Qualitatively Speaking: How to get the most for your qualitative research dollar

Editor’s note: Paul Tuchman is president of Outsmart Marketing, a Minneapolis research firm.

Now more than ever, companies are scrambling to maximize their qualitative marketing research dollars. For some shortsighted firms, that means cutting research, delaying projects or skipping entirely the up-front qualitative phase of the research process. But for others, today’s tight economy fosters a new, more creative approach to research.

Here are five questions we’re seeing more clients ask themselves these days. While budget pressures might be the prime motivation, they are the right questions to ask even when the economy isn’t slumping. Getting the most for your qualitative research dollar is always the smart thing to do.

1. How many cities do we really need to visit? The old three-cities-in-four-days marathon has fallen victim to higher airfares, shrinking travel budgets and, most importantly, more critical thinking about the purpose and goals of the research. There’s no one answer to this question, but to maximize your research spending, keep a few key insights in mind:

•   At least sometimes, get out of your own backyard. Too many clients end up listening to themselves - or people who look and sound like them - by doing most or all of their research in their home market. You’ll be amazed how much more you can sometimes learn by going to another market where your company or brand isn’t as well known, or isn’t viewed, for better or worse, as the hometown team.

•   Only go where you know or suspect that usage, attitudes or the competition is different. Since we’re talking qualitative, there’s no real advantage to adding markets and groups just for the sake of bigger numbers. But if your sales data, past research or educated hunches tell you that you’ll hear different things, or get different reactions, in different markets, then by all means figure out the most cost-effective way to include them. But if all that is likely to be different is the accent, then save some of your limited research budget for the next project.

2. How do we schedule groups to maximize our learning? To minimize time away form the office, marketers’ instincts are often to squeeze groups and - if working in multiple markets - cities as close together as possible. But it’s usually better to build time into your research schedule so you can react to learning and insights as you gain them. In terms of what you actually learn, you often end up with two research projects for the price of one.

If you’re conducting only one day of groups, leave enough time between sessions to change concepts or artwork, or rethink the guide if necessary. If you’re doing more than one city, don’t do them on consecutive days. A day - or sometimes a week - back in the office can yield huge dividends in terms of learning when you move to the second or third city.

If one phrase is sinking a concept, or one image is misleading respondents about your product, change it and see if you can create a winner. Hearing the same issues or criticisms group after group doesn’t move you any closer to the finish line, but taking the time to answer objections by modifying the stimulus often can.

3. Are there alternatives to travel? Definitely! While there is often no exact substitute for actually watching a group or interview in person - you never quite get all the nuances and subtleties when viewing it on a PC or a video monitor - several suppliers can provide “almost like you’re there” transmission quality. If you haven’t used it in a while, you’ll be pleased at how far they’ve come with picture clarity and real-time viewing.

And new built-in chat features let remote viewers chat live with each other and with anyone watching at the facility, allowing for ongoing learning and facilitating additional probes for the moderator. Products that stream a live video feed to your laptop or desktop let clients watch from wherever they are, not just from a single conference room at headquarters.

4. Can we continue the research after the group is over? Follow-on research is becoming more and more popular, as clients look for ways to maximize the biggest expense in qualitative: recruiting the respondents in the first place. Most facilities are very open to “next steps” research: e-mailing respondents additional stimulus or questions for online responses, having the same respondents participate in a phase-two study with improved product or stimulus, or using the group participants for a longitudinal study on usage or attitudes.

Just make sure you talk to your consultant and facility first to understand the ground rules. Unless it’s the client’s list, the names technically belong to the facility and they can determine how and when they can be contacted, and what the charges will be.

5. Can’t we just do it all online? In theory, of course, the answer is yes. Just about all kinds of qualitative can be done online these days and some companies have moved all or most of their work online.

But it’s not really that simple. While online research can sometimes be less expensive than traditional groups or interviews, it’s often comparable in price or even more expensive. And depending on the category, the kinds of respondents you want, the types of stimuli you’re using and the kinds of questions you ask, in-person qualitative can yield greater interaction, richer learning and quicker and more effective moderator-respondent empathy. 

Sometimes there really is no good substitute for genuine eye contact, the ability to read and interpret body language and voice inflection, and the atmosphere generated by meeting, exploring and sharing emotions together in-person. That’s often the environment that allows respondents to be most relaxed, most open and most honest.

So by all means, consider doing some projects online. But do them online because that’s the right solution for the problem at hand, not because it’s the newest trend or the latest buzz.

Perfect time

If you think about these questions, and discuss them among your staff and an experienced qualitative consultant, you have the best chance of using your research dollars wisely. Today’s challenging business climate means this is the perfect time to look at your qualitative projects with a critical eye. The lessons you learn - and the new approaches you might launch today - will reap benefits for your company and your products long after this recession fades into memory.