Does internal experience guide your branding and marketing efforts, or have you taken the time to understand the marketplace and the specific needs of your audiences?
At Eastern Standard, we value the insights provided by data and use it consistently to inform our strategies.
Qualitative or Quantitative?
We typically recommend a mix of qualitative and quantitative research in order to gather perception-based feedback followed by quantifiable data.
Exploratory qualitative research allows us to better understand perceptions and motivations of your internal stakeholders and end users or audiences. This work helps to identify problems or underlying expectations in order to further develop and inform the research plan, including quantitative research. Some common qualitative methods include interviews, focus groups, behavioral observation (including testing and analytics), and small sample surveys.
Quantitative research allows us to take observed findings and trends from qualitative research to the next level using data from larger, statistically significant sample populations in a more controlled study. The work uses measurable data to confirm findings and primarily relies on various types of surveys or interviews for collection of marketplace data, and behavioral analytics, testing, or “big data” may also be used to gather large samples of data in an online environment.
What Is the Outcome of Market Research?
While some level of exploratory research is generally recommended as part of all new projects, Eastern Standard also takes on select dedicated market research and usability research projects. In the case of a dedicated research project, we provide a summary report that outlines the background, methodology, findings, and recommendations, and each study and report is specifically tailored to our clients’ unique needs and objectives.
When combined with a branding or web-based project, research is a powerful tool that allows us to align on objectives, confirm the needs of your audiences, and ensure that the work we present is matched to the insights and recommendations we are able to determine in the initial discovery or strategy phases of a project. These insights should also be used to established key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be measured and monitored to ensure campaign or product effectiveness and make future adjustments as needed to maintain optimal outcomes.
