Just wondering how to get started doing market research--good sources, good tech, good panels, etc and what kind of budget does it take?

This depends on what kind of research you are looking to do, but here is a broad overview

Here is what you need to get started

1. Set clear research objectives

2. Small pilot study

3. Mix of qualitative/quantitative

4. Focus on one customer segment

Budget can look like so:

• Low ($0-5K): DIY tools, surveys, interviews

• Mid ($5-25K): Mixed methods, basic panels

• High ($25K+): Full-service research

Some Essential Tools:

• Surveys: SurveyMonkey/Typeform

• Interviews: Zoom + Otter.ai

• Analysis: Excel/Google Sheets

Qual Panels & Sources:

• Wynter

• Respondent.io

• UserInterviews.com

• Prolific (academic quality)

• Industry reports (Gartner, Forrester previews)

• Government databases

• Academic papers

• LinkedIn groups

• Reddit communities