input to my proposed massage business. At first my interviewer asked about 60 people on a populated street but only 1 person volunteered to participate in the interview. So I made some changes expecting a greater response rate, after all all we only got 1 interview in 100 minutes. So I bought some chocolate easter bunnys for 1.35 Swiss Francs ( This is in Zürich, Switzerland) a piece with no success either. So I made an even more radical move by offering people (5 Swiss Francs = 5 US Dollars) and they still would not participate. They would say "I have no time" or "I dont want to". After that I thought maybe people indeed do not have time so I need to go to a place where people would seem to be less stressed. Well, I went to the lake where the benches are and people relax and asked a dozen there but to no avail!!! Why do people not participate in interviews even after I gave them an incentive. The question were also only a few and would only take 5 minutes of their time but they would not listen. What is the problem???


Mind you, my focused potential interviewees were both genders, aged 30-50, income of 70,000+ mostly bankers, white collar worker.

[StephenG]

John, I have found in the past that interviews don't really provide much valuable information. Try an approach where you actualy see how people respond to what you have to offer. Depending on what your product is this may or may not be difficult to pull off. They see an interview as being all about what you are doing. If you can find a way to make the interview some how interactive in such a way that they can relate to it. How you approach someone is everything, your appraoch was not working. I would think about 1 in 10 particapation would be very good. Work on the approach, possibly try it out on us here and maybe we could brainstorm it a bit. Steve

[soloads]

John, I have found in the past that interviews don't really provide much valuable information. Try an approach where you actualy see how people respond to what you have to offer. Depending on what your product is this may or may not be difficult to pull off. They see an interview as being all about what you are doing. If you can find a way to make the interview some how interactive in such a way that they can relate to it. How you approach someone is everything, your appraoch was not working. I would think about 1 in 10 particapation would be very good. Work on the approach, possibly try it out on us here and maybe we could brainstorm it a bit. Steve

I could not agree more. Most people are reluctant to participate in street survey because they assume that you will attempt to sell them something. Regardless of where you are. I think your approach and strategy should be reconsidered. You can even hire the most beautiful girl in Switzerland but if your strategy does not change, you might not see much different results.

[johnbears]

I am doing the interviews because it has the advantage of being very targeted in reagards of geography, income level, and age. My goal is to figure out if my service is needed/wanted, why people need/want it, who wants/needs it, for how much money, and how people want the service.

I don't understand what you mean with approaching. Can you explain please. I literally approached people at the end like this: "Would you like to have 5 Dollars in exchange for some answers to my survey?" (Me having a pen, paper, small folder, and a backpack on me.) I just don't understand how to get through to people. I am not selling anything, I just want an input from them. It would have taken them 5 mins. What did I do wrong???

[akula]

I am doing the interviews because it has the advantage of being very targeted in reagards of geography, income level, and age. My goal is to figure out if my service is needed/wanted, why people need/want it, who wants/needs it, for how much money, and how people want the service.

I don't understand what you mean with approaching. Can you explain please. I literally approached people at the end like this: "Would you like to have 5 Dollars in exchange for some answers to my survey?" (Me having a pen, paper, small folder, and a backpack on me.) I just don't understand how to get through to people. I am not selling anything, I just want an input from them. It would have taken them 5 mins. What did I do wrong???

hii!! good on you. i wish more people would do what you're doing.
ok..so...the mistake you're making is contextual

no one is talking to you is because they are on their way to work or at lunch or meeting etc
you are trying to interview them in the wrong context, that's why its not working
to correct your problem, change context

for example; when i want to start an insurance business catering for property investors.
i tried conducting surveys by visiting people at home but response wasn't good
i changed context, went to a property investment seminar and filled out all the surveys i needed right there and then

change the context...interview people at a different location...
or outsource to a market research business who'll run focus groups for you

[Nigami Enterprise]

I saw a interesting Doco on human Physcology. They first started by being in a shopping mall and handing out bags with a stick in them. They handed out these bags really quickly and people where coming up and grabbing the bags and all they where getting was a useless stick. Then same location same stall same people started handing out $1 notes they couldnt give them to anyone. So basically giving things away with each survey isnt going to work.

What I would do is pick a location where you would like to be surveyed ( If you where rushing through a mall on your way to work would you stop???) the place I most frequently answer surveys is the airport or train stations. I usually have a few hours to kill and im usually sitting down with not much else to do so I'm usually happy to answer someones survey.

Good luck with it

[greatdanish]

One problem might be that people making $70K+ a year in banking aren't interested in a $5 prize. Even if people responded, you might be getting responses from people you aren't actually targeting...

Getting feedback on an individual level is very very difficult.
It would cost more, but probably the best way to do it (IMO) is to research and find the names of people in the demographic you are targeting and mail them paper surveys. Make it very personal, so as not to appear like it is spam. Mention in the letter that you are hoping to provide a service for them, and they may be more likely to participate - something like, "As a banking representative (fill in their specific job title if possible) for an area bank, you might be someone who could benefit from my business."
It may be valuable to offer a prize (give away an iPod touch or something, I don't know what that demographic might want). But, the best incentive is to make it clear that the responses from the survey might benefit the respondent in some lasting way. Maybe offer them a discount on massages.

Since you have names and addresses, you could also follow up with them if they haven't returned the surveys, or if you have questions about their responses.

That's my take. I have never found much good from street -level interviews.

[johnbears]

So to sum up, most say I should do it at a different location: say seminar, aiport, or trainstation.

My question is, aren't people there also going to prejudge me of doing sales and deny being interviewed??? As I have tried at a park near the lake where the atmosphere is relaxed.

Akula: Is there something more to location when you refer to context? (Such as timing, and a way/interest the interviewee can relate with me?)
Should I have another incentive that might get higher responses?

Thanx for the help.

[Nigami Enterprise]

Time and place is everything, What Akula said with the conference is a good idea. Remember they are at the conference to Network ect so most likley they will. The park didnt work because people are at the park for a reason and it is definatly not to fill out a survey. Maybe if people are lining up for tickets for a concert ect and are their for a few hours they wouldnt mind doing it.

[akula]

Akula: Is there something more to location when you refer to context? (Such as timing, and a way/interest the interviewee can relate with me?)
Should I have another incentive that might get higher responses?

to answer your question, yes...try to keep things targeted. what are you selling? what's the survey about?
incentives, no. in my experience, if what you're doing genuinely helps people, incentives are not necessary. people tend to enjoy telling others about their problems and relevant solutions. you've just gotta survey the right people at the right place, at the right time. has worked for me..

[johnbears]

Akula: This is for a wellness massage business that I am thinking about.

Nigami: Train Stations and Airports are great ideas but the only problem I see is that most of the people there would be non-locals or even foreigners.


Is there a possiblity where I can do something for a business and in return a dozen of their employees would fill out my survey?

What I learned from your input is: People will respond if they have nothing better to do or if they can relate or have an interest in your business/situation. Is that correct?

[johnbears]

Update - I have taken some of your feedback in consideration and brainstormed about it. This is what I came up with (in order of importance):

1) Call up a company and offer them free mobile massages in their offices for 30 or so employees. This gives us an oppertunity to fill out the surveys and also get a feedback if mobile massages is possible business oppurtunity.

2)Interview Potential Customer at

a)Fairs (Business or Health related)
b)Conferences
c)Clubs
d)Networking Events
e)Business Associations

3)Seminars (Good idea but only negative part is that I need to be a enroll in there and most of them business related ones are darn expensive)

4)Doctors Waiting Room
5)Hospital Waiting Room
6)Pharmacy
7)Fitness CLub
8)Yoga Club

9)Airport
10)Trainstation

11)Shop, customer gets a discount if they fill out my survey

12)Telephone Interviews

13)Online Surveys

14)Let a Professional Company do it (darn expensive)


What do you guys think, whats my best bet?