What is a Community Panel?

Community

Panel

What is a Community Panel?

Company owned and sponsored

Category or brand specific

Typically invitation only, private environments

Sense of insider exclusivity

Well profiled participants

Multi-media capable (photos, video etc.)

Community Panel = targeted groups of customers (or potential customers) whom you engage with and learn from over time.

Panel Community

1000’s or 10,000’s of members 100’s of members

Typically quant surveys Typically qual discussions

TWO-way: private feedback (company initiated)

THREE-way: open feedback (company or member initiated)

Topics & studies controlled Semi-controlled, semi-organic

Member identities are private and discussions are typically question then answer

Discussion and sharing of personal information is encouraged, bonds form

Communities & Panels: Differences

Quantitative Panel with 10,000 panelists

Breakout Communities of 300, still part of the panel

Interact with your target segments through quantitative surveys

Invite panelists to additionally participate in ongoing qualitative

discussions. Seamlessly run smaller breakout groups of

varying sizes. Can be both open member generated content or

directed tasks.

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

Start by brainstorming ideas in your community

Idea

Idea

Idea

Idea

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

Take those ideas and send a quant survey to the larger panel

Panel

Community

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

Panel

Community

Take 3 winning concepts from panel and dissect further within community

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

Panel

Community

Go back to your panel with more developed concepts to pick a winner

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

Panel

Community

Continue the cycle…(back to community to brainstorm positioning etc.)

Communities & Panels: How They Work Together

What Does the Average Community Panel Look Like?

5,000 – 10,000 panelists

Members contacted ~ 1-2x per month (12/24 studies)

Initial recruit through customer lists and assets

Augment with outside lists and direct advertising

Typically minimal cash incentive (draws)

10-12 weeks to launch

Community Panels: Why Companies Love Them

• Always on• Results in hoursFast & Flexible

• Every answer is remembered• Pinpointing key groups for sampling• Relevant surveys go to right respondents

Deep Profile of Customers

• Captive audience will give you honest feedbackEngaged Participants

• Quick hit insight – directional feedback fast• Research begets more research

Bake Customer Voice into Company DNA

• Costs decline with every study: Recruit once, top up less, use often

More Research for Less Money

Community Panels : Why Participants Love Them

• Feedback Loop very important• Can see the impact of their opinions

Feel like an insider and have a strong voice

• Friendships are formedCreate connections with other members

• Shorter, more engaging surveys & exercisesEnjoy the online experience

• See a new ad or product before it goes public• Exclusive invites• Sweepstakes - chance to win

Exclusive rewards

Community Panel Continuum

Surveys Only• 70% of Clients• All Service Levels

Surveys + Ad Hoc Discussion• 10% of Clients • All Service Levels

Surveys + Discussions • 15% of Clients • Mostly Full

Service

13

Over 400 unique clients

1/3rd of the World’s Top 100 Brands

A few of the brands that embraced Community Panels…

Vision Critical’s leading Community Panel platform, Sparq is used by:-