With new technologies, consumers’ decision-making process is constantly evolving; directly impacting market research. Tools in both qualitative and quantitative fields are expanding to capture a consumer decision, and this has prompted companies to upgrade their research capabilities. In line with this, researchers across industries are attempting to adopt innovative approaches to identify winning tools and techniques for understanding consumers’ decisions. Best Practices, LLC conducted this cross-industry benchmarking study to identify current and evolving approaches for qualitative and quantitative consumer marketing research techniques and tools. This research examines the changing landscape for qualitative and quantitative research. It also reviews which quantitative research approaches market research leaders are currently utilizing most and why. This study includes data on two segments: non-pharmaceutical companies and the Total Benchmark Class.

1. Best Practices in Innovating within Market
Research to Reach Consumers:
How New Tools, Technologies and Approaches Improve
Understanding and Communicating with Consumers
Best Practices, LLC Strategic Benchmarking Research
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2. Table of Contents
I.
Executive Summary
pp. 4-20

Research Overview
pp. 4

Universe of Learning
pp. 5

Innovation Widely Dispersed but Thinly Seeded
pp. 6

Key Findings
pp. 7-20
II. Universe of Learning: Key Demographics of Participating Companies pp. 21-23
III. Innovation in Marketing Research Approaches
pp. 24-28
IV. Innovation in Marketing Research Tools
pp. 29-66

Using Innovation to Update the Use of Analysis Tools
for Key Market Research Activities
V. Marketing Research Trend Changes – Qualitative Trends
pp. 67-74
VI. Marketing Research Trend Changes – Quantitative Trends
pp. 75-80
VII. Emerging Market Research Tools in Non-Pharma Sector
pp. 81-88
VIII. Communicating with Consumers
pp. 89-91
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3. Table of Contents
IX. Trends in Consumer Communication
pp. 92-98
X. Evaluating Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
pp. 99-101
XI. Lessons Learned and Pitfalls to Avoid
pp. 102-106
XII. Appendix
pp. 107-118
XIII. About Best Practices, LLC
pp. 119
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4. Research Project Objectives, Methodology & Results
Best Practices, LLC conducted this cross-industry benchmarking study to identify current and
evolving approaches for consumer marketing and marketing research techniques and tools. This
study contains extensive qualitative data.
Study Overview
Research Objective: New technologies are
transforming how consumers educate themselves
and make critical purchasing decisions.
Correspondingly, across industry sectors the
consumer marketing playbook and marketing
research analysis approaches are evolving to
better identify winning tools and techniques.
This cross-industry study addresses topical issues
that include new media for interacting with
consumers, new qualitative techniques for insight
mining and new quantitative techniques for
research data analysis.
 Methodology: Best Practices, LLC engaged 59
Market Research leaders at 58 companies through
a benchmarking survey instrument. Of the 58
participants, 41 were from non pharma segment.
In addition, research analysts conducted executive
interviews with eight selected respondents to
collect qualitative data and insights.
Topics Included
 Innovativeness of MR Tools for:
 Forecasting
 Patient Flow Mapping
 Positioning
 Segmentation
 Brand Research
 Concept Testing
 Brand Awareness
 Customer Insights
 Direct-to-Consumer
 Tactic Testing
 Target Product Profile Testing
 Utilization of Emerging MR Tools
 Effectiveness of Consumer Marketing Tools
 Best Practices, Pitfalls & Lessons Learned
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5. 59 Benchmark Participants Represent Nine Industries
Fifty-nine benchmark survey respondents from 58 companies participated in this study. More than 40
percent are directors, VPs, and C-level and a third are manager level. The rest fall under “other.” The
participants represent more than nine industries with pharma the largest segment at 30%. To add
qualitative depth to the study, eight interviews were conducted with market research leaders.
Benchmark Class
Pharmaceutical Benchmark Class
Non-Pharmaceutical Benchmark Class
R2Business Solutions
Sekisanchi LLlC
(n=18)
(n=41)
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6. Innovation Has Many Faces in Consumer Market Research
The “Innovation Insights Story” in Consumer Marketing Research reveals ongoing evolutionary change –
rather than revolutionary disruptive technology change. Innovation is broad reaching, incremental and
assumes various forms through tools, technology, process improvements and hybrid adaptations of
proven practices.
1. Most Companies Rate
Themselves Low on Market
Research Effectiveness &
Innovation
6. Seed New Innovation
Projects Where It Most
Benefits Your Existing Brands
& New Products
5. Innovation Hot Spots Exist In
Customer Flow Mapping,
Segmentation & Concept Testing.
Innovation Has Many Faces:
Process, Tools, Hybridization,
Deeper, Faster & Cheaper
Examining Innovation
Across Consumer
Marketing Research
Landscape
4. No Single Company Has
Cornered the Market on M.R.
Innovation
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2. Innovation Is Evolutionary /
Incremental Across the Market
Research Process
3. Innovation Is Widely Dispersed
But Thinly Seeded: 80% Of
Venues Are Seed Beds With 5%
to 12% of Companies Innovating
At Most Research Milestones
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7. Qualitative Key Findings: Mobile Research and Online Tools
The following key findings and insights emerged from interviews and qualitative survey responses in
this study.

Improving Report Presentations Enhances Engagement: Finding innovative or fresh ways to
present reports/studies – such as formats like Prezi or the use of dynamic visuals – is an important
way to keep staff and internal stakeholders engaged.

Mobile Research Will Be a Key Tool for Market Research in the Future: Mobile research, with
its rapid delivery of point-of-care and point-of-sale data, will be an important tool for marketing
research in the future. Thirty-six percent of the Non-pharma Segment is using it either sometimes
or frequently.

Online Communities Offer Bottomless Pool of Consumer Insights: Online communities are a
valuable qualitative source of consumer insights and yet the tool appears to be underutilized. Sixtyone percent of the Non-pharma Segment said they use them either sometimes or frequently.

Social Media Listening Is Another Underutilized Tool: Social Media Listening is another
underutilized tool that can inform market researchers across many topics, including product
positioning, brand awareness and customer insights. Fifty-two percent in the Non- Pharma
segment don’t use it.
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8. More than 9 Industries Participated in Innovation Study
The benchmark study group was anchored by biopharma and market research agencies.
Healthcare (non-manufacturers), telecommunications, services, consumer goods, finance
and electronics companies also participated in this marketing research innovation study.
Q1. Please identify which industry sector your company represents
Industry:
*Others:
 Utilities
 Education
 Postal
Other, 17%
Pharma, 30%
Telecommunications,
5%
Services, 15%
Finance, 2%
Healthcare, 10%
Electronics, 2%
(n=59)
Marketing/Market
Research Agencies,
15%
Consumer Goods, 3%
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9. Non-Pharma Spot Many Hurdles to MR Effectiveness
The segment of non-pharma companies identify many impediments to Market Research
effectiveness. They wrestle with budget, staffing, lack of innovation, outdated tools,
inattention to social media and over-reliance on quantitative data.
Q. If you do not feel you have a highly effective market research organization, rate what factors are impeding your
effectiveness?
Effectiveness Obstacles (Non-Pharma):
Not a Problem
Minor Obstacle
Not Enough Budget
16%
Major Obstacle
19%
Not Enough Staff 6%
23%
Outdated Analytical Tools
25%
Too Much Reliance on Quantitative Data
Too Much Reliance on Qualitative Data
*Other
56%
37%
36
35
40%
33%
33%
48%
30%
51%
36
33%
42%
33%
37 *Other Major
65%
39%
Lack of innovation
Not Enough Attention to Online Tools/Social
Media
n=
36
21%
40%
61%
4%
9%
35%
33
35
23
Obstacles Cited:
• "Company does not
care about customer
opinions”
• "Don't know how"
• "Driving own
agenda, sucking too
much resource away
from business issues
into own Insight
world"
• "Lack of knowledge
(how-to)"
• "Need for improved
data visualization"
• "Not enough
knowledge of the
clients business"
% of Respondents
9
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10. Positioning Lacks Innovation Across MR Processes
Q. Please rate your perceived innovativeness on the following market research dimensions for Positioning:
Positioning Excellence:
n=
Not Innovative
40
Methodologies and Tools
40
Data Collection
41
Analysis and Interpretation
40
Reporting and Communicating
Middle of the Road
Innovative
20%
75%
28%
70%
20%
Innovative:
5%
5%
3%
3%
80%
25%
73%
0%
3%
3%
% of Respondents
10
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11. Quant and Qual Working Together Create Synergy
Innovation in market research doesn’t have to be a new tool or methodology – it can come
from finding ways to combine work streams to reduce job timelines. One participant
thought having qual and quant teams work closer together would accomplish that goal.
“We do see where qualitative is starting to inform quant where it didn’t before. I’ve been in
the offices of most major market research firms in the world and there’s usually a keypad
door separating the qualitative teams from the quantitative teams.
We’re seeing that change with online ‘qual’…we’ve got the technologies that allow us to
bring people out of a large segmentation study, a customer satisfaction survey, and bring
into a qualitative discussion for a deeper dive with them. That’s allowed the quant-qual
teams to co-mingle on these projects.
It is unbelievably common where you do a segmentation study and find some unexplained
thing and go through the keypad door and say, ‘Qual team here’s something to go
explore.’ Well that can take months…today we’re radically reducing those timelines by
giving them technology that the quants can run themselves or that makes the quant and
qual teams work together very closely.”
– Chief Innovation Officer
Qualitative
Component
Merging to
provide more
realistic Insights
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Quantitative
Component
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12. TBC Segment: Customized E-Mail Campaigns Top
Second Tier of Consumer Communications
Customized e-mail campaigns topped the second tier of the list of tools, technologies, or
channels that organizations use to communicate with consumers. Sixty-nine percent of
participants felt e-mail was either somewhat or very effective.
Q. Rate the effectiveness of various tools, technologies and channels that you use to communicate, educate, and inform
consumers in your chosen markets:
Consumer Marketing & Communication Tools (TBC):
Don't Use
Very Ineffective
Somewhat Ineffective
Customized e-mail campaigns
Consumer/Patient Advocacy Groups
Social Media
Online Channels /Sponsorships (YouTube,
Blogs)
Viral Marketing (marketing communication
designed to be passed around among users)
Somewhat Effective
19% 4%
8%
29%
54%
4% 21%
19% 4%
8%
54%
n=
15%
4% 17%
20%
24
8%
46%
28%
26
13%
33%
23%
36%
Very Effective
26
8%
25
21% 4%
24
% of Respondents
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13. SEO Part of Doing Business in U.S. Marketplace
One of the important – and dynamic – online consumer marketing tools is Search Engine
Optimization. While it can bring hundreds, if not thousands, of customers to your business,
the SEO rules of search engines like Google are constantly evolving.
More Focus
on Keyword
Portfolio
than Ranking
“We have a lot of secondary reports
about where consumers go to get healthrelated information. In this day and age,
consumers go to the Internet and, for the
Use Social
Media for
Distribution
& Promotion
of Content
Rules
for SEO
Success
Create
Problem
Solving
Content
most part, people just to go to a search
engine and type something in and see
what comes up.
Whatever you’re selling, you better come
out on top, otherwise they’re probably
Publish
Content on
Quality
Sources
not going to find it.”
- Senior Specialist,
Global Market Research
http://www.inc.com/aaron-aders/new-rules-for-seo-success-in-2013.html
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14. About Best Practices, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work based on the
simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior economic
performance by studying the best business practices, operating tactics, and winning
strategies of world-class companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
www.best-in-class.com
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