Small Business LA CL Survey

Hagen/Sinclair Research is looking for panel members in the Los Angeles area to participate in a PAID FOCUS GROUP about small businesses.

INCENTIVE: Participants completing the group will be paid $300.

DATE/TIME: Groups take place on March 5-6, 2013.

FORMAT: Small focus groups being held in Los Angeles in the form of 2-hour creative workshops.

If you are interested in participating, please provide the following information. If your answers pre-qualify you for the study, one of our recruiters will call you to complete the screening process.

1.Demographics:

Name:

Company Name:

Address 1:

Address 2:

City/Town:

State/Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Email Address:

Daytime Phone Number:

Evening or Cell Phone:

2.What is your gender?

Male

Female

3.Do you, your spouse/partner or any members of your household, fall into any of the categories below?

Work in marketing research or for a marketing research consulting company

Work in marketing strategy or marketing communications

Work in an advertising, publishing, digital communications or public relations firm

Work in online programming or development of content for the internet

Work in banking, financial services, investment, accounting or bookkeeping

Work in any financial, business, IT or systems consulting

None of these

4.When was the last time you participated in a market research project (i.e. focus group discussion or one-on-one interview)?

Less than 6 months ago

6-12 months ago or more

1 year or more

Never participated before

5.What is your current title or position?

I am the owner/co-owner/partner of a business

President/CEO/Partner

Office Manager

Other (please specify)

6.How much influence do you have in the selection of software and services used for financial or other business management tasks at your company?

I would make the final decision

I would heavily influence, but do not have the final approval

I would have some or little influence

I would have no input into the decision

8.Is your store a part of a franchise or a national chain?

Yes

No

9.Do you sell products directly to customers?

Yes

No

10.How would you describe how and where your company sells to customers?

We have a physical shop or storefront location

We have both a physical store(s) and sell online

We only sell online

We sell away from a store – in the field, on the road

We do not have a physical shop or storefront location

We do not currently have a physical shop or storefront location but plan to open one within the next four months

We don’t have a physical shop or storefront and we do not plan to open one within the next four months

11.How long have you been in business?

12.Is your store open full- or part-time?

Full time

Part-time

13.What are the ways your business receives payments from customers?

In-person at the store

In-person at our office location

In-person at a customer’s location, e.g., someone’s home or construction job site

In-person in a form of transportation, at fairs, trade shows, seasonal events or markets etc

Over the phone or by regular mail or email

Through your business website (NOT eBay or etsy, etc.)

Through a web store hosted in a virtual mall

Other (please specify)

14.Do any of the following apply to your business?

Spend at least 20 hours per week on the business

Have at least one customer or client

Rent or occupy a location outside of my residence for business use

Have at least 1 employee or partner

File taxes under a tax ID (vs. a social security number)

Have or have applied for a business license

Track business and personal finances separately

Is the primary source of my total income

15.How much inventory do you carry for the business? (SKU = Stock Keeping Unit)

16.Because we are looking at many different types of business and need to get a good mix of different sizes; which of the following categories best describes your company’s total annual revenue for the most recent year?

Less than $30,000

More than $30,000, but less than $50,000

More than $50,000, but less than $100,000

More than $100,000, but less than $250,000

More than $250,000, but less than $500,000

More than $500,000, but less than $1million

More than $1million, but less than $5 million

More than $5 million

17.In the next 12-24 months is this revenue likely to….?

Grow significantly

Grow steadily, but slowly

Remain stable/unchanged

Drop slightly

Drop significantly (e.g. if planning to close down the business/retire)

19.Have you considered using a tablet/iPad for the business?

20.Do you have access to the internet at your place of business?

No

Yes

21.When a new technology becomes available, which of the following statements best describes your typical behavior?

I am one of the first people to use the new technology

I use the new technology after a few others are using it

I use the new technology after most others are using it

22.Does your business have a website?

No, not something we feel we need

No, we are working on it

Yes

Business website url:

24.How interested are you in upgrading or replacing your current POS systems?

25.How interested are you in using a POS system for your business?

27.What is your role when it comes to handling business finances? What is your approach to running the business?

28.Which of the following best represents your level of education?

Thank you for taking the time to fill out our survey. A recruiter will call you to complete the screening process if your answers are a match to the study qualifications.

This is a legitimate paid market research study. To verify, go to our website: WWW.HAGENSINCLAIR.COM. If you want to receive personal invitations to future studies click the PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION LINK and sign up. We will contact you if a project arises that looks like a good fit for you. Thanks again!