Qualitative Research

Qualitative research can help you…

• Develop hypotheses for further testing and for qualitative questionnaire development
• Understand the feelings, values, and perceptions that underlie and influence behavior
• Identify customer needs
• Capture the language and imagery customers use to describe and relate to a product, service, brand, etc.
• Perceptions of marketing/communication messages
• Information obtained in quantitative study and to better understand the context/meaning of the data
• Generate ideas for improvements and/or extensions of a product, line, or brand
• Uncover potential strategic directions for branding or communications programs
• Understand how people perceive a marketing message or communication piece
• Develop parameters (i.e., relevant questions, range of responses) for a quantitative study

Situations where qualitative research is often used:

• New product idea generation and development
• Investigating current or potential product/service/brand positioning and marketing strategy
• Strengths and weaknesses of products/brands
• Understanding dynamics of purchase decision dynamics
• Studying reactions to advertising and public relations campaigns, other marketing communications, graphic identity/branding, package design, etc.
• Exploring market segments, such as demographic and customer groups
• Studying emotions and attitudes on societal and public affairs issues
• Assessing the usability of websites or other interactive products or services
• Understanding perceptions of a company, brand, category and product
• Determining consumer language as a preliminary step to develop a quantitative survey

Do not expect qualitative research to…

• Count, measure or offer statistical validation
• Determine the best product concept or price point; or establish the importance of specific customer needs or satisfaction criteria
• Be a substitute for quantitative research because of time and/or budgetary constraints when quantitative evaluation is critical