Q&A with a client-side researcher

Editor's note: If you're an end-client researcher and interested in participating in a Q&A with Quirk's, please e-mail me at emilyk@quirks.com.

What is the role of mutuality in marketing research, specifically on the client-side? 

I live by the mantra “we are all in it together,” because if one of us fails, we all fail as a team. At its core, mutuality recognizes that both parties share the benefit and burden of that said activity. It’s definitely not a transactional connection, as both parties are fully engaged and strive for the success of one another. 

When commissioning new projects, I prefer to reach out to partners who embody the same mentality. This allows the relationship to thrive beyond vendor/client to a true partnership where we keep each other accountable and focused on the ultimate outcome. From my vantage point, this involves solid onboarding, unpacking key questions, defining success and collaborating during the reporting phases to yield stronger and more actionable deliverables.

Do you have any tips for research and insights teams that struggle to communicate findings across their organization? 

Reach and engagement are significant obstacles when teams are looking to share findings more broadly. It’s common to see pushback through questions like: Why should I care? Are the results actionable? Can you just send the findings via e-mail? I think it’s imperative to drive excitement within the org and showcase the impact of the work to enable reach. Fine-tune your output to be concise, interesting and actionable. Look for different ways of showcasing the work – panel discussion, trivia, workshop, etc. – which will make the findings more relatable and shareable. Additionally, tap internal sponsors who can help generate the excitement for the session and drive overall participation. 

What methodologies or new tools do you hope to utilize in 2024? 

I’m looking to incorporate augmented reality in packaging or concept assessment. Since time is rarely on our side, I’m investigating how 3D renders can be created and quickly modified for testing and re-testing. This would allow for quicker concept refinement and decrease time to develop MVPs (minimum viable products).

“I think it’s imperative to drive excitement within the org and showcase the impact of the work to enable reach. Fine-tune your output to be concise, interesting and actionable.”