Posts Tagged Qualitative
Renovating Tradition
Posted by Leigh in Case Studies, Marketing Chatter on October 14th, 2010
During consumer interviews last week it occurred to me that consumer researchers are have become pigeon-holed by traditional methodologies and techniques. So many times we rely on and default to what has always worked before. But is it really ‘working’ anymore? Are we thrusting forward or are we simply going through the motions?
Maybe part of the problem is that a path of predictability has been over the years in research: Take, for example, online surveys. Consumers have become so familiar with this classic method, that they know what to expect and how to answer. I realized this when I was using VS Research creative questioning techniques to get one consumer to think outside the box on how the package was ‘speaking’ to her and she replies: “Are you just trying to ask me if this appeals to me or if I would buy this?” – as if it would be simpler to just cut to the chase and ask the question flat out. I was amazed. Immediately it was clear to me how more there is to consider when asking questions, especially when asking them online. The consumer has become ‘trained’ by old-school methods and they are falling back on those experiences. Even the context of a simply ‘taking an online survey’ can shift how consumers might go about answering those questions.
So what does this mean? It means it’s time to break the mold, to create new ideas and come up with new methods through renovating techniques , and crafting new VS Research methodologies that add a twist to classic methods.
“The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out. Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” (Dee Hock, founder, president, CEO, VISA International)
Talk Research
Posted by VS in Marketing Chatter on January 8th, 2010
Love your consumer – so let them talk.
I really love every consumer that I speak to (whether directly in qualitative or in listening to them through our Qquant quantitative process). Every consumer is giving their time and their opinion and the more we respect the consumer, the more they will open up and help us understand who they are, what makes them tick, why they do the things they do and why they buy the things they buy.
When a consumer enters the research experience, they want to talk – but really what they want to do is tell us about themselves. They want to inform you about how they think and feel.
Even when focusing on the task at hand (the brand’s objective), engaging the consumer is still all about understanding them and how they respond to a product, brand, concept, packaging. It’s all about what it means to them – so the more we understand them, the more we can understand why they respond the way they do.
It is not enough to include the word ‘you’ in a question and think that represents inclusion. ‘What do you think about this’ is simply a question of fact. It does not deliver a perspective on the consumer; it has not necessarily engaged them.
The consumer may tell you what they think, but at this point they may have already stepped outside of themselves – they could be in the zone where they are answering the question as ‘general public’ and not themselves. I find that many times an initial response is often a rote response either based on what is expected or what is presumed to be a right answer but is not always true to what the consumer really thinks
I know this because when I follow-up with questions that are relevant to them, an initial response can change. Simple follow-up questions help clarify commitment and can be highly revealing.
Does this work for you?
Do you care?
What does it offer you?
Try it and let me know what you find.