| Qualitative research, whether individual interviews, | | | | suspected. This is the point. Are we in a location |
| in-homes, focus groups, ethnographies and the like | | | | rut?According to the website of the Las Vegas |
| are conducted all over the world, as everyone | | | | Chamber of Commerce:* More than 5,000 people |
| knows. But how are the markets to be studied | | | | move to Las Vegas each month* 69.9% have lived |
| selected in the first place?New York, London, Paris, | | | | there more than 6 years* 10% of the residents are |
| Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, Boston | | | | over the age of 65* 62% of the Households have |
| and Dallas are all great places to see first rate | | | | incomes in excess of $35,000Depending on the topic, |
| entertainment, dine out and by their size, must be | | | | Las Vegas might just be a selection for a market in |
| great places in which to conduct qualitative research | | | | which to conduct a qualitative project involving |
| or so the common thinking goes.A little research into | | | | children, new homeowners, health issues, food, |
| the demographics of a market can save researchers | | | | beverages and more.The other argument for |
| more than a little money, and get better research. | | | | selecting a City is the ability to get a direct airplane |
| Take for instance...The State with the most Dentists | | | | flight from the client or moderator residence City. If |
| per capita - If you said Arkansas, you would be right. | | | | one lives in a hub city like Chicago, Minneapolis, |
| The City with the most new homes built in the last | | | | Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh or other hub |
| year - If you said Las Vegas you would be right. The | | | | town, direct flights are a breeze. Higher airfares to go |
| City with the highest incidence of coupon clippers - If | | | | anywhere direct, especially if there is no competition |
| you said Buffalo you would be right. The City with | | | | on the same leg prevail.Many times a less populated |
| the most new Volkswagens sold per capita - If you | | | | City / area has more diet soft drink drinkers, cancer |
| said Minneapolis you would be right. But how do you | | | | survivors, remodeling contractors, hog farmers, |
| know?Let's take Las Vegas; bright lights and a City | | | | children ages 8 to 12 per capita than a major city |
| that truly never sleeps. Most focus groups are | | | | with direct flights. What happened to the old "If it'll |
| conducted there in concert with the world class | | | | play in Des Moines, it'll play anywhere?" That is not an |
| convention center. It's a great idea. Go where folks | | | | endorsement for Des Moines either.Okay, so how |
| from all over the country or even the world | | | | does one determine where to go to conduct |
| converge for days of meetings, walking aisles and of | | | | qualitative research? The answer can be simple in |
| course dining, shows and gambling. But Las Vegas is | | | | many cases. All one needs is a search engine |
| not usually considered for testing the folks that live | | | | connection from a computer to visit websites of |
| there, outside of occasional television show tests for | | | | Chambers of Commerce, International Trade Offices, |
| new programming. In fact, in recent interviews with | | | | Federal, State and local Government offices and |
| several QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants | | | | more. There are also companies who assist |
| Association, 888 - 674 - 7722) researchers, not one | | | | researchers determining markets such as the |
| had been to Las Vegas other than to conduct | | | | Qualitative Research Network - 800-601-0834.John |
| research in conjunction with a show or | | | | Cashmore, President of Market Resource Associates, |
| convention.This is not a promotion for Las Vegas, as | | | | Inc.and member of the Qualitative Reseach |
| the City does enough of that on its own, but let's | | | | Consultants Association specializes in qualitative as |
| look back at those homeowners. Who are they? | | | | well as quantitative market research techniques. Mr. |
| Retirees - Right - well some yes, but not so fast. | | | | Cashmore is based in Minneapolis, MN and consults |
| The greater metropolitan area is building schools like | | | | with many Fortune 500 companies in a variety of |
| crazy. So it may not be as you or your client | | | | industries. |