An article was recently forwarded to me regarding the efforts of Disney to get inside the heads of boys. My guess is, somebody didn't approve of market research targeting kids. But if you're doing legitimate business, and your customers are kids, you're losing sales if you don't!

Disney has noticed a disconnect, and they want to fix it. Disney Channel's audience is 60% female, and merchandise/theater/film/theme sales are even more heavily girl-driven. This is great, of course, but what about the boys?

When you see who your sales drivers are, you study them closely to maximize that performance. But there's a second thing to study, which Disney is putting resources into: who your sales drivers aren't, and how to adapt your strategies to change that.

For example, the researchers had questions and conversations with randomly-selected boys (who were paid a sweet $75 for their time, and with parent approval). You should do the same. Regularly.

But just as important, they also kept their eyes open for unspoken cues to their targets' thinking and motivations. Like watching how they carried their skateboards (bottoms-out, to show the often customized graphics). Or like noting what is kept on the back of shelves -- things that aren't forefront, but that he hasn't gotten rid of yet. Here again, you should do this, too. Regularly.

Ask your non-customers questions -- about their decisions and priorities as they relate to your products and services, and about activities and tendencies that aren't directly related to business. Listen to what they tell you. New ideas are found here.

But also watch them in their "natural habitat," how they go about their business. This will show you things they don't tell you in an interview setting, as well as things they do without even thinking much about it. This can tip you off to successful ideas as well.

Most readers won't go to these efforts to know their customers. That means huge advantages await if you do.

Labels: customer centered, marketing, research