What reserach reveals
"People will do anything for those who
encourage their dreams, justify their failures,
allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and
help them throw rocks at their enemies."
~ B. A. Warren
Research reveals what your customers want and why they want it. A thoughtful review of your research should show you what you need to do to win their business.
Thirteen Key Points
The knowledge and insight that you gain through research is invaluable.
Know Your Customers
What you want is the kind of knowledge that goes beyond demographics. Age, income and buying habits are just the beginning. You want to know what your customers are doing, reading, wearing, watching and listening to. From their actions, you can begin to assess their thinking.
Measure and assess your standing among consumers.
This is taking stock of your present positioning. What do your customers think of what you sell? What formed their opinions?
Estimate your sales, costs and profits.
Know what's going out and what's coming in now. This will give you a context with which to compare the results of the next phase. Always set up campaigns so that you can track results. This will tell you exactly what's working.
Test a conceptual product.
Identify your strengths and then test a conceptual product in a new market whose attributes you have codified. This will allow the test campaign to serve as a model for future reference.
Test consumer reaction to products.
You want to know what your customers are thinking. If you give your market the chance and an easy way to do it, they will tell you. This is near-priceless information that you can use in many ways.
Determine your offer's positioning.
Will you deliver offline or online or both? You need to determine what's best for your company. There are multiple vehicles for markets. Know them.
Define your target audience.
Who is your primary audience? Who is your secondary audience? Are you aiming for working mothers? Alternative-minded consumers? Discerning executives? Savvy housewives? Young couples? Wizened retirees?
Be careful not to waste your sales message by casting too wide a net. A general sales message is not effective. You have a target market. Call out to it.
Consider an extension of a successful product.
Pay attention to what's working and understand why it's working. Is there a way to extend this offering? Will it build market share? Is it worth a try?
Determine your most effective sales device.
Surveys are an attractive, hassle-free feedback device. Use them with each test or campaign. This way, your customers do this most important piece of work at little or no cost to you.
Select the promise to use in your sales message.
Your sales promise must speak to the needs of your customers. And the bigger, the better. Selecting the best promise means thinking like an analyst and empathizing like an advocate.
Test bonus offers.
Bonus offers are like icing on the cake for your customers. It affirms their consideration of a purchase before the fact and then confirms the purchase after the fact. It also prepares the way for future prospecting by capturing their contact information.
Suggest the shelf life of both the product and the campaign.
By this time, research results may indicate the longevity of the current campaign as well as the next steps. You don't want to leave your product on the shelf too long or take it off too soon.
Settle arguments and resolve confusion.
Identify and remedy any and all flaws in your offering. Evaluate every aspect of the sales message and the buying experience. Don't overlook research, customer service and distribution.
Research results will help clarify and focus your effort, which will save you time, money and stress.