Four to start

11Jul09

Following on from my last post, here’s the second question and answer…

Q2. Are there any lingering misconceptions that marketers attach to market research?

A: Four misconceptions de jour;

1. That online research is quicker and cheaper. It usually isn’t if it’s done well. The technology doesn’t provide the value. It’s the analysis that provides the value. And that’s what takes thinking and time (note, I can only really speak for qualitative here).
2. That numbers (quantitative research) are more important than the sentiment around those numbers (qualitative research). They’re both important.
3. That market research is a cost. Good research is an investment in managing risk.
4. That Maslow provides a good framework for interpreting research results. It doesn’t.