{"id":34208,"date":"2021-03-17T14:09:15","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T18:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?p=34208"},"modified":"2021-03-17T14:09:15","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T18:09:15","slug":"company-does-qualitative-research-that-helps-clients-with-marketing-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2021\/03\/company-does-qualitative-research-that-helps-clients-with-marketing-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Company Does Qualitative Research That Helps Clients With Marketing Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Neal Sandin is the owner of 643 Research, a qualitative research firm he started in 2014 and moved to Malta in November 2019.
\u00a92021 SaratogaPhotographer.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Susan Elise Campbell<\/p>\n

When Neal Sandin conducts research, he says he is seeking to interpret \u201cthe voice of the consumer\u201d who will inform the next steps of a client company\u2019s marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin\u2019s company, 643 Research, is a qualitative research firm he started in 2014 and moved to Malta in November 2019 when he and his wife relocated from New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin said he \u201cfell into\u201d focus group research when the moderator of the firm he worked for double booked and was unavailable for one of the clients, who at the time was en route from out of town to observe his company\u2019s session.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter about 30 minutes of training I jumped in, conducted the group and was good at it,\u201d said Sandin. \u201cThe client continued to use me as a moderator.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He launched his own firm seven years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

His clients come from various industries and have a range of goals and challenges. Sandin\u00a0 <\/span>develops the techniques to reach conclusions and recommendations for advancing a client\u2019s brand and improving customer loyalty. In his toolbox are such qualitative methodologies as ethnography, home visits and focus groups, among others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas quantitative research relies on enormous sample sizes and mathematics to produce customer service ratings (claims that nine out of 10 dentists recommend that toothpaste), qualitative research is based on the psychology of smaller consumer audiences, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin\u2019s professional interests are steeped in behavioral science, which studies how emotions, the environment and social factors influence decisions. He has an M.A. in international affairs from the New School University and a B.A. in international studies\/religion studies at Guilford College.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are surprisingly few books about qualitative market research,\u201d said Sandin. \u201cBut books about the biology and cultural factors behind behavior give insights into how I approach my work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

643 Research is brought in either directly by companies with goods or services to sell or by an independent business consultant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes companies and their business consultants are at loggerheads about where the brand should go next,\u201c he said. \u201cI do the research, give a report with my findings and recommendations and then step back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One service Sandin provides clients is to \u201cbridge the gap between quantitative and qualitative results … Qualitative research is about what consumers feel and why they feel that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin pulls in a small number of users and poses questions that were raised by the quantitative research to explain differences of opinion. Generally he will moderate focus groups for consensus or interview individuals if the client needs results to be delineated, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the pandemic keeping people inside, about 95 percent of his research is conducted remotely, which Sandin describes as \u201can awkward situation,\u201d especially without the assessment of\u00a0 <\/span>body language among the interviewees.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a moderator over video conferencing, I am like the host of a really weird party,\u201d he said. \u201cI have to encourage everybody to talk, make them comfortable, and create a sense of rapport in order to get a snapshot of what they think at that moment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Concept testing comes under the qualitative umbrella, where researchers determine how the public will respond to a new product a company is considering bringing to market.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin uses the example of a car manufacturer introducing a new exterior design. The car is not in front of the focus group, but the members are shown images. The goal is to get the emotional response, he said, and the moderation process might go something like: How do you feel about this car? How do you want to feel?\u00a0 <\/span>How do you want other people to feel when they see you in that car?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe take the insights and feedback and report our conclusions about which elements are working and should be the inspiration for designing that car,\u201d said Sandin. \u201cOur recommendations will further include how to promote that model and what words should be used to describe it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe wording of research questions can influence whether the response is positive or negative,\u201d he said. \u201cThings can be influenced subtly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This process starts with a screening survey designed to \u201cweed out the society of professional respondents who do surveys for easy money and sometimes lie. We want only honest, legitimate respondents,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next step is to have the right discussion guide, which Sandin said includes a list of questions the client wants answered so that as he writes the guide, he will have those points covered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe beauty of qualitative research is that you can change directions quickly. You can say, let\u2019s see what happens now if we ask this question this other way,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInterviews at the beginning and at the end of a project can be very different,\u201d Sandin said. \u201cBut this means our recommendations will be relevant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sandin said he tries to find new and better methodologies to gain greater insights for his clients.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Susan Elise Campbell When Neal Sandin conducts research, he says he is seeking to interpret \u201cthe voice of the consumer\u201d who will inform the next steps of a client company\u2019s marketing. Sandin\u2019s company, 643 Research, is a qualitative research firm he started in 2014 and moved to Malta in November 2019 when he and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":34209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nCompany Does Qualitative Research That Helps Clients With Marketing Plans - Glens Falls Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2021\/03\/company-does-qualitative-research-that-helps-clients-with-marketing-plans\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Company Does Qualitative Research That Helps Clients With Marketing Plans - Glens Falls Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Susan Elise Campbell When Neal Sandin conducts research, he says he is seeking to interpret \u201cthe voice of the consumer\u201d who will inform the next steps of a client company\u2019s marketing. 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