A Little-Known Way to Earn Money on the Side: Focus Groups

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It's the holiday season and that means money can be tight.  Well we have a potential solution for you...be paid to be in a focus group.  We know we've got some great readers with very strong opinions, so why not register and get paid to share them:

CHICAGO, Illinois (November 26th, 2012) - Focus groups are an often overlooked way to make money on the side, especially in Chicago where more than 30 marketing research companies have established focus group facilities. 

Individuals that participate in focus groups and interviews earn anywhere from $75 to $450 for sharing their opinions in sessions that last between 30 minutes and 3 hours. The average money earned per focus group or interview is $137. 

“I looked at it as a fun way to earn extra money and be part of something that would be important to someone else,” says Glenn Raposa, who recently participated in a focus group that emulated a mock jury. “It was important subject matter, and you had to keep on top of it. I was happy with the compensation.”

Participating in paid focus groups and interviews helps major brands and businesses evaluate and adjust their products before sending them back to market. Businesses host focus groups and interviews on topics already familiar to most Chicagoan’s: cars, entertainment, food, shopping, social issues, politics, healthcare, medicine, and more. 

“I enjoyed being able to have a real discussion about the show we watched,” said Dianna Keeler. She added that the focus group was also a learning experience. After participating, Keeler says she realized that “what draws women into certain TV shows is a strong, relatable female character.” 

Keeler isn’t the only one who took more away from the experience than money. “The feedback by other focus group members was my favorite part, and how people see things differently on the same subject,” says Raposa. 

“My friends have different tastes, so I would recommend them to do a focus group if they qualify,” he continued. 

To begin participating in focus groups and interviews, individuals must create an online demographic profile that tells the marketing research company what types of focus groups they best match with. After sign up, the individual receives online questionnaires that help match them to appropriate focus groups. When matched, the individual participates in the focus group session and receives money for their time. 

Focus Pointe Global (FPG) has facilitated thousands of focus groups in Chicago since 2004. Last month, more than 1600 people visited the FPG Chicago facility to participate in paid marketing research projects. For more information about Focus Pointe Global, visit www.focuspointeglobal.com. For more information about available focus groups in Chicago, visit www.focusgroup.com.