The Search for Clarity: Balancing Perceptions with Concepts

A recent article by Itamar Simonson and Emanuel Rosen, reprinted in Quartz, makes the claim that market research can no longer predict what consumers will like. The authors point to a 2007 study in which 10,000 people worldwide were asked about portable digital devices—specifically, the yet-to-be-released iPhone. The study concluded that there was no true need in more developed nations like the United States, Germany, and Japan for one product that would replace existing digital cameras, cellphones, and mp3 players.

When asked to rate their agreement with the statement, “I like the idea of having one portable device to fulfill all my needs,” only 31 percent of those in the United States completely agreed, compared to 79 percent of those in Mexico. In theory, the study’s authors suggested, people in the United States would be much less excited about a phone that is also a camera and a music player.

Thankfully for Apple, this proved to be incorrect.

While the study and subsequent article focus on consumer research, it is possible to draw a parallel with predicting trends in business research. Simonson and Rosen introduce the idea of “O source” information, such as user reviews, expert opinions, and price comparison tools – “other” places one would look for information rather than what consumers have traditionally used – prior perceptions, beliefs, and experiences. It is difficult to conceptualize ideas if we have no concept of what they could be. It sounds like we’re talking in circles with that statement, but think of this: the bewilderment and cries of a young child while playing “peek-a-boo.” The child cannot see you and, therefore, truly believes you are gone. The child, at that stage of development, is incapable of perceiving the existence of something he or she cannot physically behold. This idea of perception versus reality, about which we have previously written, was the stumbling block in that 2007 market research study.

We’ve noted numerous times that market research cannot guarantee results, but that it can guarantee clarity. Asking the right questions—both initially and as follow-ups—is the key to eliciting meaningful information. But it doesn’t stop there. The way an interviewer frames a question is just as important as the question itself.

Imagine answering the following question: “How likely would you be to use one portable device to fulfill all your needs?”

Now imagine answering this question: “If there were a device that could store and play your music, take quality pictures, serve as a web browser, and still provide telephone capabilities, how likely would you be to use it?”

Chances are, you’d be more willing to provide an answer in the affirmative to the second question, likely because of the level of detail, albeit concise, and the theoretical picture it paints. Experienced survey designers and interviewers know how to balance the level of detail needed to accurately paint the conceptual/theoretical picture in the interviewee’s mind with time constraints of a telephone interview.

So while we are inclined to agree in principle with the notion that “market research can no longer predict what consumers will like,” we do so with a proverbial grain of salt: market research that asks incorrect or incomplete questions will certainly prove deficient in predicting trends, while the accurate framing of forward-looking questions will, at the very least, provide a degree of clarity in the otherwise murky waters of assessing a market opportunity.

If you would like to bring clarity to your market research, feel free to call us at 1-800-999-6615, email us at mail@tweedweber.com, and/or visit us online at www.tweedweber.com. Also, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn (Tweed-Weber, Inc.) and Twitter (@TweedWeber).

Secondary and Primary Research – What’s the difference?

Any individual or organization that requires any data or knowledge about themselves or their market will use some form of secondary or primary market research. Some of the main reasons to conduct market research are as follows:

• Identify industry trends (consolidation, GPOs, e-commerce)
• Identify market statistics (demographics, sales forecasts, industry stats)
• Identify market perceptions (receptivity to new products/services)
• Identify customer needs (wants, needs, expectations, opinions)
• Identify competitive landscapes (who else is out there?)
• Protect resources – time, money, energy
• Support the organization’s overall strategic plan

Secondary research lays the foundation for primary research. Simply put, secondary research is information/research that already exists somewhere in the marketplace that can be accessed with excellent “sniffing-around” skills. It is a great starting point for any business initiative pertaining to market research. Information can be free, or a fee is required from some information sources. Secondary research sources can include (just to name a few): 

• Internet
• Libraries 
• Local sources 
• Chambers of Commerce 
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) 
• U.S. Department of Commerce 
• Small Business Administration (SBA) 
• Trade and industry associations 
• Specialized market research firms
• Census Bureau 

Primary research fills in the gaps left behind by secondary research. It is tailored to a company’s particular needs, and by customizing tried-and-true methodologies, you can gain invaluable information about your customers and target markets. Primary research obtains information directly from the source and offers more specific results than secondary research. It also involves statistical methodologies via targeted sampling, and is typically more expensive than secondary research because of its customized nature. Primary research methods include (just to name a few): 

• Telephone interviews 
• Personal interviews 
• Focus groups 
• Internet surveys 
• Intercept surveys 
• Field tests

Both secondary and primary research are extremely important to an overall market assessment initiative. If you would like to learn more about how to utilize secondary and/or primary research to get the information you need, feel free to contact Tweed-Weber. We will help you Know More, so you can Do More. Call us toll-free at 1-800-999-6615, email us at

mail@tweedweber.com and/or visit us on the web at www.tweedweber.com. Also, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn (Tweed-Weber, Inc.) and Twitter (@TweedWeber)

Why do you need market research data?

It all depends on who you are.

In our business travels, many people ask us why they would need market data, and who within their organization would use research data in a way that is effective and actionable. In a nutshell, any individual or organization that requires any data or knowledge about themselves or their market will use some form of secondary or primary market research.

Secondary Research

Secondary research is based on information gleaned from studies previously performed by government agencies, chambers of commerce, trade associations and other organizations. It also includes Internet and database searches for information that currently exists in the market and is available for free access or purchase.

Primary Research

Primary research is tailored to a company’s particular needs. By customizing tried-and-true approaches (telephone interviews, focus groups, Internet surveys, field tests, etc.), you can gain invaluable information about your customers and target market. Primary research delivers more specific results than secondary research, which is an especially important consideration. In addition, primary research is usually based on statistical methodologies that involve a sampling of your target market.

It is important to remember that secondary research lays the groundwork and primary research fills in the gaps. Organizations that use both types of market research acquire a well-rounded view of their market and have the information they need to make important business decisions.

How research is used depends on your function or area of focus. The following are just a few examples of how different functions use research. The data that is being gathered can be tailored to a functional need, or broad information can be gathered that will benefit all functions at the same time.

Marketing Management

Research focus: All tactical and strategic marketing, segmentation, brand and product positioning decisions, marketing planning, forecasting, etc.

General Management

Research focus: Corporate and strategic plans, acquisitions and divestments, capital purchases, investments, etc.

Sales Management

Research focus: Understanding purchasing trends, competitors, pricing, customer needs/expectations, tactical sales plans, etc.

Customer Service Management

Research focus: Understand customer satisfaction, areas of strength/weakness, areas for improvement, incidental customer issues, CSR performance, etc.

Quality Management

Research focus: ISO/QS requirements for customer feedback, quality standards, quality specifications and adherence, etc.

Technology Management

Research focus: Technology trends and forecasting, technical specifications and features, user preferences/behavior, technologies to integrate/acquire (or get out of), etc.

Tweed-Weber’s research makes it easy to get the information you need to make important, strategic decisions with clarity and confidence. You call us toll-free at 1-800-999-6615, email us at mail@tweedweber.com and/or visit us on the web at www.tweedweber.com. Also, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn (Tweed-Weber, Inc.) and Twitter (@TweedWeber). Whether your research project is large or small, you can be assured that Tweed-Weber has the resources, skills and experience to provide the information and results you need.

The Numbers and the Words: Methodologies in Market Research

What research method is right for you? Quantitative research categorizes information collected through experimental means that is expressed and evaluated numerically. In other words, when asked to use a rating scale to evaluate factors such as employee satisfaction or one’s work environment, a survey participant is participating in quantitative research. Isabelle Albanese, in the May 2013 edition of Quirk’s Marketing Research Review (“Qual, meet quant,” pp. 70-74), sums up the benefits of quantitative research quite nicely: “[q]uantitative research does provide the date and data analysis to make marketing decisions with a comfortable degree of certainty.” Analysts are able to measure performance (and provide comparisons to a baseline if available) and, to a degree of certainty, offer clients the data necessary to make sound strategic decisions.

Qualitative research, by contrast, focuses on the significance of observations made in a study rather than the raw numbers themselves. A survey participant is part of qualitative research when he or she is asked a question such as “What is the main strength of XYZ Company?” Albanese notes the benefit of qualitative research as providing insight, understanding, truth, and inspiration. After all, perception is reality and reality is, well, truth.

Combining these two methodologies into a sort of “qual-quant” methodology has been a hallmark of Tweed-Weber’s research capabilities for the better part of two decades. This sort of cohesion can yield the deepest, richest, and most action-oriented results, speaking truth to numbers and backing up employees’, customers’, and the market’s perceptions with data. Adding a qualitative component to quantitative research, says Albanese, will reveal emotional connections and underlying motivations to the data and will put “emotion ‘meat’ on the rational ‘bones.’” Adding a quantitative component to qualitative research will help in validating and confirming insight on an emotional level and, ultimately, in providing confident recommendations.

The insights, understanding, truths, and inspiration we can glean from our clients’ employees, customers, and stakeholders is truly rewarding as we know that information, coupled with the hardened numerical data we will undoubtedly gather, can be used to truly make a difference in the organization’s, its employees’ and its customers’ lives. Whether it’s through telephone interviews, online survey instruments, or focus groups, Tweed-Weber’s trained researchers are able to build a nearly immediate rapport with our interview subjects and get them to think, “Someone actually cares enough to ask me what I think.”

Tweed-Weber has the track record to assist your organization with all research functions, both quantitative and qualitative. From marketing to sales, customer service to quality, research can be vital to every organization. Why? Every organization, whether for-profit or nonprofit, is interested one of, or a combination of, three things: profit, revenue, and strategic improvements. Any organization that requires any data or knowledge about themselves or their market will use some form of qualitative, quantitative, or qual-quant market research.

If you find yourself questioning what your employees, customers, or stakeholders are thinking, contact us today to learn more. Our office is centrally located in Reading, PA, just about an hour northwest of Philadelphia. Call us toll-free at 1-800-999-6615, visit us on the web at www.tweedweber.com, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn (Tweed-Weber, Inc.) and Twitter (@TweedWeber).