5 Reasons why Market Research is On-Trend
I've just started reading Happiness by Design (http://amzn.to/1Ckr5PB) by Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science at the UK's LSE, on behavioural tips to become happy in everyday life.
Despite being less than impressed so far, and only at the very beginning of the book, I find myself prompted to write a blog about the positives of market research. Priming, I guess, works in wondrous ways.
Here's my pitch: we as Researchers have many skills, embody many valuable characteristics that are completely in tune with the times, which should give us cause to be hopeful if not optimistic about a great future. Here are my short list of virtues I think we could lay claim to:
1. We Love Data
Big, small, medium size, qual, quant.....- we live in an age of data, analytics, where empiricism is driving more business decisions than ever before; we are THE group of people expert in managing data, triangulating, turning it into business intelligence with impact. How cool is that?
2. We Tell it Like it Is.
Nobody expects a researcher to obfuscate - we're the analytics people, aim for impartiality, objectivity, are seldom linked performance-wise to hard sales targets. We're bold (?!) - we speak out when we feel it's needed.
3. We're Good Listeners
In an age where everyone, it seems, can publish digitally whatever, the waterhose of tweets, blogs, selfies, whitepapers just keeps on getting more intensive, Researchers are the people who do more listening than talking, so to speak. A virtue, I would say, both professionally and personally.
4. We're Modest
We don't like to pretend to be something we're not, and squirm when it comes to engaging in self-promotion, bigging our own skills up. If anyone - in a mixed professional group, say - consistently under-promises and over-delivers, then it's likely to be the Researcher.
5. What We say Carrys Weight
It's maybe something we forget in our daily lives, as recognition and feedback loops are often time-lagged, but our voice invariably carries weight. Once MR is engaged, it's viewpoint is invariably treated with respect, and often elicited at senior levels.
How much of the above resonates with your view of yourself or other "Researchers" ? A grain of truth in there? Totally off the mark? With my optimistic hat still sitting comfortably, and admittedly from a weekend perspective, I'd kick back and say (I would say that, wouldn't I.....) I feel the above chimes by-and-large ;)
So now I'd throw in a "build" (yes, it's jargon time...) : that all the above won't get us anywhere if virtually nobody knows who we are or what we do. Fame may - to quote Morrissey - be fatal, but it certainly - to borrow from Ehrenberg's Double Jeopardy rule (big brands have more users that use them slightly more often than small brands) helps towards success.
If we do actually have many professional skills that are valuable, and in tune with the times, we need to ensure that our awareness and usage levels rise continuously. Turn the volume up. Re-think point 4 above. Talk as much as listen. Avoid geekdom.
Market Research can be on trend, it's not an absurd proposition, surely - but we need to work to make sure that a) we have the substance to support and b) broader world shares that view, not just the people sitting in a MR Seminar or Conference.
Curious, as ever, as to others' views.
PS. In a spirit of optimism: thank you for reading this blog - it makes me happy ;)
PPS. Mayber I'll try and write exactly the same blog on Monday evening, see where we get....;)