Welcome to the latest edition of the Cactus Call! It has been an amazing year so far. I am personally more engaged than ever before in our industry, and the health of marketing research as we strive to stay relevant in a changing environment.

I have spent the last several months speaking to companies about their growth strategy and how they will compete with today’s version of marketing research…and better yet, how to ensure success in five years. The companies that will have the most longevity are those that focus on their clients while offering employees an opportunity to thrive in their career and continue to grow. And let’s not forget technology! Make sure you are creating a personal experience for your clients through innovative technology, knowledgeable employees, quality services and data… in addition to speed.

In 1999, the majority of research methodologies included phone, face-to-face, fax and focus groups. Those methodologies still exist, however the big picture is changing. Consumers of research can now use big data/data mining, passive data, GPS location services, social media scraping, neuroscience and mobile to help gain insights into their customers and prospects. We have more ways than ever before to “see” the life of a consumer. In fact, it can be better to review what people are doing via data mining or passive data versus asking them about their activities in a long, tedious survey. We are in the age of multi-tasking. We use 1 to 3 devices per day, start one activity on our mobile and finish it on our tablet and stay connected 24/7 to both our professional and personal lives through all of the devices. We are busy and do over 1,000 tasks per day. I encourage you to try to remember what websites you visited last week. Write them down. Now, review the history on your PC, tablet and mobile devices to determine how many you actually recalled. If you are like most people, you may have mentioned 10-15 websites, however you actually visited over 100.

Embrace the technology. Set goals to understand the value add of today’s research tools like mobile, social media, DIY, data mining, passive data, neuroscience and online/mobile qualitative tools. Make 2015 your year to celebrate the changes. Our traditional research methodologies are not going away, however you need to understand the different tools to be able to offer the highest quality and best research possible to your client. Each methodology has its own biases- think about the research objective and audience to determine which one makes the most sense for your client and the project.

Cheers to a year of success, innovation and continuous learning.

Jami Pulley
Southwest Chapter President
[email protected]
469-712-1136