This summer, we’ve seen increased demand for our research services from companies seeking to gain insight to inform their business plans or from organisations needing to establish benchmarks for future programmes.  

Experience has shown us that rigorous research and market insight should be at the heart of any operation, enabling companies and organisations to anticipate the issues facing their clients and employees.  

It’s no surprise that success generally goes to those companies with the best research: those who make the most important discoveries and those who exploit their ideas most effectively.  These companies drive progress, consistently applying innovation that results from research that’s designed to help develop new products and services.

Unfortunately we don’t all have the luxury of R&D departments, but at a very practical level, research is becoming increasingly social, making real-time business intelligence accessible for firms of all sizes.  Successful marketing is dependent upon preparation and forward thinking. By utilising all available tools, company can prioritise resource in areas of growth.

For example, we recently conducted research for a wine brand, whose digital vision was to be recognised “as the wine industry leader in the digital space by consumers and trade”.   A big ambition for a small, but successful global brand.  Our social media audit provided them with the information they needed to help make their goal a reality  – and no, our methodology wasn't just to drink copious amounts of their wines! 

We showed them how to increase brand awareness and engagement in order to attract, acquire and connect with their target audiences online.  The end result extended the effectiveness of their sales and marketing activities, ultimately boosting sales.

This type of research can be effective in any industry and in any geographic market. A social media audit can identify who and where your customers and prospects are online and what they are talking about.   It also helps to create a content strategy which communicates stories and messages that are relevant and engaging to your target audiences.   

Research still has much value in traditional areas too. Here are three questions to consider.

1. Do I know how my customers feel about my products and services?
2. Is our team fully engaged with our company’s vision and goals?
3. Do I have an effective method for measuring social media success, so that I can understand which channels are working and which aren’t?

If you don’t know the answers, perhaps it’s time for some R&R!