Sampling plays a critical role in the research process. By definition, it’s the process of selecting group(s) that you will collect data from. If a sample isn’t representative and equitable, the research will be inaccurate and pretty much useless.
In fact, choosing the wrong sample can do a lot of harm. As a business, you’ll end up making decisions that adversely affect your brand identity and sales. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the most effective sampling methods for multicultural audiences. We’ll also help you understand how to perform ethnic market research in 2023.
Keep reading.
1. Stratified Sampling
Stratified sampling is the most effective sampling technique that captures characteristics from the sample that are proportional to the entire sample population. The population is broken down into subgroups (also known as “strata”) that share similar characteristics. For instance, participants may be stratified based on race, gender, ethnicity, economic standing, and so on.
Stratified sampling achieves the most precise and accurate results possible. The focus is on all the subgroups. As a result, the results are highly representative. There is one caveat. In some cases, researchers can’t possibly identify each member of the population, which makes stratified sampling unusable.
Recommended Read: Multicultural vs. Inclusive Marketing—Learn the Difference
2. Cluster Sampling
Cluster sampling entails the division of the target population into clusters representing a population. The clusters are decided based on identity markers like sex, race, age, ethnicity, etc. Instead of individual participants, clusters (subgroups) are used.
In single-stage cluster sampling, all participants from the selected clusters are included. In two-stage cluster sampling, there is one more step: a portion of participants from each cluster is randomly chosen.
3. Systematic Sampling
While not as effective as stratified and cluster sampling, systematic sampling is still used in ethnic research. Participants are chosen at regular intervals from the sampling frame. For instance, the researcher will select every 10th person and so on. The risk of data manipulation is lowered. Compared to random sampling, systematic sampling generates data that is significantly more representative.
It’s important to note that there’s a risk of over-representing or under-representing certain patterns. If patterns are present, this sampling technique should be avoided. Otherwise, systematic sampling is simple and reassures researchers that the population will be evenly sampled.
If you’re looking for a reputable multicultural market research agency, Ethnotics should be your first stop. We research ethnic communities to help clients develop a nuanced understanding of their target audience and devise marketing and advertising strategies that resonate with them.
At Ethnotics, we perform qualitative and quantitative ethnic research to help you develop a good grasp of your audience. Contact our multicultural market research experts today. For more insight, explore our story. If you have further questions about sampling for multicultural market research, we’d be more than happy to help.
