RESEARCH LESSONS

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

1. THE CUSTOMER EXPECTS YOU TO DELIVER TO THE BRIEF!

Do not let your influence detract from what the client is trying to achieve and the insight the client is trying to access.

Once you have agreed the brief with the client you must stick to it.

You should reference the brief at every stage of the research process.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

2. THE CLIENT KNOWS MORE THAN YOU!

Your client will be presenting a specific brief about a small aspect of their market / strategy / customer base that they don’t understand or need clarity on. Your results will compliment their existing knowledge base.

Do not alienate the client by telling them they know nothing... even if that is what you know/think!

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

3. GOOD RESEARCH TAKES TIME

Try to be aware about how long a robust research project can take. If the client is looking for you to inform ONE PART of their marketing strategy, don’t propose you research their WHOLE marketing strategy.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

4. ENSURE YOU CAN BACK UP WHAT YOU ARE SAYING

If you can’t justify the statement, don’t say it and don’t tell your client to do it.

Your recommendations need to be rock solid and justifiable. People’s jobs rely on your statements and clients will not tolerate speculation.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

5. IT’S OK TO HAVE NO RECOMMENDATIONS

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’

Market researchers have a need to make recommendations when there might not be one to make.

It is perfectly acceptable to tell the client that they the research tells them they are doing a good job.

Sometimes that is what clients want to hear. Think about WHY the client is conducting the research.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

6. SPEED DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE QUALITY

Technology is revolutionising the market place but clients still expect high quality and robust information.

If you can’t collect the data and deliver insight in the client’s timescales then walk away.

If you are being forced to use a methodology that you don’t think will meet the brief then walk away.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

7. NO ONE CLIENT IS THE SAME

Ask yourself – ‘WHY are they commissioning this research?’

Consider how you present the results to the client e.g. Video

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

8. WE ARE ALL HUMAN

The client wants you to explain exactly how the consumer sits within the complex business, technological and social context that underpins their decision-making. BUT…

…people LIE, people ASPIRE to be something they are not, people are EMOTIONAL, people can be INFLUENCED etc. etc.

You need to account for this in your research design.

LESSONS FROM INDUSTRY

9. ALWAYS REFERENCE OTHER’S WORK

Trust is vitally important to the work we do. Our clients use the information we gather and insight we provide to make some BIG decisions.

If I don’t reference other people’s work, the trust that is so important in this relationship will be damaged.

FINAL THOUGHTS

THE ‘WHY’

‘Generating insight means focusing largely on answering the ‘why’ question... Data on ‘who, what, where, when and how many’, on the other hand, provides useful information on context’

Baker & Brass, 2003

LEARNING POINT

“Appreciate how your thoughts, beliefs, experiences and environment impact your approach to research.”

IF IT IS JUST YOUR OPINION, IT ISN’T RESEARCH!!