Referral Contest Underway for Sedgwick County Community Opinion Panel

Last Friday, we started a new contest to boost recruitment to the Sedgwick County Community Opinion Panel. Response has been good so far. Each member who refers a non-member gets one entry into the contest. Members can't refer themselves even though many have tried. We have allocated $1,000 in prize money. The first selected will win $350, second selected $250, third selected 200, fourth selected $150, and the fifth person selected will win $50.  The drawing will take place on September 30 which is the end of the contest.

Prior to the contest we have had about 340 people sign up. We need to get to about 1,000 before the group can be come very active. Also, about 70% of the group are women. We need a better balance. Hopefully members will refer lots of men. I will be sending out newsletters to remind members about the contest about every 5 days until the deadline.

I was contacted by one person who had some concerns. Since the panel was started so close to the recent primary elections in Sedgwick County, the person associated the panel with politics. Surveydepartment.com does not conduct political polls. We occasionally do surveys about social issues for non-profits. Most of our surveys and focus groups are for companies and organizations about their products, services and communications.  And as stated in most of the recruitment materials, the Sedgwick County Community Opinion Panel is not associated with the government of Sedgwick County. The panel is a way surveydepartment.com can survey panel members online and have a response large enough to be statistically projectable. The name of the panel was selected so that prospective panel members would understand that they must reside within Sedgwick County to be a member.

I wish to thank the person who was so concerned and had some missperceptions because I'm sure there are others who have the same impression. I will try my best to address these issues as we go along. I want feedback from the panel and we move into the future.

You can enter the contest too. First register at https://www.surveydepartment.com/panel
Then ask the people you refer to sign up at https://www.surveydepartment.com/panelcontest

Have a great week!