Answer this quick “yes or no” question: Does it not feel like you could do so much more and make your business reach such great heights if you could tap into actual customer insights and not just the fluffy stuff you get in surveys (or the standard market research techniques)?
If your answer is “yes,” then trust us when we say this: We get the feeling! After all, customer research is such an essential part of building your product/service, yet there’s little conversation surrounding it.
Well, we’re trying to put a stop to that today. In this article, we’re delving into the top 5 innovative market research methods you can use to gain actual customer insights in your target market. Let’s dive in, shall we?
1. Leverage social listening tools
Smart companies are tapping into raw, unfiltered online conversations through social listening tools, which keep a pulse on conversations surrounding their brand and industry.
These tools allow you to get the true scoop straight from the source. You can learn everything about your customers—their problems, frustrations, and product wish lists—without lurking on online forums and social media channels.
For example, take folks discussing Semaglutide online for weight loss—it’s a trendy topic these days. For a medical company, observing these real exchanges could provide a wealth of insights into customer motivations, worries, and decision-making processes — and this is not data you can get from a traditional method like a dry survey.
All in all, social listening tools provide deeper insights and honest, unvarnished customer perspectives instead of canned responses. They’re also a way to develop more exact messaging.
2. Use third-party sites
Sometimes, companies don’t have enough time or budget to develop a long-term strategy for customer insights. Unfortunately, customers won’t come and give them honest feedback on their own.
In this instance, you could instead rely on third-party review sites to tap into actual customer opinions about your product/service. Peer review sites like G2, TrustRadius, Capterra, etc., are all popular contenders and will help you get the insights you need.
Some organizations also publish research studies on familiar topics (like changing customer behaviors in your industry/niche). You could leverage these insights, too, to provide exceptional service to your customers.
Another thing you can consider is talking to your customer-facing teams, such as sales, delivery executives, customer support, retail employees, etc., to get their analysis on customer behaviors based on the multiple interactions.
3. Create customer focus groups
Customer focus groups are where you create exclusive communities with your loyal customers to get their feedback on your product/service (Glossier was one of the first brands to popularize this concept). Some folks also refer to this as a “customer advisory board.”
However, you don’t need to be a Glossier-level famous entity to execute this strategy. Homegrown brands, such as the Lash Lift Store, have also incorporated this strategy into their business.
Says Sara Millecam Anderson, the CEO of the Lash Lift Store, “We use beta testing with a select group of loyal clients before a full product launch. These beta testers provide detailed feedback, highlighting potential improvements. Their insights are crucial for fine-tuning our offerings.
We also collaborate closely with influencers and beauty experts who regularly use our products. They offer professional critiques and suggestions, helping us stay ahead in trends and innovations. These partnerships extend beyond mere endorsements; they are a source of continuous learning and adaptation.
Our team also conducts virtual focus groups. Using video conferencing, we gather diverse groups of clients to discuss their experiences and preferences. This dynamic setting allows us to probe deeper into their thoughts and experiences.”
4. Step into the customer’s shoes
Here’s another way to do customer research: Step into the shoes of your customers (and this strategy is something even experts stand by).
For example, Marc Bishop, the director at WYTLABS, says he uses this approach to get customer insights: “We have conducted immersive customer experience journeys, where members of our team interact with our services and products from a customer’s perspective.
This includes everything from signing up for our services and experiencing the customer support process to using the product itself. It helps us identify any friction points and areas for improvement.
Additionally, we sometimes invite customers to participate in these journey mappings, which provides both parties with insights into how the product is used in everyday scenarios and what can be enhanced.”
Going a step forward, you could also shadow your customers when they’re actually making a purchase from you. For example, if you’re an author, you could shadow customers in a bookstore to see how they interact with your products and how they make a purchase.
5. Be active where your customers are
Last but not least, you could be active in the places your customers frequent—these could be in-person events or virtual events/community participation events.
We say this because your audience talks differently in a professional setting than in a personal setting (e.g., with close, trusted community members or places where they could have anonymity, such as subreddits).
You could not only use these valuable insights to improve your product/service and get your customers’ actual thoughts on it, but being present in such places will also allow you to understand how your customers converse (which phrases/words they use, and you can further edit your marketing, sales, and calling scripts accordingly.
