People are people, and it’s mystifying to figure there are 8 billion of us around. And yet, we all have our own unique combination of qualities.
To even try and understand people at large, individuals, and the way they behave in your specific market, it is valuable to have ways to evaluate, or at least eyeball, both ends of that macro/micro spectrum. This post is about the micro end.
In marketing and research terms (and probably data science, a topic for another time), it’s translated as quantitative and qualitative research.
I had the chance of working on the market research market with a client in the past couple of years (Dynvibe and agency OFF-WORKS). It was kind of wild to map what’s going on and how quickly it is evolving.
The main point is I found out the vast majority of the global market research revenue goes to quantitative research (historical value in the 2022 GRIT report stated 70% of research projects were quantitative, the values in terms of revenue are even higher, roughly 85% if memory serves, though check before quoting me on that last one).
For me qualitative research is about getting to find out about what makes people tick, those unique combinations of qualities, or just plain finding out about who they are, and this tends to be where those cherished human insights lie.
On that note, I recommend Mark Hadfield‘s excellent Meet the 85% which I I believe is also becoming an audio podcast in addition to the current newsletter.
A friend once told me: “Willem, what I love about you is I that I could invite you anywhere, from a rave party squat to an ambassador’s cocktail reception, and I know you’ll be fine, you’ll adapt, fit in, and make friends.”
C’était en français, pour le fun, la fin de la phrase était du genre: “je pourrais t’inviter dans un squat de teufeurs ou à la réception de l’ambassadeur et tu feras pas tâche, tu feras des potes”
It was a nod to a classic 1990s Ferrero advert about the ambassador’s reception (the ad on Youtube): https://youtu.be/zs7gAxsfK5U?si=L1mFPq58l7Nycrtk.
It’s one of the best compliments I ever received.
Compliments received tend to be a sign of the those unique qualities I was mentioning. Looking for those can lead to interesting new ways to understand who people are and how they behave.
Plus we’re not great at knowing that for ourselves, others tend to have a better view from the outside, as it were.
It can be a source of positive morale for yourself and others too. If you don’t know, ask a few close friends or family what they think you’re good at. If you do know, go ahead and give a compliment to someone else, you might just make their day.
It’s also a great question to ask people if you happen to do qualitative research interviews for your business or a market research project.
What’s the best compliment you ever received?
