TRADITIONAL RESEARCH: UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEED?

Are we raising our children to be relentless approval-seekers? Are today’s young generations hooked on continual reinforcement? R U in a hurry 2?

Think about it. So much of what we do today is tied to instant reinforcement and approval. Are you running a banner ad that’s getting low click-through rates? Quick, try a different subject line and throw in an offer. Got a print piece that isn’t gaining traction with your sales force? Don’t worry, in 24 hours, you can pull together a viral medium to discover why.

Gone are the days of exhaustive, examined-from-every-angle analyses. Here to stay are the “give me the facts and give me better results right now” days.

And those kids we’re raising to understand instant fulfillment and gratification? They could be the next generation of cutting-edge marketers. 

Those of us in the business world today have to deal with this phenomenon in the here and now. Fortunately, it can be done without getting a tattoo, piercing a body part, or earning a degree in computer science.

Start by taking advantage of all the traditional research tools and technology that are at our disposal. Access to highly useful, highly accurate information—tracking everything from behavior patterns to key decision drivers to purchasing activity—is widely accessible. The means to communicate instantly and interactively with our target audience is out there; we just have to work a little harder (and maybe a little faster) to understand what to use and how to use it.

Don’t have time to cull through endless websites, competitive studies, and industry e-blasts? Turn to your corporate librarian for expert assistance in digging up facts and trekking through information. Don’t have a corporate librarian? Consider a market research freelancer. Or tap into other internal departments, such as your compliance and technical areas.

The value of this type of research won’t be shrinking anytime soon. But the attention span of our target markets just might be. Understanding your audience’s perspective will be key, because that’s the best way to maximize the impact of your marketing messages.

Just don’t take too long.