TL; DR
What is qualitative research, what does it entail, and is it something that a small business owner should be thinking about? These are the questions that will be addressed by myself and Clark Murray in this extensive guide.
The guide covers all of the basics, including:
- Areas of Research: There are three areas covered in this guide, including qualitative research, quantitative research, and Big Data. The goal of these three areas of research is the same, but they refer to different areas and it’s important to know what those differences are.
- Focus Groups: Although focus groups have an old-fashioned vibe about them, they are still just as important today as they have always been. You need focus groups to showcase your new products to potential buyers. They’ll tell you what works and what doesn’t work, after which you can make the necessary changes and ensure that your new product is ready for the market. Clark Murray has organized thousands of focus groups over the years and the following guide contains all of his strategies and techniques.
- Surveys: Surveys are another aspect of qualitative research that seems a little dated but is still alive and well. In fact, it has never been easier to arrange surveys, as the internet can do everything for you. We look at some of the best tools and websites for conducting surveys. It’s quick, easy, and in most cases, it’s completely free.
- Keep it Honest: Whatever research you do and wherever it takes you, make sure that you remain honest, transparent, and authentic every step of the way. Don’t lie to yourself just to get the results that you’re looking for; don’t lie to the people you’re surveying just to sway things in your favor. Even the harshest criticisms can teach you a lot.
- How to Avoid Mistakes: It’s easy to make costly mistakes when it comes to organizing focus groups and surveys. Even Murray has made them, and no one is more experienced than he is. Fortunately, the following guide will help you to reduce the risk of making costly mistakes. It contains top tips on how to avoid the most common pitfalls associated with focus groups and qualitative research in general.
- How to Conduct Qualitative Research on a Budget: Focus groups can get very expensive very quickly, but it is possible to conduct qualitative research on a budget. We look at some of the cost-saving measures for focus groups and surveys (including running your focus groups online as opposed to renting an expensive meeting room), as well as the tools that can help you to incorporate the things that you have learned.
This is just a taster of what’s to come. If you’re keen to learn more about qualitative research and everything that goes along with it, watch the video, read the guide, and learn!
Make sure you read to the end, where you will find Murray’s $100,000 advice, a priceless insight that could change how you approach qualitative research forever.
In a previous This Week With Sabir episode, I spoke with Bryan Mattimore about the ideation process. During that interview, we touched upon the importance of qualitative research and discussed the ways that Bryan has used it to launch countless successful products.
It’s time to take a deeper dive into this subject.
This week, it’s the turn of Clark Murray, a world leader in qualitative research who has acquired a vast repertoire of knowledge on this subject.
We spoke about qualitative research, qualitative analysis, and UX design, as well as the implementation of surveys and focus groups, and the ways that business owners can gather and utilize customer insights.
You can watch our full interview above, with more than an hour of valuable lessons and useful strategies.
Check out the $100,000 Expert Insights – Part 2: Qualitative Research with Clark Murray