The key to the success of your business is your customer’s happiness.
Companies today are investing in a lot of data collection to get to the root of customer experience. Data, trends, metrics..etc all forms of quantitative research are spearheading many marketing efforts of companies.
Marketing teams love numbers and so for a long time quantitative methods of data collection have been popular, but slowly companies are beginning to realise that qualitative research too, is as crucial to under customer experience as quantitative research.
Startups have slowly started adopting qualitative methods of research. According to a Neilsen/Norman report, using a small sample size (of 5 ppl) for 3 small studies rather than a big sample size like 15 for 1 study works better.
The report also suggests that the diversity of the sample matters more than the size.
This makes it more cost-effective especially for startups who work with small budgets.
Small, specific studies like analysing the website design, or any other form on online/offline branding.
Customer journey mapping is slowly gaining popularity, due to its step by step analysis of the relationship between potential customer & the brand.
Understanding the customer journey involves asking the following questions across three stages-Awareness, Consideration & Decision
- How did they come to know of your brand?-what were they searching or looking for when they came across your brand?-This tells you how visible your brand is and what are the current trending customer searches. Awareness
- What’s the comparison they are making? How do they like your website-is it easy to navigate? Consideration
- What made them choose your brand over your competitors? What was their onboarding experience like..right from the call with the sales team to finally ending with purchasing the product/service? Decision
Qualitative research gives you the scope to dig deeper. What your customer’s personality, what’s their goal, how does your brand make them feel?..surely numbers can’t tell you this!
Qualitative research bridges the gap between how you want to be perceived as and how you actually are perceived by customers/potential customers.
What are the methods you can use ?
-Direct interviewing
-Personalised emails
-Online surveys
PS** Always begin with direct interviewing.**
Once you collect the data you’ll know the pain points your brand communication needs to address. You can target your customers based on these very critical insights shared with you in the research. Numbers might give you specificity & objectivity but not heartfelt insights that could give your marketing efforts the required boost & directions.
