GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT: A how-to guide for meaningful audience analysis research
Hailee Tavoian, Associate Director of StrategyKailee Slusser, Designer and Visual Brand ManagerOhio University Advancement Communication &
Marketing
Ohio University230,000 LIVING ALUMNI29,000 ENROLLMENT
OHIO Alumni AssociationNON‐DUES BASED
26 Chapters | 19 Societies350+ Volunteers
PROBLEMS• The dreaded ROI• Unclear expectations from
leadership• Unclear audience needs• Inconsistency• Reactionary marketing• Blasting vs. Strategizing
Deep‐dive into audience needs and behaviors to align our goals/measurement tools with data that matters to
both parties.
SOLUTION
START WITH WHY
“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
‐‐Simon SinekStart with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Understanding your audience
“We love the brands we love because they ‘get us’.”‐Chris Hogan
The RULES:1. It’s not about you2. Seriously, it’s not about you
• Research goals vs. organizational goals
• Listening vs. projecting• Check emotions at the door• Remember that you are asking
for the feedback‐‐be prepared for hard truths
OUR CASE STUDY: THE BOBCAT STORE
Overview…
Association’s online retailerVariety of apparel, affinity items, jewelry, etc.
Marketing resources:Opt‐in listLimited access to all alumni listLimited access to social media audienceTarget adsAd placement in institution/athletics publicationsLimited resources devoted to print
Pre‐Preparation & Research Questions
• RQ1—How are customers currently using the website? Is it meeting their needs?
• RQ2—How are customers finding the Store, and what motivates them to purchase?
• RQ3—What are customer impressions of the Store from a visual perspective?
• RQ4—What are customer impressions of product offerings and price points?
Example
• Start with WHY: What is it you really want to know?
• Narrow your audience as much as possible
• Meet with stakeholders to get buy‐in & secure accountability
• Identify best methods for data collection
• Take time to dig through what you already know (don’t waste your audience’s time asking questions you can answer for yourself)
• Make sure your RQs are measureable and narrow
• Iron out a realistic timeline
Data Inventory
• Competitor (retail) audit• Peer (institution) audit• Customer demographics• Sales history/trends• Website analytics• Marketing analytics
In‐Depth Interviews
• Asses demographic range• Asses engagement range• Pull lists and identify top options• Contact 2x the subjects you need and provide time slots
• Offer incentive if appropriate
Choosing your interviewees
In‐Depth Interviews
• Categories should be consistent with research questions
• Questions should be open‐ended and not leading
• Interviewers should be consistent and unbiased (as much as possible)
Preparation and Interview
In‐Depth Interviews
• Transcribe all interviews and highlight for:• Statements of impact• Common themes
• Review as a group to break into initial themes
• Use insights to inform survey• Don’t forget to deliver on incentives asap after interview
Compiling/Analyzing Results
Survey• Questions should cover:
• Demographics• Needs/wants• Marketing preferences
• Survey should be as brief as possible
• Offer incentives• Pressure on subject line• Segment by channel:
• Duplicate survey and share unique links on each platform
Internal AudienceExternal Audience
Preliminary Findings Discussion/Report
• Review goals of the project• Present findings for
• Data inventory (lit review)• Method of data collection• Qualitative/quantitative analysis
• Pull out common themes• Discuss reasonable solutions• Prepare thorough final report for leadership
Next Steps:• Present to team• Set up tools to
collect meaningful metrics going forward
Brand Development& Content Marketing
Strategy
Use data to segment audience and tailor to
their needs
QUESTIONS?
Hailee Tavoian, Associate Director of StrategyKailee Slusser, Designer and Visual Brand Manager
Ohio University Advancement Communication & Marketing
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