"Do you know what your customers want? Unless you've asked them, how can you be sure you do? The best way to find out what people think is to conduct research, but some businesses either don't see the value in it or think they can't afford it. They are wrong on both counts.
Research is an important part of any business strategy and is invaluable in public relations and marketing campaigns. It provides accurate data about what people know about your organization, their opinions of it, and how you could improve. It helps businesses set priorities, refine messages and have a competitive advantage. Research also is a good public relations tool because it lets customers know you value their opinions.
Research can be broken into two main categories — qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research includes focus groups and interviews, while quantitative is more precise and would include phone and mail surveys.
As for the cost, that really depends on what methodologies you choose. There are several inexpensive ways to gather information on your own, such as customer comment cards, written surveys distributed at civic or community group meetings and do-it-yourself online surveys. One good example of such an online survey service is Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com). For as little as $19.95 a month, you can set up customized surveys, e-mail a link to prospective respondents and check the results as often as you want, because Survey Monkey does the tabulations for you. The company offers even more bells and whistles if you're willing to spend a little more.
For people who aren't adventurous enough to go it alone or don't have a customer e-mail list in place, there are several local research companies that can help.
Market Points, established in 2001 by Jessica Ensor, has worked mainly with large clients of other research firms by helping them conduct online research. Ensor wants to bring that experience to local businesses.
"It's important that businesses give customers what they want, not what you think they want," Ensor said. "That's what research can help a business do."
Ensor said her focus and passion is on small businesses and that her company can work with small budgets. She said online research has limitations, but it also has a lot of applications. If a business wants to do online research but doesn't have a customer e-mail list, Market Points can help develop one. They also can help set up surveys on your Web site.
Ensor said the best way to get started is to think about what you would ask customers if you could sit down and talk with them one-on-one.
"It will save a business money in the long run if they do research first," she said. "I recommend taking some of the marketing budget and investing in research."
Martha DeReamer, owner of The Matrix Group, agrees.
"How could a business afford not to do research?' she said. "How do they know their money is being spent in the best way?"
DeReamer said businesses can spend hundred of dollars a month, versus thousands, on research. Then at the end of the year, they have cumulative data that can be tracked year to year.
"The main advantage is that your information is factual, not just instinct," she said.
DeReamer, who started The Matrix Group 20 years ago, has seen more clients turning to qualitative research. Her theory is that businesses have become savvier by targeting narrower, niche markets.
"Some people still think everyone is a potential customer," she said. "But a lot of our clients have refined their target markets."
DeReamer said most companies invest in research when they have a new service or product to offer or there's a major change in the business.
"The market is always changing, and it's good to take the temperature of it before moving forward," she said.
Wiser, Hemlepp & Associates, of which I'm a partner, conducts research for a wide variety of organizations. One methodology our clients frequently request is focus groups. This is one of the best ways to dig into what people really think. Although it's not as precise as a phone or written survey, it is more in depth. Some organizations use it after doing quantitative research to find out why people answered the way they did. Others use it solely to find out why customers make the choices they make or to test a product, service or ad campaign.
Dr. Frank Luntz, in his book "Words that Work," said focus groups are sometimes maligned and do have some limitations. As a big believer in focus groups, he also said "a well-run focus group is the most honest of all research techniques because it involves candid commentary and all of the uncensored intensity that real people can muster."
There are many good ways to find out what your customers want. All have positive aspects and limitations. The best approach is to consult a professional to discuss what you want to learn, determine which method is best and see how it fits within your marketing budget. Research is an investment that can pay big dividends.
Mary Hemlepp, APR, is a principal of Wiser, Hemlepp & Associates, a public relations, marketing and research firm based in Lexington.
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