A quick bootstrapping idea:
If you’re doing market research for a new business, or a new product or service to add to your existing lines, add a simple question:
If this goes ahead would you be interested in buying?
Create a simple ‘optin’ for them to be recontacted and you’ll have a a ready-made lead database when you do launch.
If you’re looking for external support (funding, suppliers etc….) – or just want to increase the level of commitment – you could even take it a step further and ask them to sign a letter of intent.
Two birds with one stone.
Just don’t use market research as a cover for a sales pitch as some businesses do – your prospects will see right through it.
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I didn’t do “pre-selling” per se, but last week I ran a focus group (and will run another this weekend) regarding a new product I’ll be launching. Instead of booking at a boring old hotel room, we had a fun high tea at a groovy restaurant which does them on the weekends. This format took the pressure off, everyone got to give their opinion (I gave them photocopies of the draft product to make copious notes on) and I discovered some major design and copy flaws that I have addressed for the second draft that the next focus group will see. I had a mix of past customers, non-customers and fellow retailers which made it very interesting and the feedback was absolutely invaluable!
I’d definitely recommend it to anyone and it is a nice way to touch base with your customers.
Elizabeth,
I love that idea. I think the added extra in this case is the ability to ‘touch base with your customers’.
It sounds like you’ve a decent group, keen to support your business. Getting them involved in focus groups is a great way of cementing that relationship and getting some feedback.
My next question would be, how else might I be able to work with this group?
Could the other retailers be potential marketing partners?
Could excited customers be good at spreading WOM if you help them get started?
With changes made, are any of the ‘non-customers’ worth involving again?
Thanks for extending the conversation and make sure to keep us up-to-date with any other good ideas that’ve worked for your business
Mark
Adding a question that asks if they would want to buy, and using it as a lead list: That is called “selling under the guise of research” — the FTC used to have a law against this, so you might want to check it out–it may still exist. Also, it does huge damage to the perceived credibility of research. You ask someone for their honest opinions, and it turns out it was a lead gen campaign in disguise? It really turns respondents off from doing surveys in the future. The MR associations like CASRO strongly discourage this practice, as it hurts the entire research industry.
Hi Kathryn:
Thanks for the valuable input.
To clarify slightly, the intent here is not to sell ‘under the guise of research’ but rather to capitalise on interest shown when conducting your own research.
As I mention above: “… don’t use market research as a cover for a sales pitch as some businesses do – your prospects will see right through it.”
The fact that this might be construed as illegal reinforces that so I’m glad you raised the point.
As for the question itself, “would you be interested in buying?” is the most important question that should be asked.
In my opinion though, having a separate and clear opt in for further info (as suggested in the post) keeps everything clear and separates the research elements from the follow-up. It’s a point that I could certainly have made more clearly though.
Thanks again for adding to the conversation and I’d be interested to here any suggestions you might have for small businesses and micro-enterprises who would like to both gain feedback and create interest at the same time.
Do you think these two aims are completely incompatible?
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