Watch Out For The Landmine Of B2B Online Research

Business-to-consumer (B2C) online panels have taken off in the US and are gaining steam elsewhere. But business-to-business (B2B) online panel growth has been more fitful because there are fewer business decision-makers who wish to join panels, and incentives make identity verification problematic. Today, the pressure of compiling research quickly and cheaply is gaining more urgency in the poor economic environment. Traditional research methods are relatively expensive (up to four times the cost of online methodologies) and are running out of steam, with business decision-makers becoming overharvested and increasingly resistant to engaging in phone surveys. Effective, inexpensive B2B research is critical for firms looking to sell products to businesses in an increasingly global and competitive environment. We therefore provide 11 best practices that detail how and when to embrace online methodologies and how to assess the various methods.