Online research can save money and be efficient, but face-to-face research can “open doors” for businesses.
This article quotes qualitative researcher and brand strategist, Drago Djourov, who argues that if companies need “antibodies” to future-and present-proof the business, they must look at both, face-to-face and qualitative, online research. The piece suggests coming up with a hybrid of these methodologies.
Engaging with consumers and tracking daily fluctuations through research helps identify long-term changes. Where face-to-face research creates serendipitous opportunities, online research is efficient and cost-effective.
Djourov adds that opting for online methods exclusively could lead businesses to capture only the obvious. This is where face-to-face research can help companies build empathy and trust as how or who says something can, on occasion, matter more than what’s being said.
[2 minute read]