It’s pretty amazing how the majority of market strategy is crafted without ever even taking on the voice of the customer. You know the drill . . . content and tactics that reek of executive team service messages, but are void of the customer’s voice. Filled with what your own team wants to hear rather than what will actually make a customer listen.
Too many marketing and sales departments think they know their customers. They jump right into marketing investments and end up facing a fate of a slow death atop a hill of assumptions.
The solution starts with two things: Shut up. And listen.
Ensure you know the real conversations your target audiences are having when they’re making a purchase decision and what perceptions and actions led them to their intent to purchase. Understanding an audiences’ intent to purchase and what got them there should be the driving force in how you develop your marketing strategy.
How do you do this? Market research.
Annual surveys, focus groups and customer panels offer you the ability to gain surprising insights that lead you to unique market opportunities and breakthrough messages. Listening to your audience can also help you avoid unforeseen issues or determine what message to hammer home in your next campaign.
We conduct research efforts for our clients each year, covering user habits, psycho-demographics, lifestyle, perception and needs assessments, all to help see our clients’ world through the eyes of their audience.
Discoveries can be as boldly simple as determining the client’s message is too complicated. Or the audience doesn’t care about what you’re trying to sell them and you have to make an immediate market pivot to create new selling points. Even pinpointing new unique market opportunities that were right under your nose but were overlooked.
Our experience includes conducting market research for a variety of categories, including consumer-packaged goods, tourism and travel, mock trials, new brand and product testing, market opportunity and more.
If you’re strategizing to support your new sales goals, start your plan with listening to your audience rather than investing in a plan based on assumptions.
Want more information on focus groups, surveys or customer panels?
Talk to Gavin. We’ve conducted focus groups and market research in the York, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Baltimore and Philadelphia regions.
