Demystifying Data

Quantitative data is the main discussion of this episode. “Quantitative data is the hard numbers on pre-defined variables that we can use to apply statistical techniques to understand significant variables within groupings.” 

So how do we collect this data?

• Secondary Sources: we discuss where to find it and the cost benefits of it’s use.
• Primary Research: we discuss intercept survey and online web-survey data collection techniques and best practices.

Links of Interest

• http://portma.com/improve-program-impact
• http://portma.com/secondary-research-and-experiential-marketing-analytics

In this podcast, Chris breaks down the logistics of data collection. Clear, robust, meaningful data is achievable by remembering a few key things. 

• One initial question must be asked: “What kind of data do you want to collect”? Discovery or validation data? 
• Secondary data (collected from public sources) can be very helpful.

Qualitative data will often come from one of two sources:

1. IDIs (In-Depth Interviews) 

• One individual at a time
• Personal experience data is gathered
• Works well when insight will come from individuals personal experience and/ or perspective

2. Focus Groups

• Small groups (6-8 participants)
• Each is considered an expert in the topic
• Discussion-based, so small group dynamics come into play
• Insights derived from the creative problem solving of the group

Best practices for qualitative data collection

1. Have a clear definition of target participant.

2. Have a good mix of participants around the target.

3. Develop an interviewers’ guide to stay on topic

4. Record and transcribe interviews/ groups

Links of Interest

• More about Secondary Data gathering
• Focus Group

Chris Clegg continues his podcast series about affective benchmarks by looking at how a well-organized archive of historical experiential marketing performance should be used to develop actionable key performance indicators (KPIs). 

There are three points at which benchmarks and KPIs should be considered: 

1. Planning Stage – The Beginning

• Macro metrics need to be broken down to micro metrics.
• Historical data will provide for realistic planning.

2. Status Reports – The Middle

• Important to keep the goal in mind.
• Using run-rate projections to predict outcomes.

3. Recap Reports – The End

• Higher than average performance defines best practices.
• Once identified, use best practices to develop next year’s activation roadmap.

Links of interest:

• Keep your data clean. Here's an article on PortMa about the topic: http://portma.com/clean-your-data
• Benchmark Granularity

In this podcast, Chris shares how to use your internal data warehouse or other experiential benchmarking resources to negotiation stronger sponsorships agreements with venue managers and producers.

You’ll find ideas on how to validate a venue manager’s/ producer’s performance commitments and how to choose the best sponsorship package. Chris discusses how venue type is important for consumer targeting, but event size will be your best indicator of engagement efficiency.

Financial benchmarks are used to talk about average cost per engagement trends and how to use these trends to better understand if your campaign is under or over budgeted. Hypothetical examples are used and key metrics proposed.

Links of Interest

• Some thoughts on consumer targeting for your next event: http://portma.com/purpose-behind-consumer-targeting-event-marketing

Chris continues the discussion on Satisfaction Research in this podcast by discussing how to track or monitor satisfaction. The process should always start with a comprehensive research effort to identify the areas where change is needed, the specifics of what matters, and the magnitude of impact you can expect when you address points of pain. But once the KPIs have been established and customer centric initiatives have been initiated, tracking becomes an important part of the management process.

In this podcast Chris discusses how to develop effective Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the things to keep in mind when developing a tracking survey.

1. Effective KPI’s are

a. Actionable

b. Understandable

c. Empowering to your staff

2. Key thoughts on how to compose a Tracking Survey

a. Should contain 6-10 simple questions

b. Either relationship or transaction based

c. Questions should be based on KPIs

d. Questions should reveal demographic information

e. Outcome variables

f. Warm email invitation with valuable information

g. Establish a cadence to analyze and share data with team and customer.

“Measure things as often as you think they will change”

– Chris Clegg

Links of Interest

• Can you have too much data? Here’s an article by PortMA on the topic portma.com/too-much-data
• What is PortMA’s approach to measurement? Visit http://portma.com/comprehensive-approach-measurement 

It’s that time of year again. Time to reflect on how well we served our Clients this past year and to plan for the next year. Listen in as Chris helps us understand how “Satisfaction Research” is really “Dissatisfaction Research” and presents a helpful guide to forming good question sets. 

When preparing to send out a Customer Satisfaction survey, that initial email is crucial. This podcast offers some great tips to sending out a high value email invitation to your satisfaction survey.

There are 6 questions sets that should be considered when forming a “Brand Health” survey:

1. Areas of unsatisfaction.

2. Questions based on the life cycle of customer experience.

3. Experience after a problem was recognized.

4. Areas of satisfaction.

5. Competition questions.

6. Open ended (use this sparingly).

Links of Interest

• Chris mentions Psychographics in this podcast. Here’s an article by PortMA on the topic http://portma.com/psychographics-understanding-your-consumers
• Need help in formatting your next survey? Visit http://portma.com/formatting-your-survey

This episode explores how to model ROI for a customer loyalty campaign. Chris recommends areas to consider when thinking about where revenue originates. It is suggested that a successful customer loyalty campaign will have goals organized around one or more of these revenue generators.

• Perceived lifestyle match
• Expanded usage through problem solving
• Expectation to experience alignment
• Customer service channel promotion

Tune in to learn how to increase loyalty and stem churn.

Links of Interest

• Keep your data clean! 

On this episode, host Chris Clegg concludes the three-part series with a review of how to analyze field staff recap data for actionable reporting. 

Your team has worked hard to collect good data, now it’s time to learn what to do with it all. One of the most important starting points is in keeping the end in mind. What are your goals for the data your team collected? 

Here are 3 important questions to ask when beginning to analyze your data:

• How efficiently am I reaching the right kind of consumer?
• Am I creating impact?
• Under what scenarios am I doing this to create positive return on investment (ROI)

The example in this podcast makes use of five typical recap metrics:

• Number of events days
• Active hours each day
• Number of onsite staff
• Engagement count for that day
• Budget

Links of Interest

●   Four Key Elements of a Successful Research Methodology

In Episode 15 the podcast addressed what questions experiential marketers should ask field staff.  This episode continues with this line of thinking to address the best event survey questions to ask of consumers. 

Questions such as, “How do we count impact?” or “The best time to gather onsite consumer data” are addressed.  (Hint: It’s while the consumer is still on site.)  All of this is done in the context of building your in-house benchmarking database.

The following core consumer metrics are discussed:

1.     Date, including the day of the week

2.     Time survey is collected

3.     Is the survey a “control” or a “test” group?

4.     Gender

5.     Year of birth

6.     Are there children in the household?

7.     Product awareness

8.     Purchase

9.     Recommendation

10.  Event Type

Chris highlights that while all ten consumer metrics are important, there are three that you’ll find you can’t live without.

Links of Interest

• How Event Marketing Data Collection Efforts Can Make or Break Your Study
• Granularity in Benchmarks for Event Marketing

In this week’s episode, Chris talks about how to establish a set of core field staff recapping metrics that will accurately serve as the record of your experiential activation. This is done with the long-term planning of developing a benchmarking database in mind. And in doing so, Chris recommends a set of metrics that will serve for future strategy development and clear benchmark comparisons for future campaigns.

All in, 17 metrics are reviewed and recommended:

1. Year

2. Number of product variants

3. Nature of Onsite Activity

4. Budget

5. Typical Product/ Service Price Point

6. Annual Customer Value

7. Event Days

8. Sum of Attendance

9. Activation Hours

10. Staffing Hours

11. Interactions

12. Samples Distributed

13. Consumers Sampled

14. Hand Sales

15. Incremental Customers Gained

16. Campaign Return-on-Investment (ROI)

17. Industry Categories (internal and NAICS)

Make sure you listen to the podcast for a definition of these metrics and why they are important.

Questions about any of this?

• Follow and then DM at @portma
• Explore then connect on Portma.com

Further Reading/Articles

• The Key to Collecting Consistent Field Staff Data
• Collecting Event Marketing Field Staff Data
• Managing Event Marketing Field Staff Data