Understanding your current, potential and lost customers’ real wants and needs are absolutely critical to developing an effective marketing strategy. Whyology utilizes data analysis and quantitative, qualitative and ethnographic research to identify the ones that can impact your business most.
Quantitative research such as online surveys and controlled testing and field trials (A/B testing, test markets, creative pre-testing and analysis of primary and secondary data) provide measurable, statistically relevant data from the marketplace. Generally speaking, quantitative research allows us to speak to a large number of people, in a relatively short timeframe cost effectively.
Qualitative research provides insight into the emotional reasons people engage with a brand. Focus groups, one-on-one interviews, phone surveys, triads and ethnography are qualitative tactics we utilize to get at the why’s and what’s and emotional hot buttons that drive behavior.
To get the best understanding possible we like to use both on three types of customers:
- Current customers
- Customers who have left you for a competitor
- Potential customers
You should seriously consider Consumer Research if you don’t know the answers to these questions:
- Who are your customer personas?
- Of these, who’s most likely to purchase your product? Why?
- Which group represents the greatest and easiest opportunity for growth?
- How does each persona perceive you? Your competition?
- What are their biggest barriers to purchase?
- If your company didn’t exist, which competitors would your customers choose?
- What benefits resonate most with each group? What doesn’t?
- What are their true wants and needs?
- What do they see as your competitors’ biggest strengths & weaknesses?
- How did they learn about you? Your competitors?
- What competitors are in their consideration set?
- Would they recommend you? Would they recommend your competitor?
- What are the best media channels to reach them?
- Paid - magazine/newspaper print, radio, online banners or any other media advertisers must pay for to appear in or on
- Earned – news articles, blogs, shared videos or messages that your customers and other third-parties create or pass along to their networks of friends, families, followers and subscribers
- Owned – any media you actually own that touches your customers: your website, email list, social media sites, apps, uniforms, vehicles, building exteriors, retail space, etc.