Two Kinds of Data I Love

The kind that makes me feel smart.  We all love to be proven correct, right?  It feels good to have an opinion that is supported – even after the fact – by quantitative data.  If you use this type of information effectively, over time more and more of your hypotheses will be proven out unless something fundamentally changes in the marketplace or with what you are selling. 
The kind that makes me smarter.  Believe it or not, I love being proven wrong almost as much as I love being proven right.  As a marketer – or person – it’s important to always remember that each of us is just a sample of one.  Our upbringing, our experiences, our mood all dictate they way we consumer information and react to messages.  The value of good quantitative data is that it rules out those personal biases and shows us what most people do, and where to focus our efforts for the biggest impact.
Whether you are a researcher, an analyst, a marketer, or just a curious person – the power of data is in being open to either outcome and accepting it as the truth going forward.  Consider it professional evolution.

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