As travel grinds to a halt and ethnographies and focus groups get pushed off the table, it becomes increasingly challenging to stay plugged in to consumer audiences and stay dialed into the brand categories they occupy.
Here are some small ways to keep insights flowing in, even with limited contact (and likely limited budgets):
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VIDEO INTERVIEWS:
We have had such success with this methodology over the years. Takes some prep and a really extroverted moderator, but real intimacy can be created in this setting.
Some tips:
Beefy incentives: Try not to skimp here. The more committed people are to getting set up, the smoother things will go (especially now when home life is crowded). This approach is already a fraction of the hard cost of a focus group.
Loosen up: It’s okay if your discussion guide tends to feel more like a convo with a friend. This intimate setting can really create a great sense of security.
Detailed instructions: Aside from the technical stuff, set people up to be comfy (quiet room, good lighting, solid hour blocked off).
Labor of love: The caveat is that this is not for the faint of heart. It takes real commitment and time to develop these relationships online.
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ARE YOUR INTERVIEWS CONTENT ALREADY?
Depending on the type of interview you are conducting, some of your research could lend itself to content. Think through who you are talking to (check your releases) and have a long view toward the many ways you might be able to use the interview you are about to secure.
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DIAL IN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDS TO BE PART OF THEIR WORLD:
It might not be as easy to go eat at your client’s restaurant and observe or shop along with them in the store. But dedicate some serious time to following your consumer target world online as much as possible. Follow as many people as you think might be in their sphere of influence, and spend time in the comments really digesting and assessing what you are reading. Lots of directional feelings, attitudes, etc., revealed here.