Courtesy Jenny Rollo, Photographer Stock.xchng Copyright May 10, 2007

For some lucky people, June is all about sunshine and the beginning of the halcyon days of summer. For others, June is about relationships. We are not talking about linear relationships here. We are talking about the convoluted, complex, multiple variable relationships that bring about weddings and graduations. Preparing for these big, crazy days is big business and keeps marketers and advertisers busy for months prior to the events. The same can be said for market researchers. Looking ahead to this June, there may be more discussion about civil unions and marriages of couples of the same gender. And on the home front, there is a trend to ensure that homeschooled children and youth experience graduation ceremonies and celebrations.

How are you preparing for June?

When do you gear up to begin market research related to commercial endeavors targeting weddings, graduations, and all the time spent outdoors in summer -- with the bugs?

Forget marketing to the masses. Personalize your customer conversations.
Courtesy Arianne van Noordt, Photographer. © October 24, 2010 Stock.xchng

Facebook's IPO excitement is generating a ton of interest, and then along come two different opinions from major US automakers about the effectiveness of advertising on Facebook. General Motors is calling it quits with Facebook ads saying that they just don't pay. But Ford is happy, especially after their Fiesta launch, and has reaffirmed that it will continue to use Facebook to connect with customers. Read More...

What Makes Your Customers Happy?
Courtesy Niderlander, Photographer © Dreamstime

Remember the old carpenter's adage? Measure twice, cut once. This saying certainly has application to market research. I periodically receive questions from researchers about which statistical analyses to use, and invariably these questions come after the data has been collected. I can feel the discouragement from these folks - it is palpable even in the digital realm. One of the best favors that a market researcher can do for herself or himself is to determine how the data will be analyzed very early in the research planning process.

Light Your Customer's Fire Courtesy Thomas Picard, Photographer, Stock.xchng Copyright May 07, 2006.

According to recent research by McKinsey & Co., the number of people who are advanced users of mobile digital devices, social networks, and other Web 2.0 tools is approaching 50 percent. The McKinsey study tracked 100,000 people in North America, Europe, and Asia to learn how use of digital technology is changing. The research indicates that there is a burgeoning segment of consumers with advanced multi-digital and rich-media interests and facility. While people may enter the digital realm via one type of digital use, they soon typically evidence a pattern of wide digital consumption. Hands down, Internet video is the favorite and it is grabbing market share from conventional and paid TV.