What is your ideal Sample Universe?

What is your ideal Sample Universe?

A sample universe can be defined in any number of ways.  Basically, we need to know from what group of people do you want us to search for your ideal respondent.  Do you want to ask questions of the general population to find your ideal respondent or do you want to use available targeting to reach them more efficiently and more directly.

We have two basic targeting options which both have pros/cons:

• General Population – US Census Balanced
• Pros:
• Able to project results to the general population
• Able to use for market sizing among different age, ethnic, geographic and other market segments.
• Able to apply weighting controls
• Cons:
• Very low incidence
• Much higher costs
• Could require longer field time
• Targeted Population Segments
• Pros:
• Higher Incidence
• Much Lower Costs
• Faster to field the study
• Cons:
• Only representative of the targeted group.  Ergo, not able to project the results to the general population
• Only able to use for market sizing among the targeted group.
• Difficult, if not impossible, to apply weighting controls accurately.

--Carter Cathey 2010