| I started my consumer marketing career some | | | | things better?" Betty ended every group with the |
| 18 years ago doing "Focus Groups" or what is | | | | boldest question of all: "If I were to build you the |
| professionally called "Qualitative Research." Our | | | | perfect product, what five elements would it |
| research firm was headed up by a touchy-feely | | | | HAVE to HAVE"? Not only were the group |
| PhD in Psychology from Englewood Cliffs, New | | | | respondents clear and concise with their answers, |
| Jersey named Betty. Betty loved to find out how | | | | they were remarkably consistent across the |
| products made people feel, and she was | | | | country. |
| legendary. She conducted focus groups for the | | | | I don't know where Betty is today, but I wish I |
| likes of Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, General | | | | could somehow let her know that I still think |
| Foods, Kraft, Proctor-Silex, Kodak, Avon, The | | | | about those research lessons here in the New |
| Irish Tourist Board, Purdue Chicken, and even | | | | Millennium. They seem to apply now more than |
| Burger King. During my first few months on the | | | | ever in this New Age of technology where |
| job, I was convinced that these groups were just | | | | products have to be better, cheaper, deliver |
| an excuse for the R&D folks to get out of | | | | more, and do it all at lightening speed. |
| the office and eat Cheez-It's in a dark room. But, | | | | In the Direct Response world, we are not big on |
| as I sat behind the "secret" glass with my yellow | | | | focus groups and yet every DR day and every |
| legal pad feeling every bit like an investigator for | | | | DR contact is a "group" research opportunity. I |
| CSI, I could barely keep the sound-bites straight. I | | | | can't seem to get Field of Dreams out of my |
| quickly realized that consumers really do tell you | | | | head ... "Build it, and they will come." Now, I am |
| what they think, if you just ask. | | | | not saying that Shoeless Joe Jackson is going to |
| Betty was famous for her great "unopen-ended" | | | | come gliding through the corn fields, but perhaps if |
| questions that forced the customer to qualify | | | | you take advantage of the "direct" contact that |
| each response. "On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the | | | | you have with your buyer, your next offer will be |
| product changed your life - where are we?" The | | | | a Grand Slam right out of the gate. Or better |
| next question was obvious, "How do we get to | | | | yet, you will learn enough about the emotion of |
| 5?" I watched women and men talk about | | | | the customer to finally reach the man or woman |
| everything from Child Care to Skin Care, from | | | | that has yet to buy anything in a DR format. |
| Fast Foods to Diets, from Vacation Packages to | | | | Here are some easy ways to take advantage of |
| Investment Packages! We discussed free time, | | | | DIRECT contact with the CUSTOMER: |
| spare time, and the increasing lack of time. It was | | | | 1) Troll your database! Find out who your buyer |
| a snapshot of life in America back in 1988. | | | | is, what they read, where they live, and exactly |
| Remember when they put raisins in Grape Nuts? | | | | what makes them tick. Your customer list is |
| After conducting 50 "one-on-ones" with Grape Nut | | | | GOLD and holds the key to your NEXT winner! |
| eaters in Kansas City ... I can tell you first-hand | | | | 2) Ask them! You have what retailers envy, the |
| why it didn't work. And, it involves as much | | | | ability to talk to your customers. Inbound scripts |
| emotion and perception as it does taste. | | | | are the perfect tools for asking simple questions |
| When she would pitch the blue chips Betty would | | | | and gathering EASY research. |
| say, "No one at this table knows what the | | | | 3) Don't assume you know anything! Test price |
| customer will buy. The guy in Product | | | | points, upsells, and product bundles in multiple |
| Development hasn't a clue. The gal paid to make | | | | formats. Find out exactly what works and then |
| things look pretty, has no idea what appeals to | | | | put your money behind it. |
| the buyer, particularly in the moment of impulse. | | | | 4) Leverage the Box! Package inserts, order |
| And, the people in Finance are by far the most | | | | forms, letters, and mini-catalogs are an easy and |
| out of touch with purchase motivation. Get them | | | | inexpensive means to test new products, ideas, |
| out of your marketing process!" | | | | concepts, and promotions. |
| She viewed the buyer as a child. Just as you | | | | 5) Inquiries are People too! Contact your inquiries! |
| would ask a child, "Honey what's wrong?" so must | | | | They can tell you exactly what you did wrong! If |
| you ask the buyer "How can I help?" "What can I | | | | you ask them how to make it better ... they'll tell |
| do for you?" "Is there a way that I can make | | | | you that too! |