Do you have a client that talks about doing consumer research inside their business? Or do you want to do research on your clients or industry sectors but are afraid of the price tag? An article from Dianne Admire in MediaPosts Marketing Daily entitled Consumer Insights That Don't Cost Much may be just the ticket for your research solutions....
"Chat up your sales force.
Sales people are built-in customer feedback receptors, and they're already on the payroll. They hold a wealth of up-to-the-minute customer knowledge because they talk to prospects and customers all day long. They feel the pain of purchase barriers and know how to jump those hurdles. They understand how marketing conditions the prospect for the sale - how it helps and how it hurts. And they typically have some great ideas on how to move the prospect down the path to purchase."
I really like the idea of involving the sales staff as they are already interacting with the customer, you can accomplish this research with a post-visit form that they fill out for each customer with key questions they ask of each customer during the visit. When is the best time to ask the questions or gather information?....
"Interrupt them.
The point of sale is often the best time to get insight about what drives consumer behavior. The types of questions to ask can be relatively simple such as: why did you decide to purchase from our company? Why today? What other brands did you consider? How long did you think about this purchase before today?
Maybe even more important is asking questions of prospects who didn't purchase: Why didn't you purchase today? What other brands are you considering? What could we do to cause you to purchase today?"
The third suggestion requires they have a blog, why not host blogs on your property website? Why not make them part of your advertising campaigns with expert information updated on a monthly basis or more often if you have creative clients? Make it easy for your clients to have a blog and make it easier for your audience to get the information they want in one location...
"Dig deeper into your blog.
Keeping an eye on your blog and other blogs in your competitive set can be a source of coveted consumer feedback. Monitoring feedback on a regular basis to look for common themes, complaints, praise, and suggestions can provide insight into not only your marketing, but also your products and customer service. "