{"id":1040,"date":"2023-07-31T20:06:39","date_gmt":"2023-07-31T20:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qualsights.com\/post\/?p=1040"},"modified":"2023-07-31T20:24:24","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T20:24:24","slug":"bridging-the-say-do-gap-in-market-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qualsights.com\/post\/bridging-the-say-do-gap-in-market-research","title":{"rendered":"Bridging the \u201cSay\/Do Gap\u201d in Market Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the Say\/Do Gap?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The say\/do gap is a widespread challenge that research professionals face every day and, until recently, has been difficult to solve for.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gap is the difference between what consumers claim they do, and what their actual behavior is.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, this isn\u2019t intentional on the part of the respondent, but driven by shortcuts humans use for decision making (e.g. unconscious recency bias, groupthink in focus group settings, attempts to avoid cognitive dissonance, etc.).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"colette-meller-quote-general-mills\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What Does the Say\/Do Gap Look Like?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The world is a very subjective environment, and every individual perceives it in their own unique way based on their own unique experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, someone could claim to a researcher that they consume a healthy breakfast every day. But what they might categorize as \u201chealthy\u201d may actually not be.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another instance, someone might say that they do their laundry every Saturday and use three cups of detergent. But are they really measuring out the same amount every time? Or what if they have a couple of weeks that throws off their chores schedule? How do you ensure you\u2019re doing everything you can to maintain or increase consumption?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Does the Gap Matter?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While on the surface these unintentionally false claims might seem harmless, they can dramatically impact the ultimate success or failure of a product offering.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brands looking to succeed can’t ignore the say\/do gap. They need to deeply understand \u201cwhy\u201d exactly their consumers think the way they do \u2013 otherwise, they\u2019re likely to miss valuable insights, unmet needs, and innovation opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes a product might perform well in qualitative and\/or quantitative testing, but then doesn\u2019t meet consumer expectations or sell well.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because there can be a disconnect between qualitative and quantitative learnings, and anecdotal qualitative feedback isn\u2019t always representative of the broader market.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Bridge the Gap?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ask Deeper Questions<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t ask consumers simple or straightforward questions. Encourage them to lean into storytelling and describe their experience more in-depth.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they use words like \u201cjust,\u201d \u201cusually,\u201d or \u201ctypically,\u201d they likely aren\u2019t telling you the full story, so push them to paint a more accurate picture of their experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"santi-strasser-quote-general-mills\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Automatically Track Product Usage<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Researchers can also leverage the power of next-gen technology to track product consumption automatically \u2013 without ever asking survey respondents a single question.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By using QualSights\u2019 cloud-connected, \u201calways-on\u201d coaster-shaped sensors, you can track:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n