Digging for Insights

Doing consumer insights work on the client-side is no small feat. So often research is completed by a research department but then sits on a shelf. Unearthing ways to make research come alive, and be implemented into the business is a craft. 

To address that need, James Wycherley, CEO of the Insight Management Academy, shares his experiences gained from 16 years of corporate insights teams. As a former insights director from Barclays Bank, he shares personal experiences and the collective experiences from the Insight Management Academy, a leading organization focused on corporate insights training and best practices based out of London, UK. 

In this episode, James talks about common issues corporate insights face and how to address them: 

• How to ensure research is stored and presented in context to build a knowledge base
• How to show ROI on research within an organization
• The value of commerciality--the craft of implementing research into business processes

You can get a FREE executive summary of the book by emailing [email protected]

In this episode, we hear from Jeanine Bassett, the global head of insights at General Mills. With 25 years of experience in market research, and 9 years leading the market research function at a Fortune 500 company, Jeanine shares case studies and career advice including: 

• Case Study: HOw consumer insights turned around the billion-dollar Pillsbury brand
• Career Story: Jeanine shares a candid perspective, especially for why she was chosen as VP
• Sponsorship vs. Mentorship: How others can advocate for your career progression
• The Future of Insights: What will research methods, org structure and skillsets look like?

There is so much packed into this episode that I created a free one-page summary (PDF). Simply email me at [email protected] to get your own copy. 

See the full show notes at diggingforinsights.com/25

As marketing insights professionals, we often study consumer behavior. In this episode, we talk about how to design products and services that can nudge and shape customer behavior over time.  In her new book, Amy Bucher (VP of Behavioral Design at Lirio) shares findings from her new book for how to design products (especially digital experiences like mobile apps) that can influence customer behavior. 

Book Discount

Amy has generously offered a 20% discount on her book to listeners of this podcast. The discount is good until Aug 21, 2021.

Go to the link below and enter "diggingforinsights0621"
https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/engaged-designing-for-behavior-change/

In this episode we cover:

1. Focus on motivation
2. Identify ability blockers using the COM-B model
3. Use the 9 categories of interventions
4. Enable long term engagement through regular feedback
5. Leverage a social component to keep habits sticky

Show Notes

You can access show notes for this episode by visiting our website at diggingforinsights.com

https://diggingforinsights.com/24-amy-bucher-5-behavioral-design-tips/

In this episode we talk with the head of marketing research at LinkedIn, Rogier Verhulst.  Rogier shares his personal career journey and talks about his new book (with a generous 29% discount specifically for listeners of Digging for Insights).

• Career advice, including Rogier's story of taking a pay cut to pursue a different career path
• Recruiting Tips, including what he looks for when hiring new people, something he calls the "Three C's"
• Introduction to his book, The Business of Marketing Research. 

To see show notes and get the 29% discount for Rogier's new book, visit

https://diggingforinsights.com/23

How can we keep our research skills sharp throughout our careers? In this episode, we hear from Kathryn Korostoff, president of Research Rockstar, the leading independent provider of market research training.  

This episode will cover

• Pros and cons of using part-time online learning (like Research Rockstar) courses vs. taking full-time graduate degree in research.
• How qual research has changed during the pandemic
• Why sometimes text only online focus groups are better than using video
• How to best presenting research findings to business teams

This episode is part of a two-part series on market research eLearning. Later in February, Kathryn will release her video podcast where Stephen shares his personal experiences of getting new skills while working full time, specifically with learning options such as LinkedIn Learning, Coursera and Data Camp.

Insights professionals have learned a lot in the past year, especially with the impact of COVID.  In this episode, I summarize observations from conversations with client-side researchers about current research trends that will continue well beyond the pandemic. 

Five Research Trends for 2021

1. Growth of Virtual Research (impact on qual, packaging and ideation work)
2. More DIY and fast turn research solutions (going from 2 week to 2 day timelines)
3. Fewer one-off projects, more ongoing systems (better integration of foundational research)
4. Location still matters - and other employment trends
5. Changing the WAY we work (more experimentation and agile)

This episode is part of a six-part series with other market research podcasts, the first coordinated effort from the MRX Podcast Network. To learn more about the network and other podcast episodes, visit diggingforinsights.com/21

With almost two decades of experience in insights (Pepsico & Electrolux), Brett Townsend shares the pitfalls of market research and how we can improve as professionals and as an industry. 

- How marketing research can be more relevant within companies
- The importance of company politics for market researchers
- Nuances of consumer targeting
- How artificial intelligence amplifies consumer insights

You can see the full notes at diggingforinsights.com

In this episode, we talk with Paco Underhill, bestelling author of Why We Buy, about his experiences as CEO of a global qualitative research firm, Envirosell.  During this episode we cover a number of topics relevant for marketers and market researchers:

1. What we can learn about customer-centricity from a Texas furniture store 
2. The power of qualitative research (like web-alongs) even in the era of digital marketing
3. The future of food, a sneak peek of Paco's new book launching next year
4. Paco's personal journey to overcome stuttering to become an international public speaker

For more details, feel free to visit the website for show notes

Diggingforinsights.com/19

How did foundational consumer research transform Nature Valley snack bars into the billion dollar brand it is today? In this episode, we hear from Vivian Martin, a retired VP of Consumer Insights from General Mills who shares her personal stories from her 35-year career. 

In this episode we cover:

1. How personalization and origin stories can grow brands
2. Nature Valley's turnaround in the 1990s (inspired by consumer research)
3. The danger of creating plans that are too detailed (secret of "stumbling forward")
4. How to lead an international team despite cultural differences 

See the full show notes:

https://diggingforinsights.com/18-2/

You don't need a huge research team to understand your customers and grow your business. In this episode, Stephen shares five analytics and insights tips that companies of all sizes can use to be smarter and more customer-centric. This is an edited version of an interview from the Student Built Start-ups podcast. The five tips covered include:

The Five Analytics & Insights Hacks

1. Customer Advisory Boards
2. The power of benchmarks with data analysis
3. White space maps for marketing positioning AND marketing spend
4. Marketing experimentation
5. The EDC Framework to create a learning plan that can grow your brand or business

Learn more at diggingforinsights.com