The Cheat Code to Market Research: When to ask How many ? vs Why?

If you’re a brand owner or marketing professional, or maybe you’re both like me, either way it is extremely important to know your audience. The best way to get to know your consumer is with Quantitative Research and Qualitative Research. Using these two types of research methods will set your brand or company up for success. You may be wondering what type of questions do they each entail?

Let’s break it down:

• Quantitative research deals with numbers – Surveys, sales data, website traffic. It answers, “How Many?” and “What percentage?”

• Qualitative Research deals with consumer emotions and motivations – Interviews, focus groups, open-ended questions. It answers “Why?” and “How?”

HOW I WOULD APPLY THIS TO MY BRAND (AND HOW you CAN APPLY IT TO YOURS!)

I’m in the early stages of launching a luxury eyewear brand, but before I make any heisty decisions, I want to make sure I understand my audience and what they desire. I could start with quantitative research by running a survey asking my audience their favorite frame style. This would give me numbers on what’s most trending. Or, I could start with qualitative research asking potential buyers what they look for in a perfect pair of sunglasses. This would help me understand consumers thoughts behind eyewear purchases.

However, I want to truly connect with my audience, So I’m going to use what I learned from both quantitative and qualitative research to craft the perfect eyewear collection and marketing campaign.

Pro Tip: No matter what industry your brand is in, learning to balance both research methods will be the secret formula to your brands success.