Tools and methodologies: How will you go about your research?
There’s no such thing as a wrong answer. Just the wrong question.
So it pays to ask the right questions to the right people, at the right time.
Run brand and marketing surveys
Track your brand health
Get regular check-ups to find out what people think about your brand and products, and what you need to do to shape up.
Track your brand health continuously, weekly or in waves, using online surveys, comment cards and exit polls.
Put your ads to the test
Run focus groups and surveys to understand the power of your ad before it airs, or even while it’s still an idea on a storyboard.
Will your audience remember it? Will they get it? Will they buy your product? And how do your ads compare to other ads in your sector?
Segment and target
Meet your potential core customers by sorting them by traits like: how they think, what they buy, how they choose, how loyal they are, and what they spend.
Then run better campaigns that speak to the people that count.
Track your ad campaigns
Know if your TV, print and online ad campaigns are working. Have the right people seen them? How do they feel about your brand now? And will they buy your products?
Track your ads continuously, weekly or in waves, using surveys and focus groups.
Find out your Net Promoter Score
Will your customers recommend your products to their friends?
Find out on a scale of -100 to 100.
See how campaigns, improvements and new products change your score. And link to revenue growth to help reporting and planning.
Collect event feedback
Get feedback to find out if your event was everything people expected. What did they find useful? Would they like to hear more from you? Has it made them more likely to buy your products or services?
Use the feedback to show a return on investment or improve your next event.
Design better products
Map the market
Learn what customers want, who they’re already getting it from, how you can do it better and the size of the opportunity.
Map your position in your target markets to decide where you can take your brand and products next.
Choose the right packaging
It’s critical to make sure your packaging matches your product.
Does it fit with your brand promise? Do the graphics and instructions make sense?
Test your packaging concepts and prototypes early on. Or put prototypes through their paces before you start in-home user testing (iHUT) and volume planning.
Name your price
How much would people be willing to spend on a product? At what price will they stop seeing it as good value?
Play with different prices to find out how price is likely to affect volume and profit.
Test product and marketing concepts
Don’t waste time on lame ducks. Find out which flavor, packaging, advert or webpage is worth developing further. Compare ideas to understand their strengths and weaknesses, then refine and take the best one to market.
Choose the best name
A name can make or break a new brand or product. Test which names and claims appeal to people, and which fit best with your brand values and product range.
Test your products and services
Whether you’re innovating or renovating, the only way to find out if
something works is to test it. Can people find the On button? Are
your jars easy to open? Do people find what they need on your
website?
Put your products in the hands of target users and see how they
get on.
Ask customers about their experiences
Know your shopper journeys
What makes people buy? How do they decide? And what channels do they use along the way?
Understand the journey people take from first hearing about your brand or product to becoming a loyal customer.
Start a Voice of the Customer
(VOC) program
Give your customers a voice. Did they have a problem shopping in store? Are they satisfied with your products? Is your website easy to use?
Speak to them online or by phone, deal with any issues quickly, and use the feedback to improve your customers’ experience.
Talk to your website users
Put surveys on your website to find out more about users, test
product ideas, or ask for feedback.
Understand your users’ experience
Find out what your online users want and need from you. Set tasks and watch how they move around your website and apps.
Use their behaviour and feedback to help you design and improve a better digital experience.
Find out how and why people use
your products
Find out how, when and why people use your products or services.
And if they don’t, why not?
Spot patterns and changes over time, or segment consumers for new campaigns and products.
Learn from your employees
Ask your employees
Show your employees you value their opinions. Send an online survey asking how much they enjoy working for you, how motivated they are, or to test new ideas.
Take your company’s Pulse regularly
Send Pulse surveys to check in with employees regularly. How do they feel about recent changes? Has training helped them? Is a new project going well?
Use what you learn to react faster to problems and predict things like employee turnover, customer experience and revenues.
Set 360-degree employee reviews
Run more useful reviews by giving people the chance to give feedback on each other and the company. Tailor for each employee or team, and connect to their objectives.
You can link the results to revenues, company goals, and staff turnover for a 360-degree view of how the company is doing.