| admin |
As a researcher, I spend a lot of time explaining the difference between qualitative and quantitative research. The two have distinctively different purposes and methods. For fun (both yours and mine), I have summarized a few of the basics….
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Qualitative |
Quantitative |
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More subjective. |
More objective. |
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Purpose is to gain an understanding of the underlying reasons and motivations a person is behaving in a certain way. |
Purpose is to quantify and generalize how many people are behaving a certain way and the quantifiable relationships. |
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Answers: WHAT & WHY. |
Answers: WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, & HOW OFTEN/LONG. |
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The sample is small and non-representative of the entire population to learn what and why. |
The sample is a large to ensure statistical validity of a certain confidence level and representative of the target population to learn the extent that something holds true. |
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The methods of gathering data are traditionally through in-depth interviews and focus groups. |
The methods of gathering data are through structured instruments via phone, web, or in person. |
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Data output are words and anecdotal stories. |
Data output are numbers and statistics. |
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Findings are not conclusive. They can be used to make generalizations and develop a sound base for further research |
Findings are conclusive and actionable. They can be considered when making final decisions. |
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| Alex Koritz |
Interesting article in Media Post about whether your brand is right for Twitter. This might surprise many marketers – but believe it or not, Twitter may be wrong for your company. |
| Benjamin J. Weisman, May 04, 2009 05:00 AM |
| In evaluating any creative idea that involves a media campaign, the starting point should be about positioning your brand for success.
Marketers are increasingly engaging with consumers on social media platforms and Twitter, in particular, has received, and continues to gain, attention. From shock tactics, to useful value propositions like @amazonmp3 content feed, brands are revealing themselves on Twitter. We are starting to hear of stories about top executives calling meetings about how they should “get on Twitter” and saying, “We need a social media profile.” But should they? Do they?> Twitter may not be right for every brand or brand marketing team. Here are a few points brands should consider: • What’s your position, your brand’s history? Can you sum it up simply • Partnership — who’s your service provider? This is where agency partners can help. • The long-term legacy plan of the social profile. How long is it maintained? • Who maintains the brand’s voice? Does a brand ambassador exist? • How well do you know your brand’s age demographic? • Listen. Engage. Respond. • Embrace relationships with power users. Reiterate brand position. • Love it, live it. Street cred is essential. Twitter users are in the process of creating a culture. In the enculturation of traditions of acts and practices that last, brands have opportunity to live with legacy and affinity. Twitter is reflective of a band society: a small collective that shares a cultural bond or credo with a larger group. Social bonds are formed that hold beyond the daily grind that modern life brings with it. The “power users” continue to increase in usage and followings on Twitter and other social networks. Have you seen how many followers they have? Currently, @ijustine has 331,653 followers. Brands should recognize power users as a possible path to becoming involved in Twitter. After all, someone needs to maintain the content. Someone, or a collective of users maintain the @cnnbrk. This feed has over 729,324 followers. It’s breaking news straight to your mobile device. Distilled into just a simple line of 140 characters. A brand profile can take many forms. It could feel like a user profile for legitimacy or conform to the brand’s guidelines. What the creative execution looks like can make a difference. How it relates to the brand and the brand message is just as important as the feed of information. A number of refreshes and evolutions will most likely need to be planned. Frequent visitors and subscribers pay attention to such changes. “Why is it worth someone’s time” should also be a regular question brands ask. What does it offer a user over time? Skittles continues to miss a direct dialog with users. The press it received around the social media stunt reflects this. People are talking about it, so it wins when it comes to name association, which is how it used Twitter. It collects what users are saying on Twitter. The miss here is the failure for the direct dialog and more of exhibitionism. Twitter is effective because you can have conversations with a variety of people. Meanwhile, @Starbuck is engaging fellow Twitters with authenticity. Apparently, a store employee, @Starbucks is apparently pumping cups of joe and twittering in between — bingo, an authentic brand ambassador. The writer is talking about life, how @Starbucks fits into theirs, about the business and a touch of social commentary. @amazonmp3 has value propositions being fed through a Twitter feed. It is using Twitter both, as an extension of the brand and as a service to users and consumers. Amazon is about added value and discounts, in a simple way, with no overhead; aside from strategy and URL creation, it is offering a mobile campaign to users who follow it. It is also reaching users who come across the feed in Google organic search or by visiting its Twitter page. Public perception should be tested prior to executing a social profile and engaging in social media. The direct conversation that is implemented and then continues to spread among the community is what every marketer’s goal is when activating social media campaigns. But the conversation needs to provide substance and authenticity, be maintained, and provide a frame of reference. What does a brand offer and how do consumers perceive that brand is of paramount importance when deciding if Twitter is right for your brand and campaign. |
| admin |
Last week we completed a big research project for BYU Broadcasting. As excited as I was to see how the results turned out, I am sad to see it come to an end. We have spent the last five months working on this with the help of City Square Associates and I have enjoyed every moment of it. The project evolved very quickly from something small to something large and reflecting upon this, I have to say that it is so important to realize what you want to do with your research before you even start. Research is not something to do just for fun (Although, I do think it is fun) but something that should be very intentional. So many times, it is easy to have a question and throw out the idea of doing research. Once it is decided to do a study, everyone wants to throw their two cents in and turn it into a ‘variety’ study, if you will.
One of the things I learned about the media & television world is that people think they like variety but really people like predictable options. They like a variety of topics but they like knowing they can flip to the Golf Channel and see golf. They like knowing they can flip to HGTV and see a show relating to home improvement or decorating. If they want comedy, Comedy Central…..When one channel has a wide variety, there is a good chance that everyone will like something but little chance that anyone will like everything.
The same is true with research. When too much is mixed into one study with no rational order to things, people are confused and lose interest. Everything a researcher does is intentional. There is logic behind the order of questions, the topic, choosing a sample, and every other detail involved. This development should actually be in reverse order. First choose the decisions we need to make and then choose the questions we need answered to get the information needed to make that decision. From there we choose the analysis we need to conduct on the data collected to determine how we ask the question. Then once the questions have been chosen, the order is assigned to ensure flow and as little bias as possible. All of this makes the research much simpler to conduct and utilize because it should give an answer and not just a variety of nice to know information.
| admin |
I started school wanting to be an artist. I had a bad habit of starting on a small area of the picture and not planning the picture all at once. The result was a portion of the picture looked polished, but the rest I knew I would never finish. I drew the part of the picture that was important to me.
My teachers had a different viewpoint; I would find that some of my favorite parts of the art I created were in the areas I had no interest in creating. I needed motivation to see what I didn’t want or care to see. I didn’t realize how my habits were hurting my pictures until I saw the finished result.
I now think the best way to accomplish a goal is to let a fresh set of trained eyes show you what is missing. Marketing and research are really tools and trained thinking that help people realize the whole picture, usually in a way that would seem completely alien.
Read more…
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| Josh Carr |
I took this picture in Provo last summer. This is right by BYU campus a classic example of what not to do with Marketing. This person probably thought they had it all figured out. They were going to undercut the competition and so everyone would see it they are going to hang up some colorful flags. When that doesn’t work they mark down the $7 cuts to just $6 and they throw in a little sympathy. “a venture by 2 BYU students/entrepreneurs”
I can imagine the conversation…
“Haircuts for poor BYU students are all about price!”
“We are going to put that $8 haircut joint down the street out of business!”
Did you know there is an actual science to pricing a product? It’s true and we do it for clients all the time. You can make allowance for inexperienced students but what about this table top ad from Ihop? I took this with my phone so it’s not great but you get the idea.
Sure you saved some money by sending production design and printing to china but you pay for it when all of your customers laugh at you. Sometimes mistakes happen and a print job goes out with a typo but who agreed to put this out in front of customers? Not to mention that the design horrible and un-appetizing.
Read more…
