One of the best things about being a small business owner in today’s market is that there is simply no shortage of fantastic online tools to help companies advertise, analyze, sell, evaluate, promote, and grow their product lines and service offerings. Of course, one of the worst things about being a small business owner in today’s market is that there are just so many online tools to choose from that it’s overwhelming figuring out which ones to use, which sites offer the right services for a good price, how to use them all, and how to avoid the scams.
The TribalVision team is always researching new and interesting Web 2.0 tools so we can help our clients choose the best tools for their individual needs. One of our new favorites is called GutCheck, and we don’t just like it for the awesome name.
It’s GutCheck Time!
As recently as 5 years ago, when a company wanted to do some market testing, they were in for the long haul. Their research and development department would assemble a focus group before launching a new product line, updated packaging, or creative advertising campaign, and the task would take weeks. Between finding the right participants, coordinating schedules, conducting group and individual interviews, and compiling data, obtaining the feedback of a basic focus group was a time-consuming and costly venture.
Today, GutCheck allows companies to access their online community of over five million participants in just minutes. By using GutCheck’s advanced screening tools, companies can assemble online focus groups targeting extremely specific or very broad demographics depending on their needs. For example, GutCheck has created simple audiences of people who are the primary grocery shoppers in their households or who have leased a vehicle in the past 90 days. At the same time, GutCheck has assembled very targeted audiences of people who hunt in weather below 30 degrees Fahrenheit and people who are first or second generation South Asians who have high blood pressure.
The ability to narrow a search by location, age, gender, ethnicity, household income, marital status, education, and number of children is fairly standard. But being able to add customized criteria to further narrow a search is a giant leap in market testing. GutCheck users can add their own questions with multiple-choice answers (with control over how many options a respondent may select) or even fill-in-the-blank questions for free-form responses. Further, being able to access a massive nationwide participant pool, as opposed to being limited to local sessions, opens the door to previously unattainable data.
TribalVision knows the ins and outs of GutCheck and dozens of other outstanding Web 2.0 tools for small businesses. Click here for your free consultation today!