I read an article in WIRED Magazine titled “Mind Reading” about a new market research technique. There is ALWAYS a new market research technique or, said another way, a new way to look outward.
Which makes me wonder why more focus isn’t given to the opposite of always chasing the next new market research technique?
I don’t mean to dismiss this one or the value of understanding the people you hope to engage. It’s important and something I support.
At the strategy level, there are two paths to any destination:
Looking outward (doing research into what your target market wants and fine-tuning your message around what you find).
Looking inward (rediscovering your story and telling it).
The point of this post: look inward too!! Story is an underutilized (and hugely powerful) tool.
Proctor & Gamble famously doesn’t change a font style on a package without extensive market research.
Apple famously does zero market research.
Neither company is wrong. Anything however, taken to the extreme, can have drawbacks. Better to have a balance of looking outward and looking inward.
