Market research is known for its tools to produce data-driven insights that companies utilize to drive marketing, sales, product innovation, and other key strategies.
However, what often goes overlooked is the consultant piece.
Market research is a very specialized type of business consulting. It is not something everyone can do and often takes an experienced talent to be done well.
Although market research firms may not be as abundant as per say, advertising or marketing agencies, as a buyer you will still be faced with a lot of choices.
How do you choose the right market research consultant or firm for your business?
Here are four factors to consider.
Recommended Reading: Benefits of Choosing a Third-Party Market Research Firm
A Market Research Consultant is a Good Story Teller
You may have a budget that dictates a $100,000 study but at the end of the day, the research needs to leave you with a story.
A story that you can communicate throughout your organization and across various departments.
For context, a common deliverable in most market research studies is a topline or comprehensive market research report.
Depending on your choice of vendor, this will likely be delivered via PowerPoint or PDF.
While this report will certainly contain charts, statistics, and numbers it means nothing if you and your team can't make sense of any of it.
You will not be able to share (or you will become very unpopular if you try to share) a 310 page PowerPoint deck which details statistical breakdowns from the latest research study.
Pick a consultant who can provide you with an impactful and memorable story from the data that leaves an impact.
"Let me tell you a story about our typical customer John. John is 42 years old, has been a customer for 4 years, and associates our company with quality. John is very satisfied with the performance and speed of our products and thinks customer service and wait times need to be improved..."
This example is a little more real and relatable than reading off numbers from graphs.
A Market Research Consultant Loves What They Do
There are two types of people:
- Those who work jobs to earn a salary
- Those who embrace careers to help businesses
If you're lucky, you're both!
After one or a few short discussions with a potential market research consultant, it is very easy to determine the level of passion someone has for their work.
Working with someone who is passionate about market research will pay dividends for you and your team.
The insights gleaned will be more powerful, the depth of work will be greater, and the overall experience will be much more valuable from a passionate consultant.
Interested to learn what our team loves about working in market research? Watch this short video.
A Market Research Consultant is a Leader
On many occasions, our clients come to Drive Research with a specific methodology in mind. But - this is not always the approach to achieving their objectives.
For example, a consumer packaged goods brand contacted our market research firm to conduct an employee survey via mail.
While mail surveys still have a place in market research there was a far more cost-effective approach to collecting employee feedback.
Our market research firm provided the CPG brand with two proposals:
- An employee survey via mail as they requested
- An employee survey via email
After reviewing each approach, the timelines, and the scopes - it was a no brainer. The client saved time and money by choosing to conduct an online survey with our team.
Why find a market research consultant that is a leader?
- They will challenge your processes and forces you to rethink your research.
- They know what questions to ask, how to ask them, and are not afraid to try a new methodology or difficult project.
- They can articulate a vision for your market research study and transform your objectives into a step-by-step approach to get the answers you need.
Find a Market Research Consultant You Can Trust
No more so than anything else, choose someone you trust.
At the end of the day people do not choose brands, choose businesses, or buy names, but rather, they buy people.
If you trust the market researcher is working in your best interest and is authentic, your choice is made.
Contact Our Team of Market Research Consultants
Drive Research is a national market research company located in New York. Our team of market research consultants has years of experience executing quantitative and qualitative research studies for companies across the country.
Ready to take the next step? Tell us about your project goals, objectives, and needs. Drive Research will recommend the best approach for your specifications.
Contact us today!
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Emily Carroll
A SUNY Cortland graduate, Emily has taken her passion for social and content marketing to Drive Research as the Marketing Coordinator. She has earned certificates for both Google Analytics and Google AdWords.
Learn more about Emily, here.
