Qualitative data: here’s what you’re missing in your target market

In a business world driven by numbers, valuable, direct feedback from prospects in your target market is often overlooked. It’s easy to see the value in measuring responses based on figures and percentages—but what value are you losing when you don’t make a deeper, more personal connection?

Quantitative research has been the preferred data collection method for years—a highly uncontested preference for decision makers looking to validate hypotheses. A simple ‘yes or no’ question can speak volumes about market preferences and activity, for example. This can be a huge boon to marketers testing the water for potential campaigns.

Qualitative research takes a more nuanced approach. Critics make several cases against this neglected method—its unbridled scope, and the difficulty it poses in identifying consistencies. But with the right analytical capacities, qualitative research is a surefire means to identify trends otherwise unnoticeable when looking only at the numbers.

The Unexpected Advantages of Qualitative Data

Imagine asking 100 members of your target market a straightforward question: “What will be your most important technology investment this year?” You’re bound to get dozens of different responses. But within them, you may find both consistencies and unique insights that otherwise would be lost.

“Traditional qualitative research is a great solution if you are looking to obtain really deep feedback from a small, targeted group to help validate a hypothesis or add more context to your data,” said Forbes. “By layering qualitative insight on top of our quantitative data, you can tell a complete story of consumer sentiment, helping to validate or inform your marketing strategy for maximum impact.”

5 Key Benefits of Qualitative Research

Supplementing your quantitative research with one or two qualitative questions can transform the way you perceive the market. Here are five key benefits on which you might be missing out:

1. Uncovering trends that you’d otherwise miss. Business leaders like talking about their pain points. Those pain points might not be immediately highlighted in a quantitative line of questions. What’s more, your respondents are likely eager to share their proudest solutions—ideas you can leverage for data-driven content.

2. Fleshing out better customer personas. Qualitative or verbal responses can uncover a lot about your customers, if only by the way they answer questions. Optimism, frustration, ingenuity—these tones emerge in qualitative responses and can guide your marketing approach.

3. A boon of additional data. Some researchers struggle with the sheer volume of qualitative responses. A 100-respondent survey with two qualitative questions will generate 200 qualitative responses, for example. But with the right analytical team, volume begets key advantages for how you engage the market in turn.

4. Guide the thinking of your survey respondents. When you ask for quantitative responses, you highlight very specific areas that concern both the market and your brand. Blending quantitative and qualitative questioning gets respondents thinking on the track you want, which in turn generates qualitative responses that align with your research goals.

5. Differentiate your messaging from competitors. There are three essential ways you can leverage qualitative data in your marketing content: (1) as direct quotes, (2) as paraphrasing, or (3) by incorporating insights into your text. All these methods tell prospects that you not only understand the market, but also understand their needs and the way they perceive business problems and solutions.

Connecting with Prospects on Their Terms

Members of your target market will see the value in competitive quantitative data. However, they look for solution providers who understand their business beyond the numbers. By leveraging qualitative data, you can ‘speak the language’ of your prospects, adding value to your messaging.

Remember, 200 qualitative survey responses are like 200 short, unique interviews with your prospects. With the right analyses and content assets, qualitative data provides everything you need to develop the most comprehensive content assets in any of your target markets.