How to reduce no-shows with research participants
By Andrew Littlefield●4 min. read●Jun 25, 2025
No-shows are bound to happen. In dating, it’s awkward. In research, it’s expensive.
You line everything up: participants, stakeholders, moderators, incentives. And then the session time arrives, and half your participants are missing. Budgets take a hit. Timelines shift. Teams scramble.
It’s frustrating, but it’s also preventable. Reducing no-shows isn’t just about sending reminders and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding why people don't show up, addressing those barriers before they become problems, and building a strategy that sets participants up to follow through.
Here’s what seasoned researchers recommend to keep your attendance rates strong and your studies on track.
Why participant no-shows hurt research outcomes
Recruiting participants is hard. You’re investing time and budget into outreach, screening, scheduling, and incentives. You might be paying for LinkedIn InMail, tapping databases, or running targeted ads — whatever it takes to get the right people in the room.
And it’s not research for research’s sake. These interviews and surveys are feeding insights to teams making real business decisions.
In a 2022 survey of over 400 business leaders by Hanover Research, a remarkable 91% said that market research data increased their sales. That’s a massive boost to the bottom line that can’t be ignored. It's clear that participant recruitment and follow-up deserve a thoughtful, systematic approach.
When participants don’t show, it throws a wrench in all of it. Timelines slip. Costs climb. And the quality of your insights takes a hit.
Common reasons participants don’t show up
There are a thousand reasons why a participant may ghost your research interview. Perhaps they simply forgot, or had a family emergency. Maybe they changed their mind and decided talking to a market researcher for an hour wasn’t as exciting as it originally seemed.
More nefariously, maybe they gamed your incentive system and never planned on participating in the first place.
“Sometimes people get busy and forget, or they weren’t that invested to begin with,” says Ben Funk, a veteran of B2B growth and research. “Maybe they didn’t understand the value, or they signed up because of the incentive but didn’t really want to show up.”
How to reduce no-shows in research studies
Alright, you get it. No-shows = bad. You’re never going to completely eliminate research participant no-shows, but we can certainly reduce the number with some process and preparation.
Start with better participant screening
Learn to sniff out a potential no-show in the screening process.
“High-quality research participants articulate, they ask smart questions, and their answers reflect real-world experience,” says Funk. “Bonus points if they follow up on logistics themselves. It means they’re taking it seriously.”
Watch out for vague responses or participants who seem to only offer what sounds like the “right answer.” You can help avoid this issue by better structuring your screening questions.
Pro tip: Avoid yes or no questions and ask people to describe their experience or background.
Avoid leading language or buzzwords they can easily parrot back, and consider including close-but-wrong options to weed out bad fits.
Ben Funk, a veteran of B2B growth and research
Use reminders that respect participants’ time
No one likes their inbox being spammed, and consequently, this could increase your no-show rate by annoying or scaring off your participants. Reminders are important, but don’t go overboard. Make sure each reminder email has all the information participants need in one clear, easy-to-scan format.
Test these emails thoroughly. Check every link (twice, for best results) — it’s worth spending the extra time on this step.
“Broken links, calendar confusion (wrong time zones), or not sending a confirmation/reminder email with everything in one place are all avoidable mistakes,” warns Funk. “Also, tell participants how to label themselves on Zoom so you know who’s who.”
Make participation easy and accessible
Think like your participants, not like a researcher. What feels seamless to them? What creates friction?
This isn’t the time to optimize for your own convenience. Use the communication channels your audience actually responds to, even if they’re not your favorite. For older participants, that might mean phone calls instead of emails. You might need to switch video platforms or adjust your usual process. That’s okay. Meet them where they are.
Respect their time, too. People are fitting this in between meetings, childcare, errands, and everything in between. Offer flexible scheduling — early mornings, evenings, weekends if needed. And avoid booking too far out. Long lead times often turn into forgotten commitments and no-shows.
Offer compelling, timely incentives
Sure, you might find the occasional research enthusiast who’s in it for fun, but most participants need a reason to show up. That reason is money (or gift cards).
Having a clear, fast, and organized incentive process isn’t just logistics — it’s how you build trust. “Never make participants chase you for payment,” says Funk. “Pay fast.”
Slow payouts send the wrong message. Participants may have completed the session, but their experience doesn’t end there. Delays erode trust and damage your reputation. On the flip side, prompt, seamless rewards make it more likely they’ll refer others and return for future studies.
Treat them well now, and your future recruitment will thank you.
Make sure you're benchmarking your incentives correctly. Often, setting incentives too high can backfire. “If you offer $300 for a 30-min call, you’ll attract the wrong people. They’ll sign up just for the money and ghost without hesitation.”
How Tremendous helps researchers reduce no-shows
Incentives matter, but only if they’re fast, fair, and easy. That’s where Tremendous shines.
Tremendous lets you send rewards instantly via email or text, in formats participants actually want, like cash, gift cards, prepaid Visa, or even donations. Their research incentive calculator helps you offer fair compensation, which directly boosts attendance.
It’s built for scale, too. You can bulk-send rewards, track payouts, and automate the process so nothing slips through the cracks. Plus, top-notch fraud protection tools help keep your data clean.
When participants know they’ll be compensated quickly and conveniently, they’re much more likely to show up. Tremendous helps make that happen.
Key Takeaways
Reducing no-shows starts with solid groundwork to set yourself up for success. Spend time and be thorough in your screening process. Test (and retest) your reminder emails. Meet participants where they are.
“A well-oiled research process has clear, participant-friendly screening, timely outreach with a compelling reason to join, fast scheduling with reminders, transparent incentives (paid promptly), and a dedicated point of contact if issues come up,” says Funk. “And don’t forget a sincere thank-you follow-up. It builds goodwill for next time.”
