Do you ever find yourself looking around at your cross-functional team, and you realize, that most of you have been on the brand for less than a year?
While moving from brand to brand provides fresh perspective and ideas that are necessary to push innovation, you find you and your business partners making decisions based off of a PPT deck you received in haste when you arrived on the brand with a hearty “Here is your WHO.”
Working from brand to brand as a QRC (qualitative research consultant), I have seen this case often. It is encouraged to gain experience in a variety of brands, and even functional roles. Because of this, often times, the research agency holds most of the experience with the consumer. It isn’t enough to have the agency deeply know the consumer and the initiative history. The cross-functional team needs that "gut-level connection" with the consumer. Too many times crucial decisions are made when research isn’t feasible and the team needs to deeply and easily know their target. The call needs to be as clear as Tom Brady reading NFL defenses. Come on. You know what I'm talking about!
There is nothing better in developing that gut than some old-fashioned immersion research. That’s right, it's not just for segmentation. It can be about developing the teams intuition with your target. When we talk immersion, the more you get out of your setting the better. Let's say that your target is driven by female interaction at the bar - schedule them at night and go to the bar with them. Or, if another target gets her value and worth from her Pre-school moms group – try to go with her to the group, or better, host one yourself. Their turf is your training ground.
Immersion does not always need to be initiative specific, or offering depth to your segmentation – consider it a regular act to foster the right “gut” on your team.
By Ryan McCarty - ryan@seekresearch.com
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