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Blueprint for cost-effective competitive intelligence
A cost-effective approach is to gather individual pieces of data from a disparate range of publicly available sources, connect the dots, and build an overall profile of the competitor. You can find information about competitors in financial databases, directories, social media, industry associations, competitor websites, job postings, press releases, publicly available contracts, trade journals, analyst reports, and online reviews. Thoughtful analysis of these sources produces competitive insight that, while not perfect, is typically enough to guide decisions about which competitors to pay attention to, and which to ignore.
Read MoreHow to write an RFP for your next market research project
When organizations use custom market research services for the first-time or only sporadically, a common question is how to structure the RFP. RFPs can be the proverbial double-edged sword. Done well, the market research RFP is a valuable tool for both the client and their prospective market research partners. Done poorly, it becomes a barrier to effective discussion, and can result in proposals that meet the RFP specs but don’t actually solve the business need.
Read MoreIs NPS a useful indicator of a target acquisition’s value?
A recent Wall Street Journal article called attention to the “cultlike” following that NPS has garnered among CEOs in recent years. Their analysis found that in earnings calls by S&P 500 companies, “NPS” or “net promoter” were cited 150 times by 50 different companies. The article goes on to question whether companies have put too much emphasis on the one number system that is Net Promoter.
Read MoreInsights for the Next Recession
Over the past six-months economist have increasingly sounded the alarm about the recession just around the corner. Does market research have a role in helping companies prepare for this possibility? We think the answer is: Yes.
Read MoreSix reasons customers churn in B2B markets
When B2B vendors see an uptick in churn, stakeholders generate multiple, sometimes conflicting, hypotheses about the causes: It’s because of a recent price increase. New competitors entered the market. Competitors offer a service or functionality that we don’t. Customers don’t recognize the value the company provides. While it is important to take fast action to stop the bleeding, you don’t want to invest time and resources in a perceived problem only to see little change in customer attrition.
Read MoreLook beyond product for drivers of B2B satisfaction and value
Customer experience, by definition, incorporates all aspects of a company’s offering and cuts across organizational boundaries. Yet, B2B vendors continue to focus on the product as the main driver of customer satisfaction and value. Research by Isurus and other leading consultants shows how a more inclusive analysis of customer experience reveals more accurate and actionable results.
Read MoreMake better strategic investment decisions: Reduce decision bias in M&A due diligence
PE firms and corporate investors compete intensely for investments to expand their portfolio or augment their existing solutions. In the due diligence process, decision makers face the dual pressures of accuracy in a high-stakes decision, and the need to work very quickly. Unfortunately, the time-pressure of makes these decisions vulnerable to the cognitive biases.
Read MoreIsurus article featured in Quirk’s Marketing Research Review
The February 2019 issue, focused on B2B market research topics, includes our article “Overcoming Inertia: How to understand sporadic customer journeys in low involvement B2B categories” .
Read MoreAre customer compromises putting your product at risk?
No solution is perfect. Even highly satisfied customers make compromises to use your product or service. Budget is the most obvious trade-off: your product competes against other priorities and needs for budget. Less obvious compromises include the work-arounds customers implement in order to use your product or achieve their desired outcome. Only when an alternative comes to their attention, or a change in management spawns a review of existing processes and tools, do they start to think there might be a better way.
Read MoreMake Your B2B Brand Strategy Relevant to the Sales Team
You’ve analyzed your brand strengths and weaknesses, conducted research to understand your brand equity relative to key competitors, identified open market positions, developed your brand strategy, and set tactical marketing plans into motion. But what have you done to help the sales team embrace and operationalize your brand strategy? Have you helped them understand how it will make them more successful?
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