Behind the Design: Why Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research Leads to Deeper Insights
As marketers, we know that when conducting market research, it is extremely important to have a strong foundation and understanding of what your research is saying. Although the numerical data and statistics are relevant, understanding the “why” and “how” behind purchasing decisions is crucial for the successful growth of a brand or product.
Marketers use research methods such as Qualitative and Quantitative research to make knowledgeable decisions and gain a better understanding of customer purchasing behavior. Rather than dividing the research into two separate methods, it is crucial to have a balanced combination of both. By combining quantitative research, which provides numerical data and statistics, with qualitative research, which uncovers insights behind customer behaviorLinks to an external site., we can get a more accurate picture of the product, the marketing tactics used, and customer experiences.
In this post, we will explore why combining research methods is essential to gaining deeper insights and understanding customer purchasing decisions.
The Perfect Pair: Balancing Weaknesses While Focusing on Strengths
Although both Qualitative and Quantitative research have their limitations, once combined, their strengths create a balance between the two. Qualitative research can be considered to have an “extroverted personality.” Through rich and detailed information, we can collect an explanation of behavior and attitudes.Links to an external site. Whereas Quantitative Research is the “introvert.” This method uses analytics and numerical data to provide factual data for decision-making.
As Marketing Coordinator at Vitro Molecular Laboratories, Qualitative and Quantitative research are extremely familiar to our laboratory. I am constantly applying these two methods to my everyday workflow. Each month, I am responsible for collecting feedback from our current and future customers through email surveys and in-person interactions, while comparing that information to the conversions and metrics gathered from our website and LinkedIn page.health, here are 2 key metrics I have implemented to monitor at my current role as Marketing Coordinator:
Although all the research and data I collect each month are relevant, it is more valuable to combine and compare my findings to make informed decisions on the future of the business. For example, in my end-of-year survey regarding our online fillable requisition forms, the quantitative results showed the satisfaction levels of clients using the online form on a Likert scale, while the in-person feedback highlighted where our clients struggled with constructive feedback. The merging of both methods gives an overall insightful approach to what I need to change to improve the user experience for our clients. The methods alone only tell me so much about how clients feel about the online forms; once combined, I can truly understand the different perspectives and experiences.
Conclusion
By merging the different market research methods, marketers can discover actionable and insightful ways to improve their personal brand or clients. The two methods have their own unique strengths, which help us make informed decisions. Without both Qualitative and Quantitative research, gathering the necessary information through focus groups, surveys, and interactions would be much more challenging.
