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A Quick Service Guide for Researchers!
A Quick Service Guide for Researchers!

Welcome to Respondent! Whether you're new or looking to enhance your research skills, here are our top tips for success.

Justin L avatar
Written by Justin L
Updated this week

Getting Started with Respondent

How Respondent Recruits Participants

Respondent connects researchers with high-quality participants through:

  • B2B Participants: Verified professionals across industries.

  • B2C Participants: General consumers available for various studies.

  • Self-Recruited Participants: Researchers can invite their participants using a unique project link.

Targeting & Filters

To find the right participants, use demographic, professional, and behavioral filters such as:

  • Job title, industry, and experience level (B2B studies).

  • Age, location, education, and income level (B2C studies).

  • Device usage and software familiarity (tech-specific research).

Plan Types

  • Pay-As-You-Go: Charge per completed session with no upfront commitment.

  • Subscription (B2B/B2C Credits): Pre-purchase credits for cost savings and streamlined research.

Best Practices:

  • Define clear research objectives before selecting a plan.

  • Use specific filters to refine participant selection.

  • Monitor participant engagement to adjust recruitment strategies.


Writing an Effective Screener

Best Practices for Screener Questions

  • Keep it concise: 10-12 questions are ideal.

  • Use qualifying questions to find subject matter experts.

  • Use disqualifying questions to remove unqualified participants (but they won’t be fully excluded from the project).

  • Skip Logic: Customize participant paths based on their responses.

  • Preview your screener before launching to ensure clarity.

  • Avoid leading questions that may bias responses.

  • Test your screener with a small sample before the full launch.

  • Ensure disqualifying questions are well-structured to exclude only truly unqualified participants.


Selecting and Managing Participants

Application Review Process

  • View all participant applications in the View Responses dashboard.

  • Select the most qualified participants based on screener responses.

  • Send invitations to schedule sessions with approved participants.

Communication Tips

  • Use the Message Center to coordinate with participants.

  • Allow participants to reschedule if needed to reduce no-shows.

  • Follow up with reminders before sessions.

Best Practices:

  • Send personalized invitations to encourage participation.

  • Establish clear guidelines for communication and response times.

  • Keep track of participant responses to identify trends in engagement.


Setting Up Your Project for Success

Crafting a Strong Project Pitch

Your Project Details should:

  • Clearly explain the purpose of your study.

  • Outline participation requirements and expectations.

  • Specify meeting format (virtual/in-person) and time commitment.

Scheduling Best Practices

  • Use the Calendar & Booking section to set up virtual meeting links.

  • Offer flexible time slots to accommodate participant availability.

  • Monitor your participant queue and adjust recruitment strategies if needed.

  • Set clear expectations for session format and requirements.

  • Allow enough lead time for participants to prepare.

  • Use calendar integrations for seamless scheduling.


Running Virtual & In-Person Sessions

Key Session Tips

  • Ensure participants have the correct meeting link (place it in the Calendar & Booking section or send via Message Center).

  • Start on time and create a welcoming environment.

  • Keep discussions focused and ensure all key questions are covered.

  • If recording, inform participants and obtain consent.

  • Test your equipment and internet connection before sessions.

  • Use a structured discussion guide to stay on track.

  • Build rapport with participants to encourage honest responses.


Incentives & Payments

How Incentives Work

  • Researchers set the incentive amount when publishing a project.

  • Payments are made after session completion via Respondent.

  • Teams can maintain an incentive balance in their billing section for seamless payments.

Avoiding Payment Issues

  • Process incentives promptly after verifying attendance.

  • Ensure your billing information is up to date.

  • For invoice-based payments (ACH), coordinate with Respondent’s finance team.

Best Practices:

  • Set fair incentives to attract high-quality participants.

  • Communicate payment timelines clearly to participants.

  • Keep track of payments to ensure all participants are compensated.


7. Troubleshooting & FAQs

Slow Recruitment?

  • Expand your targeting criteria.

  • Adjust your screener questions to be less restrictive.

  • Increase your incentive amount to attract more participants.

Handling No-Shows & Cancellations

  • Allow rescheduling to reduce last-minute cancellations.

  • If a participant no-shows, mark them accordingly in your dashboard.

  • If canceling within 4 hours of a session, note that the incentive may still be charged.

Need Help?


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