(Sample) Size Matters. But, Maybe Not as Much as You Think (Part 3)

Part 3: Three Times When a Bigger Sample Size Is a Better Option

In Part 2 of this series, three specific examples of when having a smaller sample size would still give great results were explained. While having a big sample size is not always as necessary as initially thought, there are definitely advantages when you have the ability to leverage a larger pool of respondents.

A larger sample size often provides a more accurate depiction of your audience, particularly when you need to generalize to a much larger universe. It also helps identify outliers that may skew the data in research where you have a smaller sample size by necessity.

When Your Focus is on Quantitative Research

One area where sample size truly matters is quantitative research. When conducting it, the goal is usually to generalize findings from a representative sample to a larger population. The accuracy of the study is directly tied to both how large your sample is and how representative it is of your entire audience.

• If your sample size is too small, you may not gather enough data to support or rebuke your hypotheses.
• Even if your sample size is large enough, if it draws disproportionately from one demographic, you won't be able to generalize the results to a more diverse set of customers.

When Time is on Your Side

If you aren't feeling pressed for time and in desperate need for insights, use it to your advantage and gather a larger pool of respondents. Bigger sample sizes reduce margins of error and make your research more accurate. When you have the luxury of time, you can get the dual benefit of focusing on quality and quantity.

When Your Customers Are Relatively Unknown

Having a limited idea of who your audience is and how they behave is one instance where you can benefit from a larger sample size. If you choose too small of a sample, it might not be representative of the larger group. In the absence of deep prior knowledge of your audience, too small a sample could lead you to generalize findings that a larger study would show are merely outliers.

With this in mind, it's often important to make your first studies larger and then, once you've got a better understanding of your audience, follow up with smaller studies that cover more specific topics.