Research Methodologies

January 30, 2020

Secondary Should Always Come Before Primary

The 3 key types of secondary research you need to know.

Secondary Should Always Come Before Primary
Dave McCaughan

by Dave McCaughan

Founder & Storyteller at BIBLIOSEXUAL

0

This is not a confusing note about school grades but it is a serious note about doing research. If you have attended our Marketing Research Futures seminar then you will know that I am passionate about the need for any organization to spend time and money on quality research at all stages of your business. After all, marketing is primarily about “knowing what it is that people want, need, fear and how your product or service can help fulfill that need.” And as explained in previous columns if you think you “know” what people want then you are a bit in the dark. Never use your own experience or your friends and family as a stand-in for understanding what real people feel.

Primary Research

Qualitative, quantitative, semiotic, ethnographic, automated research all can play a key part in all stages of your business. They are all generally called “primary research” – research undertaken as an original or primary investigation or substantiation or tracking of what is happening that you commission. My problem is that before you do that primary research you really need to be spending a lot more time on what is, in my opinion, referred to as secondary research. The use of secondary ( as in developed, written, published by others ) research should always be your first priority.

Now I don’t mean doing a Google search. I am guessing that many of you, like me, when confronted with some new subject has the first reaction to Google, Yahoo, Bing it. Fair enough. Except, that is a very “poor man’s” effort. As you surely know the big search engines only cover a part of what we know and also report it by popularity rather than quality. And of course, being universally lazy we all tend to only look at the first 3, maybe 4 pages of results of findings on the big search engines.

When I first entered the world of marketing I had already spent a decade as a trained librarian. I was used to helping people seek out a detailed list of bibliographies by looking thoroughly through library catalogs, specialist journal compilation indices and detailed specialist databases. So imagine my shock when I discovered most clients and most colleagues did almost no background investigation and reading with existing documents before commissioning “research”. Even more so I was amazed at the monetary waste of clients who fail to search their own records and in house document files before starting some new focus groups or ordering a survey. There is no excuse but laziness.

Too often I have seen clients who have no idea of the back data and research in their own files. Once for an office of Coca-Cola I had to point out that they were commissioning a new survey on exactly the same topic that different divisions of their company had also undertaken three times in the last five years. They simply had not kept a good record and a process of insisting that brand managers know about existing primary research before starting anything new.

The Three Key Types of “Secondary” Research

There are, I recommend three key types of “secondary” research that any company should insist all marketing staff are constantly updating themselves with, investigating and using in-depth before undertaking any new research :

1. Internal records

All that information that has come before. Because all too often they will have more inspiration, learning and new ideas embedded in them than new research can find

2. External Databases

There are many great sources of research, experience, learning and potential learning by simply doing some proper investigation. Never ever start a new project before looking at standards like the WARC database, the ESOMAR Research World database, a proper academic search of key marketing journals through your local university library ( note most of this material is not easily available on Google ).

3. Search Engines Searched by Experts

You might be one but if you think just typing your subject into a search engine will help, you are sadly mistaken. You can also use the new wave of machine learning / AI-driven platforms that will search, read, analyze all content across the internet. Do not list what is popular but do a full analysis of what is really happening and matters. Ask me about the SignificanceSystems platform I use.

Good research is not about finding instant answers. It is about understanding what really matters and to do that you will find there are an awful lot of sources you need to study before maybe wasting time and money on a new survey.

This article was originally published by ICE Business Times

0

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, data, and methodologies expressed above are those of the contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official policies, positions, or beliefs of Greenbook.

Comments

Comments are moderated to ensure respect towards the author and to prevent spam or self-promotion. Your comment may be edited, rejected, or approved based on these criteria. By commenting, you accept these terms and take responsibility for your contributions.

More from Dave McCaughan

IIEX APAC 2024: Getting Us Thinking

Focus on APAC

IIEX APAC 2024: Getting Us Thinking

IIEX APAC 2024: Uncover the latest in AI integration with human involvement. Gain valuable insights on leveraging technology for meaningful market re...

Dave McCaughan

Dave McCaughan

Founder & Storyteller at BIBLIOSEXUAL

Is it "Cool" to "Love" a Brand?

Focus on APAC

Is it "Cool" to "Love" a Brand?

Discover the power of detailed descriptions in gaining interest, approval, and application from your target audience with expertise in the marketing w...

Dave McCaughan

Dave McCaughan

Founder & Storyteller at BIBLIOSEXUAL

Are We Finally Focusing on New Life Builders?

Focus on APAC

Are We Finally Focusing on New Life Builders?

Three pieces of news popped out a couple of weeks ago. Three bits of information from three different sources appeared on my screens within three days...

Dave McCaughan

Dave McCaughan

Founder & Storyteller at BIBLIOSEXUAL

65 and Out: When Panel Companies Ignore Older Folks

The Respondent Experience

65 and Out: When Panel Companies Ignore Older Folks

If the over 65 year olds represent 20% of your population, get a sample of that size and then break it down just as you do those younger.

Dave McCaughan

Dave McCaughan

Founder & Storyteller at BIBLIOSEXUAL

ARTICLES

Moving Away from a Narcissistic Market Research Model

Research Methodologies

Moving Away from a Narcissistic Market Research Model

Why are we still measuring brand loyalty? It isn’t something that naturally comes up with consumers, who rarely think about brand first, if at all. Ma...

Devora Rogers

Devora Rogers

Chief Strategy Officer at Alter Agents

The Stepping Stones of Innovation: Navigating Failure and Empathy with Carol Fitzgerald
Natalie Pusch

Natalie Pusch

Senior Content Producer at Greenbook

Sign Up for
Updates

Get what matters, straight to your inbox.
Curated by top Insight Market experts.

67k+ subscribers

Weekly Newsletter

Greenbook Podcast

Webinars

Event Updates

I agree to receive emails with insights-related content from Greenbook. I understand that I can manage my email preferences or unsubscribe at any time and that Greenbook protects my privacy under the General Data Protection Regulation.*