The practice of using credible data—whether it be commissioned market research or proprietary data owned by a brand—is a surefire approach to support storytelling. Survey research can be used to maximize product launches, crisis communications, messaging testing, thought leadership, and more brand moments. While most communications professionals leverage data for earned media campaigns, brands have an opportunity to maximize it via an integrated approach across paid and owned channels to further support demand.
V2 recently hosted a webinar with Jen Papineau of V2 client Rocket Software and Tony Cheevers at V2 partner Researchscape International in which they discussed how companies should approach market research—from ideation and execution to promotion. Watch the webinar here, and read highlights from the discussion below.
Katelyn: How do you define data and brand storytelling? How do you think about research?
Jen: We love using third-party research so we can come to the market with a unique, unbiased point of view for our customers and prospects. With survey data, the facts are the facts, the numbers are the numbers, and we as a brand can layer on our expertise to show how the problems our customers are having can be solved with our solutions. I personally love leaning on that third party independent data to really showcase how we can be a leader in the marketplace.
Research is such a golden goose. Right now, in the middle of 2024 planning, we have key themes and solutions we want to be focused on for next year. As part of that planning, we’re now thinking about what survey angle—that’s not overdone, that has impact and a hook—that we could pursue that can speak to those solution areas and stretch across the entire year and have a halo effect.
Tony: We often start by determining the headline that we want, then take a deeper look to see if this research has already been done. We often get pulled in when a brand has a new launch, or if they want to make a big splash at an industry event. We help flesh out the story they want to tell. I also think it’s important to repeat surveys annually, when possible, to get trend data over time, and be a reliant source annually that people go to and expect.
Katelyn: Regardless of how healthy a brand is, efficiency is a hard to ignore topic right now. Every marketing organization is trying to get more, do more and perhaps do it with less money or resources. How do you maximize data and research impact?
Jen: When amplifying the data, where we get the most value is when we take an omnichannel approach: how do I take this data and essentially bleed it all the way through from awareness, consideration, engagement, decision, and retention perspectives? For example, we recently held a customer and partner event in Paris where our company leaders quoted stats in their presentations from a survey we did in June about what keeps IT leaders up at night. Those proof points in this discussion were a signal of why it’s so important we have this kind of research.
Tony: Your audience, your market, the world is changing all the time. The research that you did six months ago may not be valid or current.
Katelyn: How do you get everyone bought in internally to do research?
Jen: There will always be roadblocks. I pursue a few different angles to get buy-in. Early in the process as I’m socializing the idea, I make sure the concept of a survey, and the theme of the survey itself, aligns with our marketing and business priorities for the following year. It’s important to make sure everyone understands the long term value we’ll get from the survey—whether it’s from an influence, awareness, or exposure perspective, or from a pipeline perspective, a retention perspective, etc.—and feels part of the process.
Read this case study for an in-depth look at a V2-executed survey of IT leaders for Rocket Software.