Research is the blueprint for a relationship…and is seen as a cost… or worse a gift to marketers!

The year of new traditions! Fluid changes. We’ve all no doubt had moments that felt this, especially in the workplace. It seems like the office holiday party may be a thing of the past. The office itself might be a thing of the past for some businesses.

Another thing that’s changed a lot in the last few months? Consumer preferences. As consumer preferences change, we have to change our approach to consumer research.

Research is how Marketers learn to feel their customers

In the summer, it felt like many companies were trying to reset their understanding and seeking consumer research, typically quantitative to reach broad numbers. A survey was fielded, answers back and data crunched.

There is always a role for quantitative research, but the more studies I was involved with, through Clients the plainer it became that marketers needed to feel their consumers and this tool was coming up short. Breakthrough strategies will come through Marketers who can feel their consumers and that means good qualitative research is also important.

With quantitative research, we can only learn the answers to the questions we ask. We ask a question, and customers click a button or check a box that best represents their reply. They don’t tell us much more than that. Occasionally, we’ll give them the option to give us something more substantial. But that’s usually elaboration on the specific question we asked.

Good qualitative research puts the customer in the driver’s seat. Especially research that allows the consumer to subconsciously take us through their decision making journey naturally, prior to asking to direct questions. Those insights are far more valuable, especially in the era of COVID-19.

Lots of research options and data points but be careful…

One thing driving this change is the availability of software platforms and competitive research houses. And AI availability is changing the face of research. AI can analyze hundreds or thousands of hours of interviews and identify patterns. Insights coming from patterns is good. But…