The Consumer Insights Handbook by Coombs, Danielle Sarver;

Long description:

At its core, consumer insights research is fun. Fast paced, creative, and exciting, working in this field means constant interaction and engagement with people, concepts, and ideas. The work is dynamic and intellectually challenging, celebrating innovative approaches that lead to unique explanations of and solutions for important problems. Whether you are working on a media product or a strategic communication campaign, successfully reaching your audience and meeting your objectives requires good research.

The Consumer Insights Handbook flips the typical model presented in mass communication research textbooks to emphasize that data should be used to understand people as thoughtful, deliberative audiences. As such, research should be done with the goal of better understanding target audiences in a meaningful way. With this orientation in mind, these insight-driven research projects allow media practitioners and strategic communication professionals to tap into audiences' wants, needs, and desires through messaging and products designed to resonate.

Guided by the author's own experience in the field as well as guidance from current practitioners on the client, boutique, and agency sides, this book offers an accessible, thorough, and compelling perspective on how to plan for and complete consumer insights research projects from the initial RFP to the final presentation of findings. Each chapter includes a guide for how to conduct in-class research, quotes and recommendations from experts in the field, and case studies and real-world examples.

Table of Contents:

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Table of Contents
PART I: PREPARATION
Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview
What is Research?How We See the WorldPlanning for Research DesignWorking on TeamsHow to Use this BookKey TermsChapter 2: Working with Clients
General Best PracticesLooking Good (And by ""Good,"" I Mean Professional)Confidence is Key. So is Humility.Getting Work StartedResponding to RFPsPitching New BusinessUnderstanding and Assessing NeedsBusiness Objectives and Research ObjectivesDeveloping Actionable Research QuestionsEstablishing and Working with BudgetsBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 3: Secondary Research and Analysis
Conducting Secondary ResearchSecondary Research SourcesNon-Public SourcesPublic SourcesBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 4: Applied Research Ethics
Why This MattersKey Ethical PrinciplesApplied Research EthicsGaining ConsentAnonymity versus ConfidentialityPrivacy Laws and Legal ImplicationsConducting Research OnlineAccurate Representation of Ideas, or How to Avoid PlagiarismBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsPART II: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Chapter 5: Qualitative Research Design and Considerations
Why Do Qualitative Research?BenefitsLimitationsQualitative MethodsInterviewsEthnographiesParticipant ObservationFocus GroupsOnline CommunitiesEnsuring RigorWays to Ensure RigorBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 6: Qualitative Data Collection
Writing an Effective InstrumentGuide StructureTips for WritingGeneral Best PracticesRecord, Record, RecordData Collection: In the FieldConducting InterviewsConducting EthnographiesConducting Focus GroupsConducting Qualitative Research OnlineBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysChapter 7: Using Creative Exercises for Deeper Insights
General Best PracticesGenerating Good DataTypes of Creative ExercisesCollageDrawings and StorytellingBring Brands to LifeFill-In-The-Blank""Magic Wand""Creating Lists and Organizing DataCard SortsMarketing ExecBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 8: Qualitative Data Analysis and Reporting
General Best Practices: During FieldingGeneral Best Practices: Post-Collection Data AnalysisIn the DebriefTopline Research ReportBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysPART III: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Chapter 9: Quantitative Research Design and Best Practices
Why Do Quantitative Research?BenefitsLimitationsBasic Principles and CharacteristicsCorrelation is Not CausationStandardizationHypotheses versus Research QuestionsSampling and SamplesProbability SamplingNonprobability SamplingError, Margin of Error, and Confidence LevelQuantitative Research for AcademicsBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 10: Quantitative Data Collection
General Best PracticesPreparing to Write Your SurveyStructuring Your SurveyScreenerThe BodyDemographicsEditing Your SurveyWriting Good QuestionsDifferent Types of QuestionsBasic Rules for Writing QuestionsWriting Good ResponsesTrend StudiesBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 11: Quantitative Data Analysis and Reporting
Good Preparation, Good DataEnsuring Data AccuracyDescriptive StatisticsWeightingChecking on What Happens in the ""Black Box""Statistical Models for the Non-StatisticiansConjoint AnalysisMaximum-Difference Scaling (MaxDiff)Discrete Choice ModelingFactor AnalysisCluster AnalysisData Reports and BannersDebriefing and Data AnalysisPreparing for your DebriefDebriefingReporting Quantitative ResearchBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsPART IV: REPORTING FINDINGS
Chapter 12: Writing Your Report
Goal and PurposeDevelop Your ""Elevator Pitch""Organizing Your ThoughtsPreparing your OutlineIntegrate and Synthesize Insights into ThemesPlan your SignpostingBake in TransitionsFlesh out your RecommendationsAlways Come Back to your StoryTelling a StoryKeep the Story MovingShare Data StrategicallyFocus on your FlowStay FocusedReport SectionsReport FormatsBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 13: Developing (and Designing) Your Deliverable
Designing your DeliverableMake Sure your Story is ClearMake Signposts ClearMetaphors MatterDeliverable FormatsDesign Basics (Very, Very Basics)Designing your DeliverableHierarchyConsistencyEffective Use of Color and ContrastPresenting DataForms of Data PresentationGuidelines for Presenting DataBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysKey TermsChapter 14: The Client Presentation
Goal and PurposePreparationKnow your AudienceKnow your MaterialInternalizingDuring the PresentationWrapping Up the ProjectBack in the OfficeBest Practices & Key Take-AwaysFinal Thoughts