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15 Nov

Posted at 14:14h in Insights, Saskatchewan, Syndicated
2 Likes

The Saskatchewan Social Media Usage and Local Business Report continues to provide trended data and actionable insights that help brands interested in the Saskatchewan marketplace make better-informed decisions with their paid, earned, and owned media strategy. To give some insight into what you can expect in the report, we compiled a list of five critical statistics to help you better understand the Saskatchewan consumer in 2023. If you like these, don't forget to get the full report today.   The 2022 Saskatchewan Social Media and Local Business Report  To understand online consumer behaviours in Saskatchewan, Insightrix Research® conducted its annual Saskatchewan Social Media Usage Study. The study was conducted with Saskatchewan residents to understand their online behaviours, focusing on their social media habits, preferred communication channels, and shopping trends. More than 1,200 Saskatchewan residents participated in the study (August 2022) using SaskWatch Research®, our proprietary online market research panel. Comprehensive results from this syndicated report are available in the 2022 Saskatchewan Social Media & Local Business Report. 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 Facebook is no longer the most popular social media channel in Saskatchewan but is still the most frequently used on a daily basis. Facebook has primarily saturated itself with users pre-pandemic and has since become a social media monopoly. With the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp in recent years, Facebook remains competitive even with new social media platforms emerging. According to the 2022 Saskatchewan Social Media Usage report, Facebook has been dethroned as the most popular social media platform but still ranks the highest in daily use among Saskatchewan Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers. While Facebook continues to plateau, its sheer dominance on the social media landscape is hard to ignore. Why is this important for Saskatchewan marketers to know? Though audience saturation is happening in Saskatchewan among those who use Facebook, it's essential to understand that Meta is still an effective platform for marketers trying to reach target audiences online. While the frequency of using Facebook is shifting toward the older generations, the platform is still the most consumed daily, meaning your digital advertising budget should continue leveraging Facebook. Since 2020, more trended daily users have been logging on to TikTok (in Saskatchewan) than ever before. It's no question that TikTok has become a worldwide phenomenon in the last few years, and in Saskatchewan, it's no different. Between the rich lifehacks and endless viral TikTok dances, the uber-visual platform has risen in popularity, quickly becoming one of the most frequently utilized in Saskatchewan. Our survey data shows that 1 in 5 social media users in Saskatchewan uses TikTok daily (21%) 😱. That is a continuous rise from 2020, when roughly 1 in 10 Saskatchewan social media users said they used the app daily (8%).* Why is this important for Saskatchewan marketers to know? The influence of TikTok is nothing to ignore! The utter virality of the platform, combined with the ability to collaborate with different people, breathes life into an application that prides itself on incredible brand engagement, especially in the B2C environment. TikTok is significantly changing how younger online consumers search for brands. As Gen Z continues to experience the internet through social or entertainment apps, the era of the consumer-driven search will shift from traditional search engines to in-app experiences, and Gen Z is leading the way. So, if your brand is B2C and is interested in engaging with a younger audience, it's time to consider learning a dance number or two 😉. Subscription services are becoming more popular in Saskatchewan, with 16% of the population saying it pays for a subscription to avoid advertisements. Everything from premium music to workout packages to add-on features of your favourite games – subscriptions boomed during the pandemic by offering shoppers ways to keep their cupboards stocked and their beer fridges full. In Saskatchewan, subscription services continue to climb, mainly when the value exchange includes no direct advertising to the consumer. Our survey data suggest that 16% of Saskatchewan residents pay for a monthly subscription to avoid advertisements. Even more interesting, 31% of Millennials are most likely to pay subscriptions to avoid advertisements. Why is this important for Saskatchewan marketers to know? Since video advertising has become an essential marketing tool, the ability to skip video advertising has become significantly more popular among consumers. And while Saskatchewan residents value their ability to control advertisements, it is essential to continue to provide equal (or even more) value to the consumer to keep them subscribed. Take into consideration what has happened recently with Netflix – they are in an ongoing dispute with their subscribers over the value of their services vs the service they provide. Netflix is now introducing a standard service, which includes advertisements, to keep the subscription affordable. This is a bold adjustment as Netflix built their entire empire from the ad-free experience. Quite the full circle, isn’t it?2 The customer experience and value of your offering will become more important as users become more fatigued with choice. Intentions to shop online more have drastically dropped in Saskatchewan residents since 2020. Online shopping intentions have seemingly plateaued as post-pandemic shopping trends emerge. According to our survey data, a growing proportion of Saskatchewan shoppers plan to 'do less online shopping this year (from 5% to 17% since 2020). Further, Saskatchewan consumers say their intention to shop 'more online this year has dropped since 2020. In 2020, consumers seemed much more optimistic about their newfound shopping habits. Now, the intention to shop 'more' slumped from 50% in 2020 to 15% in 2022, emphasizing that while Saskatchewan residents do not plan to spend more than they did in 2020, they do plan to spend the same. Why is this important for Saskatchewan marketers to know? A renewed focus on online shopping will continue to be in high demand in the province. Still, it is unclear how pre-pandemic levels affect the rebound as brands adjust to online and in-person consumer needs. Retail sales are starting to rebound globally, and consumers are now divided by how eager they are to shop in person. In addition, Gen Z will likely increase their purchasing habits as they become mainstream consumers in the upcoming years. While most Saskatchewan consumers prefer in-person communications with local businesses, 1 in 4 say social media is their preferred information source. Customer service today is no longer driven by a single traditional touchpoint. Quickly, social media has become important for organizations to be present and responsive to their customers. That is no different in Saskatchewan, as 1 in 4 residents surveyed say they prefer to communicate with local businesses using social media. Why is this important for Saskatchewan marketers to know? As customer expectations continue to shift with the presence of social media, businesses must leverage social media platforms for the purpose of consumer engagement, as consumer expectations will continue to increase. The need for fast response times, unpredictable expectations, and the shift towards a full-service consumer service channel will significantly impact brand perception moving forward. You Can't Dance Your Way Around This Report From the growth of new platforms to the ongoing rise of short-form video, a lot is happening in the ever-evolving world of social media in Saskatchewan. The report focuses on the following: Notable demographic differences in social media choices The rise and decline of dominant social media platforms Frequently used social media channels What social media users expect when following brands online Influencer marketing and its appeal to teens and beyond Subscription service consumer trends for ad-free viewing and why it matters Online shopping trends since 2020 Please do not hesitate to reply if you are interested – we can happily send you the report and invoice your business directly. 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 1 Media Usage in Western Canada 2020 Report, November 2020, Insightrix Research 2 5 Figures To Know About Netflix’s Newly Launched Ad-Supported Tier ...
 

08 Jun

Posted at 12:16h in Communities, Insights, Neighbourhood data, SaskWatch Research
0 Likes

When planning and advocating for community change, supporting your strategic decision-making with market research survey data collected from the diverse residents you serve will only help form a more profound commitment to important issues. When conducting primary research, the ability to capture data on targeted segments can quickly state the differences between neighbourhoods and communities using survey data. For example, profiling demographics on their annual household income, accessibility to the downtown core, transportation services, walk score, historical and heritage buildings, environmental factors unique to areas, etc., can only enhance the research study. In addition, neighbourhood survey data can allow residents (who are directly affected by the community planning) to have their say on what directly impacts them. Neighbourhoods are unique in supporting resident engagement studies. Anyone who has ever considered launching a new community program knows firsthand that neighbourhood boundaries can define attitudes, lifestyles, demographics, income, beliefs, community conditions and trends. It can also affect how a survey is conducted with its local constituents. With the internet, the accessibility of reach has expanded beyond its physical markers - allowing municipalities, community organizations and Governments to access survey data at the local level. Yet, in many cases in Canada and especially in central Canada (where there are fewer people per capita and in less populated areas), reaching a local audience down to the neighbourhood level can be tricky compared to more densely populated urban centres. The internet is no silver bullet to ensure a higher survey response. Still, when it comes to gathering insights from an audience at your neighbourhood level, it is crucial to explore all cost-effective and innovative approaches while prioritizing accurate and representative results. In terms of reaching out to more localized audiences, there are several practices that community planners and researchers can follow: Achieving Higher Local Representation in Targeted Areas In market research, particularly in areas where strategic and community planning needs to be so heavily accountable and influenced by representative statistics, it is critical to provide decision-makers with access to a credible sample of respondents who understand the nature of the problems we are trying to improve. For example, suppose you were interested in surveying residents regarding the location of a future leisure centre. In that case, you may want to design the questionnaire to establish what matters to those who reside closest to the potential locations of interest - this may include local business owners, citizens within a specific kilometre radius, or legacy residents who have expressed concerns over the influx of neighbourhood traffic. Establishing a targeted sample distribution to include the desired and most directly impacted respondents' concerns fuels a higher response rate and provides more significant potential for valuable insights and direction for the success of your plans. In addition, the targeted respondents will likely understand the issue at hand. For example, not everyone is an expert in basket weaving! Consider a Respondent Panel One method of ensuring the opinions of niche segments are captured is using an online respondent panel. A respondent panel is a great resource for uncovering the complexity of neighbourhood survey data, such as researching niche markets like newcomers, young adults, agriculture professionals or even sports enthusiasts! Well-established respondent panels are often made of new explorers in the market or seasoned consumers who have shown loyalty to their community, companies, and brands they engage with. Some respondent panels cannot only target the general population but can also quota segments of the population, focusing on niche audiences with geographic regions. Like SaskWatch Research®, a proprietary online community with more than 18 thousand Saskatchewan residents. Since 2008, Insightrix has dedicated time and resources to ensuring SaskWatch Research collects more than 100 different profile variables that can support businesses interested in the Saskatchewan population and beyond. One of the key benefits of using a respondent panel to conduct market research is to cross-tabulate profile variables and benefit from deeper insights collected from respondents using rich demographic data. Collecting Neighbourhood Survey Demographic Data Respondent panels are supported by collecting demographics of all levels. For community decision-makers, neighbourhood demographics are critical to social and infrastructure planning specific to household composition, annual or individual income, home ownership vs. renting, multi-car households, children still living at home, etc. Urban data collected using neighbourhood surveys can play a role in how one neighbourhood may support an up-and-coming community centre or economic development project. Demographic data can build a foundation for understanding neighbourhoods as they exist and where they're heading. It can be a powerful tool for tracking change over time and identifying a community's needs or strengths to inform planning, policy development or decision-making. Collecting neighbourhood demographic data can also provide a benchmark statistic for whether a strategy or policy made a difference with the target audience. In addition, it can help shed light on characteristics or unique qualities that might advocate for community-focused programs, outreach priorities, marketing initiatives, and grant writing. In many cases, grant applications call for information about the local community, the target population, or a specific audience that might benefit from the activity or work funded by the grant. Targeting urban populations to conduct research has never been easier. Here are five ways to start investigating at the neighbourhood level using survey data (online, by telephone or in-person!): Tap into working knowledge of a community or a population to reveal important social or economic events such as the relocation of a business headquarters, or a significant business shutting down Perceptions of a new infrastructure project and the impacts of two years' worth of construction will have on community residents. Anecdotal information (like a new housing development plan that seems to be attracting retirees) Talk to service providers (community-based organizations) to get real-time information on the populations of interest Conduct a local survey that addresses the specific needs of your community and highlights differences and similarities between other neighbourhoods Presenting key neighbourhood statistics back to the public and in other marketing or communication campaigns in a way that makes citizens come together Interview local leaders and experts and ask if they have suggestions on those who should be included in the study to ensure their response is included Blending neighbourhood survey data and local knowledge can lead to actionable information, and analysis can be used for all types of community-based initiatives and preparing for (or responding to) local change. As a market research industry leader, we are proud to offer our Saskatchewan clients (and clients outside of Saskatchewan) the ability to collect this type of information and the opportunity for local citizens to impact what is happening in their neighbourhoods and communities directly. To find out more about how our respondent panel has supported advocacy and local initiatives or about municipal, community, online panels, or neighbourhood segmentation, contact us! ...
 

08 Nov

Posted at 10:47h in Innovation, Insights, Research
0 Likes

Without members, your organization would look fundamentally different altogether. Yet, even when you understand how critical your current members are, sometimes it is easy to focus on the products and services your business provides above your member's interests. Your team may be focused on improving your products to generate more memberships. And the dedication to improvement is admirable if you consider that a satisfying member experience can lead to an ace member loyalty program. Nevertheless, if your member does not like the current experience you offer or thinks you don't care about them as an individual, they can quickly move on to your competitor. The same is true if they feel they share the same values as your association. To truly align your values with your core customer, it's essential to focus on membership growth while learning how every touchpoint affects the overall perception of your brand. Member Research is Intelligent Member research is intelligent and can be hugely actionable. Member research can gather information to align your brand values with your member expectations. When it all boils down, good member research encourages organizations to take the feedback given by their member - or potential member - and reinvest it back into the organization. Businesses that rely on memberships have historically used market research to understand their member motivations and behaviours. For example, perhaps you are a not-for-profit that relies on members for annual funding. Picture your value proposition evolving due to industry pressures coming from new consumer behaviours. Perhaps you are interested in segmenting your member base to ensure the benefits offered are communicated to the right person. In all aspects, there is a case for member research. Membership-building Efforts When Marketing General Inc. (MGI) surveyed associations for its Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report*, it was reported that regardless of the membership type, almost half of the associations described a decline in overall memberships in 2019 (47%). Sadly, but not unexpectedly, many member-centric businesses took a hit to their membership over the pandemic. Yet despite current events, one in four (45%) associations report that they successfully grew membership in 2020. Moreover, compared to associations reporting membership declines, associations that reported increases in membership over the past five years are more likely to have a specific process in place to support innovation (22% vs. 17%) or are working on developing a strategy for innovation and new ideas (28% vs. 25%). To try and build on member growth, developing a strategy for innovation and new ideas can come from many avenues of business, including market research. Personalize Your Member Recruitment Strategy While it goes without saying, a key driver in any membership growth is an effective membership recruitment strategy. There are many ways to intensify your member recruitment efforts. However, while most member-driven organizations have established processes for membership growth, these work plans habitually offer little to no benefit, that is, without understanding your member and their needs. Additionally, even the best marketing strategies require consistent creative modifications to respond to the unanticipated changes in the marketplace – and membership experience (MX) programs are no different. Communicating Membership Value Are you effectively getting the word out to members about their benefits? Or does your membership value proposition need some tuning up? Associations with a focus on membership growth are always trying to innovate membership benefits. These brands understand the importance of using member feedback to learn about the interests and the behaviours directly from the source. As a result, these organizations build MX programs that are often well-targeted by different segments. These programs, in turn, offer their membership the type of products and services specific to them and their needs as a member.   When an organization is genuinely member-centric at its core, its values and business values align with its member base. Potential members can sense marketing fluff from a mile away, and it is not enough to assume who your core member is or what they like. Society is changing, and so is your member profile. Communicating value to your member can no longer fit into bullet-point lists on on-site pamphlets – they must be expressed in a way that your members understand and the way your members can appreciate. Members Come First   Organizations that rely on members for their association to succeed must genuinely believe that the member comes first. Treat your members the way they want to be treated – like valued members. But more than that, they want to know that you value them as real human beings, not just another number. Invest in your members by getting feedback directly from them. Understand their needs instantly from them. It's critical member-centric organizations implement feedback into their communication to show that you've listened and you've heard what they've told you. Members want to belong to your organization, and it is essential to let them feel the emotional engagement, which builds loyalty. Being a member-first organization is not something you fulfill through marketing messaging. It is something you live, breathe, and do.  Market Research for Credit Unions For more information on the work that Insightrix does in this area, please get in touch with us. We would love to discuss the extensive work in this area – with associations, not-for-profits, post-secondary, and financial institutions and banks. While you're at it, check out our new whitepaper on how member-driven institutions like financial credit unions can use research to personalize their member experience program. Get your free whitepaper here.   ...
 

30 Jul

Posted at 14:37h in Innovation, Insights
1 Like

Who knew passive data collection could make research so convenient? Passive data collection, sometimes called passive data metering, is a valuable addition to the research toolkit, especially in cases where your research requires segment-specific, timely and accurate data about your customers' online behaviours and habits. Over the past half century or so, market research data collection has been done through traditional methods. Where once traditional data collection was accomplished mostly through face-to-face techniques like focus groups or in-depth interviewing, data collection soon leveraged technology, and by the 90s, data collection was being done remotely by telephone. Then, in the 2000s, market research began to move much of its data collection to the internet, using online panels to conduct surveys, hold discussions or perform interviews with participants. This progression led to more an easier and more thorough collection process that led to greater amounts of better developed data for insights professionals to analyze – resulting in deeper and more actionable insights for their clients. But these newer techniques that were facilitated by technology had one thing in common – they were still reliant on traditional, active market research methodologies to collect the necessary data – like focus groups, in-depth interviews, discussions, etc. Now, over the past several years, a new data collection method has become available to insights professionals - passive data collection. With that in mind, let's find out what passive data collection is all about and how it could benefit your next research project. The Art of Passive Data In a nutshell, passive data collection is a method by which data is collected without the active participation or direct involvement of the participants who are being studied – all with the full knowledge and consent of those who participate. Passive Data metering can record the user’s activity, such as website search history, app usage, streaming media usage, social media activity and much more, all with the permission of the user. This activity is collected by the app and then analyzed by insights professionals. It’s actually pretty simple, really – but the complexity and richness of data that results is anything but. Skip the Surveys What is important about passive data collection is that it is just that - passive. It does not ask for any active participation from research participants. All they have to do is what they would do normally, and the data flows in. Compare this with active data collection methodologies like surveys or interviews where participants must consciously take part in every part of the data collection process. Sometimes self-reported data isn’t as reliable – I mean, we are humans and human error is often an issue for studies that require things like recall. For example, asking someone how many times they’ve seen an advertisement on YouTube may be hard to remember – but passive data eliminates that notion completely. Whether they are self-reporting seeing an advertisement several times, the passive data approach will identify if they have seen the advertisement, when they saw it, and if they did anything to engage with it further – now that is real insight! Passive data collection removes the burden of reporting from the participant and allows them to participate in the research process with little to no effort on their part. Get an Authentic Picture of Your Actual Customers Active data collection techniques definitely have their place and are still a valuable research tool, but they all have one thing in common: they rely on what a participant tells you rather than on their actual, real-life behaviours. Using passive data metering, you get a front row seat to all your customers’ behaviours as they relate to your brand – and your competitors. Achieve better representation - When you monitor users’ online behaviours, you can tell exactly who your customers and potential customers really are through observing their actions, not just what they say. Combine this with thoughtful and active targeted research recruiting, and you can learn even more about your target customer and their preferences. Remove the guesswork - Knowing exactly where your target customer is going online and what they are doing saves brands time, energy and money. More than that, through metering participants’ online behaviour, companies can gain valuable insights relating to other areas of interest they may have that can be integrated into marketing initiatives, advertising campaigns or product offerings. Complement traditional research - Earlier we mentioned that traditional research still very much has a place in market research and that could not be more true! When you engage with participants in active data collection, you are engaging them on a conscious level – getting their thought out and well-considered opinions. These opinions are incredibly valuable, as they represent what participants want you to know – you don’t have to be a genius to know how valuable that kind of information can be. When combined with passive metering, the increased depth and quality of the data collected is undeniable – and the recommendations based upon it are even more relevant and actionable. Passive Data Collection at Insightrix Insightrix Passive Data Metering is a valuable stand-alone research methodology, or it can act as a complement to more traditional, active data collection techniques. Data on the internet is not just widely available – it can provide companies with real, actionable results. Don’t miss out on the opportunity it presents. If you would like to know more about Insightrix Passive Metering, please fill out the form below to download our brochure. And if you already know passive data collection is perfect for your next research project, contact us. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: "374811", formId: "90224d74-059f-4167-9bc7-e0c73048b527" }); ...
 

01 Mar

Posted at 13:23h in Business, Insights
0 Likes

Customer experience programs are not a new concept It has been pretty much established that in any line of business, while your product or service may be what gets them in the door, what keeps your customers coming back again and again is the experience.  The customer experience landscape has shifted the way all B2C organizations manage their brand. This can include impeccable front-line customer service, ease of navigating your facilities (or digital assets), the user design of those facilities, etc. - and how that all ultimately ties back into your customer journey.  In fact, customer experience is not only the responsibility of one business area; it's something that should be managed across all levels of business.  In the beginning… Weirdly enough, customer experience measurement (or management programs) have existed in many forms over the years. From the first bazaar merchant who asked a customer if they could do better, to customer comment cards and the old school variant - the customer satisfaction survey - most of these older methodologies revolved almost exclusively around identifying customer touchpoints, or moments of contact between the business and the customer before and after their purchase. But, focusing almost entirely on increasing satisfaction at these points is a slippery slope, as it can lead to a distortion effect – data like this can lead companies to believe their customers are happier with the company than they really are.    It also takes emphasis away from the customer’s actual journey with the company, and magnifies the need to act on specific touchpoints.   For example, if your customer service representative asked one of your customers during a service call how satisfied she or he was with their interaction on a Likert Scale, the number your company would get back may not accurately represent the reality of the interaction. Say the customer gave a rating of 3 out of a possible 7 – was this dissatisfaction due to the interaction the customer had with the customer service representative? Or was the frustration due to waiting too long to talk to that representative, or was the hold music not to her or his liking, or was there something else entirely that led to the customer’s dissatisfaction? In these older customer satisfaction methodologies, who knows? There just isn’t enough qualitative data to find out what led the customer to be dissatisfied – the company just knows something is wrong. Today’s customer experience measurement programs go beyond simple quantitative assessment and look to develop answers to WHY the customer is satisfied or dissatisfied. This gives a much more holistic view of what’s actually going on in these customer interactions.   Rather than trying to make sense of numbers with no meaning, today’s CX methodologies allow organizations to worry more about managing the store than managing their score.   In other words, customer experience programs allows businesses to become more customer-centric as a whole. In fact, on a recent episode of Stories of Market Research: The Insightrix Podcast we interviewed Voice of Customer consultant, John Morton, to dig into the most common and critical issues many organizations have encountered in managing their customer journey, as well as some of the customer experience best practices successful companies share.  Identify stakeholders, not just shareholders… Building a customer-centric organization is about building relationships – and building relationships is done by showing customers you are listening.  Creating a customer-centric organization involves talking to stakeholders – those people, like your customers, who rely on the company, and not just its c-suite executives and board members.   This is why employee engagement surveys are one of the crucial elements in any CX program.   To get to the bottom of a customer’s journey, you must involve front-line staff who are a major part of that journey. It’s the front-line staff of the company who are in the closest relationship with the customer. Therefore, their input to the process isn’t just important, it is critical. Without direct lines of communication between the front-line and the boardroom, divisions and disconnects across business silos occur – often resulting in a less than optimal customer experience. According to the Harvard Business Review, “Even if a fix appears obvious from the outside, the root causes of poor customer experience always stem from the inside, often from cross-functional disconnects. Only by getting cross-functional teams together to see problems for themselves and design solutions as a group can companies hope to make fixes that stick.” Customer experience programs tie the front-line and the boardroom together, creating an organization that not only understands the touch points in their customer’s journey, but also understands what’s happening in the organization on the ground level and all other points along that customer’s journey, before, during and after purchase.   Go beyond customer service and extend to all levels and all areas of a business and focus on creating customer relationships, not just sales.   Address not just the shareholders of a company, but also that company’s stakeholders – bridge the gap between the boardroom and the point of sale. Ultimately, CX programs address your customer’s entire journey with the company, resulting in someone who is willing to come back, again and again… and again. Do you want to know more about customer experience programs? You can download this whitepaper – it describes the Insightrix Customer-Centric Experience Program (Insightrix CX). ...
 

30 Apr

Posted at 18:12h in Business, Insights, Whitepaper
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Ten years ago, the world was introduced to YouTube. Ever since, the media has been ripe with stories of viral videos. The videos are often seen as an overnight success, where uploaders will post something that they found funny, interesting, or absurd to show their friends.   At Insightrix Research, we set out to make a fun video that showed a little about who we are. Before we knew it, our “SaskatcheWHAT?!" slang-based video had a quarter of a million views and was featured in news outlets across the country including Huffington Post, CBC News and Global TV. The following white paper will highlight what makes a viral video, as well as the data, and feedback that we received from our video, which was entitled, SaskatcheWHAT?!    ...
 

17 Dec

Posted at 20:01h in Business, Insights
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By Corrin Harper, CEO and President, Insightrix Research Inc. Recently I had the opportunity to attend the W100 Idea Exchange designed specifically for women entrepreneurs, by the editors of PROFIT and Chatelaine. The Idea Exchange, held at the Ritz Carleton in Toronto on November 26th, provided a unique opportunity to share best practices with other leading women entrepreneurs, to learn from management experts about today's key business opportunities and challenges, and to create personal connections with other top entrepreneurs. Both being educational and inspirational, what a wonderful experience it was! One item from the exchange really resonated with me – every entrepreneur has to find their own path and use lessons they learn along the way to their advantage. Entrepreneurs – no matter what their educational background – achieve success by focusing on their passion and backing it up with an unparalleled work ethic. Here are a few tips that were discussed at the Exchange that can help a person become the most successful entrepreneur possible. Work Hard, No Matter What If you aren’t giving it 100 percent, you won’t be successful, and this resonates beyond business. Success is directly related to the amount of effort you’re willing put in. Always. Giving 100 percent does not mean having to put in 100 hours a week, but it does mean taking care of your investment, taking the breaks when needed to clear your mind to see things from a fresh perspective, and above all, it means being dedicated and driven to meeting the projective goals. People are Your Greatest Assets All businesses need a range of skills to be sustainable and be able to grow. As the owner of a business, you are called upon to perform several roles out of necessity. However, there are some roles you are better at than others. If you want your business to progress, it will reach a stage when necessary skills, need to be improved and extended. Getting the right mix of people to complement and reinforce your skills is essential. When hiring for a small [firm/business], you need employees who demonstrate entrepreneurial characteristics and work habits. Employees come in all shapes and sizes,with all sorts of diverse skills and quirks. Look for those who can handle risk, are results oriented, a team player, high energy, and growth-oriented. No one is perfect, so create a environment where these dynamics are supported and work with employees to maximize their potential in those areas. Learn from Your Hits and Misses Every entrepreneur will have missteps and false starts along the way, but they will end up helping in the long run. You have to be prepared to take those high reward risks and accept the fact that you will make mistakes along the way. The key is not to fall into the trap of believing you always have to get everything right. Risk Taking Risk-taking is almost synonymous with entrepreneurship. When just starting your business, you’ll have to put your career, personal finances, and sometimes even your mental health at stake. Almost all entrerpreuneurs at the Idea Exchange shared stories about abandonig their steady paycheck, sacrificing personal capital, and donating personal time and health. Let’s face it -- this sounds awful. However entrepreneurs frequently talk about this as being the best time of their life! Because we are dedicated to our business, enjoy what we are doing, and worked hard to overcome those stressors, we often reflect on these times with a positive feeling, knowing how far we’ve really come. The Exchange was a wonderful experience, sharing stories with other entrepreneurs, and one that I will remember always....
 

11 Dec

Posted at 16:36h in Business, Insights
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#1. What does a research company need to know from me? If your business has questions that need answering you may have made the same decision that a lot of businesses do: turning to market research to get those answers. However, for companies that have never done market research before, it may be difficult to know what they need to do in order to get the best possible results. Start with an internal discussion of what problems your business may be facing. You don’t need to know exactly how you will address those questions through research – that’s where the provider will come in. Also think about what goals you are hoping to achieve with your research results and who in your organization will need to use these results. Talk with stakeholders within your organization to see what’s on their wish list to know. These points will allow the researchers to choose a research methodology that will fit your needs. Furthermore, letting your research provider know what kind of budget you are working with will help them operate within your means. #2. Who is my target population? Determining your target population or respondent group (those who will be providing you with answers – such as current or potential customers, employees, or other stakeholder groups) is crucial to gathering actionable results that answer the research objectives. The target respondent is often determined by thinking critically about what hurdle your business is trying to overcome. For example, if you wanted to determine customer satisfaction for a line of winter tires, you might want to survey only those with a vehicle. Your target audience may be quite general (all Canadians, for example) or quite specific. If you’re unsure of who your target audience is, our team of research executives can help you pin-point exactly who you should be talking to. For example, our SaskWatch Research™ Panel has over 100 profile questions to ensure your survey is taken by exactly who you want to reach. #3. What are quotas and do I need them? Quotas are partitions of the population that are created to make sure that your research is representative of the population you’re trying to survey. For example, if you want to get an idea about what Canadians think about a certain topic, you would want to have about half of the people answering to be male and half female in order to match demographics. The most common quotas are based on age, gender, and region. Setting quotas helps you to make sure that the research results that you get are applicable to the population at large. This extra step allows you to make accurate forecasts about things like market share or uptake of a new product. #4. What approach should I take? What kind of research methods you utilize depends on what kind of answers you’re looking for. If the questions you want to ask start with ‘how many, how often, what, and where,’ then chances are you will want to use a method of quantitative research. This type of research is intended to be statistically reflective of the market, and will give you quantitative statistics that you can extrapolate to a larger population. If your question is about ‘why’ or ‘how,’ you might want to utilize a qualitative research method. Qualitative research employs methods, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews, allow you to dig deeper, but with fewer respondents. These exploratory research methods more fully uncover respondents’ perceptions, experiences and feelings, and add additional context to quantitative results. The division between qualitative and quantitative research is frequently blurred. Often, a comprehensive research project will involve more than one type of research to answer various objectives. #5. How much data should be collected? This question depends heavily on what kind of budget you are working with, however, spending more is not necessarily better. Depending on what your objective is, impactful research can be done on a relatively minimal budget. Think about how much detail you need in order to make whatever business decisions you’re trying to make. Are you looking to understand if your customers are satisfied with a certain product? Measuring a potential customer’s perception and barriers? Determining the awareness of your brand on a local scale? Whatever the need, it is crucial that enough respondents are obtained to ensure your results are statistically valid. However, paying more to get extremely accurate results when the organization is not able to take action on them means wasted budget. An experienced research provider can guide you to making these decisions and recommend an effective methodology. #6. How long will it take? How long your research takes depends on what type of research you are wanting to conduct, how many people you want to reach, and what method you would like to use (telephone takes longer than online, for example). It also depends on how clear you are with your research objectives. Your research provider will provide you timeline at the beginning of your project so that you are able to plan accordingly. However, there are options if you are in a crunch for time. For example, Insightrix offers a monthly OnTopic™ omnibus survey. OnTopic™ surveys are great if you only have a few questions to ask and have a tight deadline on the data needed. Your questions will be combined with other omnibus clients and is given as one single survey to our panelists. OnTopic™ has a one week turnaround, giving you faster access to the answers you’ve been looking for. #7. How will I be kept aware of the progress of my research? Your project will be assigned a project manager that will keep you informed on the status of your research. This is your primary point of contact and this individual will be the one to inform you if any complications should arise. Especially if your research project has a long field window, you may want to monitor the results as interviews are taking place. Topline reporting allows clients to monitor the results of each survey the moment the responses are collected. The results ideally include user-friendly features that display counts, percentages, and graphs for each question, offering the ability to share these topline results within your organization. #8. What kind of results will I receive? Research results don’t mean much if they are indecipherable. Depending on the needs of your business, there are many different types of deliverables that can be provided at the end of your research project, such as written reports in Word, PowerPoint reports, detailed tables, in-person presentations, infographics, to name a few. With individuals at all levels in an organization becoming shorter and shorter on time, a concise reporting style is essential. Sharp analysis, visually-engaging presentations, structured narrative, and succinct summaries as well as infographics that “pop” and engaging videos will engage stakeholders with the story your data is trying to tell....
 

02 Dec

Posted at 20:21h in Innovation, Insights
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We’ve all been there - your client needs the report by noon tomorrow, and though you may have the meat and potatoes, you scratch your head at the prospect of presenting all that data in a visual way. In anticipation that you will communicate your study’s results in a way that is attractive and straight to the point (but in a time restraint), time management can be problematic. Don’t fret, a few simple chart tips can save some of that precious time. Many researchers cling to the standard bar graphs, and when creating a report with a fast turnaround, disregard data visualisation in lieu of time management. When under pressure, these few, simple practices can help you create a quick and clean visual that your client can truly understand. #1. Plan ahead – When inserting a graph or chart in your report, it is important to decide what information you wish to display. If you’re skipping lunch to finish said document, then chances are you do not have extra time to fiddle with changes in the display of data for each chart. Each time you re-make a format decision, you could run into time management issues. Simply formulating a plan allows you to save time in the long run. Choosing a simple chart will allow for more time to control the quality before the report lands in your client’s hands – and often simpler is better anyway. #2. Consider your target audience– Even with a formulated plan, it’s important to think about the purpose of charting to begin with. A great chart must achieve its purpose – it must be meaningful to the beholder. As well, keep in mind as to who is all looking at the report. Different levels in the organization require different levels of detail. Often a chart geared toward an executive needs less detail than a manager responsible for that particular product line. #3. A graph isn’t always the answer– I know, contradiction much? Not everyone reads charts every day. At times, using a chart can cloud the result instead of giving it clarity. By simply contrasting white space within your report, tables or textboxes can be just as visually impactful as charts. Highlighting differences with colour, especially when dealing with qualitative or open-ended responses, can also help to effectively convey a message without using a chart. #4. Perform a clarity test – Sometimes when working too close to a document, one needs a fresh set of eyes to graze over the information. Before pushing the report out, have a co-worker or peer review the visual data information without any context. If they can read the data without needing extensive background information, then you have succeeded in representing the data in a way it can stand alone. Studies with a smorgasbord of charts can prove puzzling, and may be curtly disregarded by a client short on time. Your clients expect that the report findings will provide clear answers to their objectives, and most importantly, illustrate the story behind the data. And at the end of the day the researcher is the illustrator, whereas the data remains the ink to craft the story. Have a plan, know your audience, provide clarity and generalize data in a way it can be read across the board. Related post: 6 Creative Ways to Present Your Market Research Data...
 

21 Nov

Posted at 22:09h in Business, Insights
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Because of recent news events, the 2014 CIRPA conference in Hamilton, Ontario had a more introspective atmosphere compared to years past. All the same, the conference was full of great information and friendly people, all wanting to share their knowledge and insights on various facets of institutional research. Many of the themes at this year’s conference had been recognized in sessions in prior years ; however, these trends continued to evolve with advancements in technology and broader, worldwide changes in research. There were many new insights at the sessions. In my opinion, two interesting themes were changes in data collection and changes in data dissemination: the types of data and methods to collect primary data, and the ways in which the research results are being disseminated to key stakeholder groups. Survey methodologies are quickly evolving, in educational institutions and elsewhere in market research. As mobile phones become ubiquitous, the more imperative it is that researchers adapt their survey design and their expectations to the changing technology. In this regard, the use of mobile phones to take surveys has been steadily increasing – to such an extent that research must take the device into account – most specifically in the design of the survey. This means more than making sure the survey technically works on a smartphone. It might mean shortening surveys or adapting the question types to be easier to complete on a mobile device. There was a roar of discussion in boosting survey results with other data, including nationally or provincially collected statistics from government agencies and data containing online conversations through social media sites. Additionally, more sophisticated data tools and outcomes-driven predictive modelling, on things like retention and enrolment, are becoming more common as a part of an educational institution’s research toolkit. I find this development promising and it has the capacity to be a relevant theme for many years, as the amount and nature of the data that is available increases. Disseminating information within a large organization such as an educational institution can be difficult. For this reason, many research groups are actively creating tailored materials to disseminate information for a variety of audiences. At CIRPA, there were several sessions with tips on data visualization, dashboarding, and combining multiple datasets into more holistic research results. With the amount and variety of information ever increasing, it is often difficult to ensure that stakeholders aren’t drowning in data. I anticipate it will become common for institutional research groups to provide stakeholders with more frequent and shorter sets of research results, rather than a long, drawn out report that they may or may not have time to read at once. This follows a greater theme in research where clients are increasingly asking for a suite of deliverables rather than a single report. The conference left me with a feeling of confidence in the way that institutional researchers are tackling some of the major changes in the industry. Adaptability is key in making sure that participation in research remains high, and I saw evidence of many institutions innovating their current practices to address these needs. Overall, it was a great conference where I had a great time connecting with old friends and making new ones. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in Halifax for CIRPA 2015!...