Research And Its Limits

Though Harry Beckwith wrote his book in 2000 (and re-released it in 2009), one of the examples he uses is VERY timely as I write.

He explains the difference between HARD evidence ("scientifically proven" data) versus SOFT evidence (coming from anecdotes and observations) and says we should throw out the HARD evidence and rely on the soft.

Here's his example which seems so timely:

KFC (as well as McDonalds and Pizza Hut for their own products) had spent lots of time and money to set up focus groups about its new, more-healthy skinless chicken. When asked, people said they'd buy it over the fried chicken that KFC had become known for. (Similar studies told McDonalds that people wanted the McLean sandwich and told Pizza Hut that they wanted low-fat pizzas.)

KFC is now back on the market with skinless, grilled chicken and time will tell if the public REALLY wants it over the Kentucky FRIED Chicken they have loved for years.

Pizza Hut stopped making its low-fat pizza and the McLean sandwich bombed for McDonalds.

There are some quotes in the book that are priceless: I laughed out loud when reading them:

On a plane flight, one of KFC's researchers sat next to the director of food services for one of the world's leading cruise lines. And here's what this person said:

"In America, it's all about quantity. Forget GOOD. Give them plenty. Is it any wonder the French look like dancers and Americans look like Jabba the Hut?"

Priceless. I laughed out loud.

Another researcher pointed out that even the most educated in our population, those who tell you how much better "good food" is for you, those who feel they are health-conscious STILL order the highest-calorie foods in ALL types of restaurants.

Interesting.

(My wife, Pam, is about the only person I've ever met who will look up a restaurant's menu on the Internet before we go so that she'll know which meal has the amount of "points" she's allowed for the day. OK, so she didn't always do this and STILL doesn't always do it, but she often does. Not me… when I go out it's for FUN and ENJOYMENT… I love good flavor and I guess I, too, like a lot.)

And it's interesting to note that at health clubs, memberships spike right after New Years but drop back to normal levels by February 1st after the gung-ho zealots go back to their normal ways of lax exercise and high-calorie meals.

What Do These Anecdotes Tell You About YOUR Business?

Watch. Listen. See what people really do and then make up your mind about how to market to them. Don't ask them: they will tell you what they THINK they should tell you, not what they really DO.

Let people vote with their dollars and actions, not with just their words.

There's a principle called the Heisenberg principle (named after the man who discovered it) which says that Research Changes Its Own Results. Put people in a room, offer them high calorie meals vs low-fat meals and when they know they are part of a study, they will eat what they THINK they should eat, and not what they normally eat.

Same for your marketing: test it by sending it to real people. Oh, sure… use your best judgment to decide what you should send them and then watch the results. See how many times you can beat your own "control" piece (the one that gives you the best results). As smart as many of us are… we're still wrong much of the time.

Test, test, and test again. But don't rely on the experts – though their guess may be educated, it's still a guess.

Go with the best Soft Evidence you have.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
Blogging, Podcasting, Consulting

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Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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004 The Invisible Touch – The Case For Soft Evidence