Author : Tom Dougherty
A sovereign's first duty is doubtless to conform with the wishes of the people; but what the people say is scarcely ever what they wish: their desires and their wants cannot be learned from their own mouths so well as they are to be read in the heart of their prince." -Napoleon BonaparteAt Stealing Share™, we insist on conducting primary research for our clients because
we understand the brand value of the nuances within the market place when
developing brand strategies. We have yet to encounter a client with existing
research worth the paper upon which it is printed. Research, as currently practiced,
is stagnant, describing the market as it currently is, finding solutions and ideas that
are already currently known. In turn, profitable revelations rendered from current
research processes are few and far between. Failure resides not in the methodology,
but in the process leading to the research study.When research studies depend solely upon the focus group process, failure is
imminent. Marketers use focus groups as means to cover their butts in case of the
unexpected negative result. Focus groups are comparable to hand towels with
regard to coverage, functional after dinner, but utterly futile after a long shower.
Research should prove projectable, and focus groups most certainly are not. Neither
positive response nor negative response from focus groups is reliable. Within one
focus group, there will be a wide spectrum of responses ranging from positive to
negative and everything in between.Many ideas are hailed because the focus group approves of them or disregards
them immediately, because the group gave it a thumbs down. Napoleon concludes,
"Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide."
With focus groups, a scapegoat is produced and marketers feel a false sense of
security when in reality, rock, paper, scissors would be equally effective.Qualitative data via one-on-one studies is the most beneficial acquisition and even
that data should only be utilized as preliminary direction for the quantitative
research. Quantitative data is the main course and yet rarely makes it out of the
oven and onto the table. We conduct this research about a third of the way through
the project. Preceding work, which considers the consumer above all else, indicates
the effectiveness and value of the research immediately following.Beliefs direct human behavior, and we insist on the completion of behavior
modeling before conducting any research. The modeling projects preceptive beliefs
that affect brand purchases, trial, and loyalty. Only after we recognize these
possibilities do we embark upon the research questionnaire. We look to discover
what "can be" or "should be" in addition to what IS. Most research acts as a snapshot
of the existing market when the real value of research lies in the testing of
possibilities. A few basic precepts we use when organizing research are: 1) Don't
ask questions to which you know the answer. 2) Before you ask a question, ask
yourself what you can achieve from the answer. If it is not actionable, do not bother
asking. 3) When you test the value of precepts, test the level of importance (i.e.
using a 1-5 scale). 4) Never conduct research until after you establish direction and
strategy. Test these plans.For example, one client conducted research for years with studies asking the
customer what they considered important and why they considered it important.
They also tested the standard awareness issues that have become quite
commonplace. The customer responded unaided, to open-ended questions. Safety,
convenience and price were important factors. Consequently, the brand and
marketing strategy was built around these obvious concepts. The problem arose in
that these are consistent category descriptors, and no one, regardless of the brand,
accepts a product into their considered set if it is not perceived to be safe,
convenient, and properly priced.Our behavior modeling in this case proposed that ownership and familiarity with the
purchase process were both crucial barriers to overcome. Addressing the deficit of
"ownership" in the marketing directly increased sales, thus growing market share.
The study demonstrates the importance of using research to test ideas rather than
to direct them. The concept of ownership seemed "silly" to the customer, and even
though it affected behavior, he did not admit it until asked. Ownership had NEVER
appeared in previous studies.When looking to build a brand that steals market share and changes behavior it is
imperative to challenge everything and observe the problem dispassionately.
Research is a crucial element of the brand development model, and yet most of the
existing research is worthless and tainted with bias before it even has a chance to
use its legs. Great research is revealing, connecting the brand to significant
consumer beliefs. This connection, however, does not happen by chance. It requires
understanding consumer beliefs and testing them. In other words, "A marketer's
first duty is doubtless to conform with the wishes of the customer; but what the
customers say is scarcely ever what they wish: their desires and their wants cannot
be learned from their own mouths so well as they are to be read in the heart of the
strategist."Tom Dougherty
CEO, Senior Strategist at Stealing Share, Inc. Tom began his strategic
marketing and branding career in Saudi Arabia working for the internationally
acclaimed Saatchi & Saatchi. His brand manager at the time referred to Tom
as a "marketing genius," and Tom demonstrated his talents to clients such as
Ariel detergent, Pampers and many other brands throughout the Middle East
and Northern Africa. After his time overseas, Tom returned to the US where
he worked for brand agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
He continued to prove himself as a unique and strategic brand builder for
global companies. Tom has led efforts for brands such as Procter & Gamble,
Kimberly Clark, Fairmont Hotels, Coldwell Banker, Homewood Suites (of
Hilton), Tetley Tea, Lexus, Sovereign Bank, and McCormick to name a few.
Keyword : Market Research, marketing, Branding, brand Strategy
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