Qualitatively Speaking.

Shaili  //  Hi, I'm Shaili, and I love the online environment. Like some of you, I live, work and play a significant part of my life on the Internet, and I am always on the lookout to learn new ideas. Market research is my passion, and the uncharted terrain of online research methodologies seemed like a very natural transition back in 2004. Thankfully, it has been a time-tested good choice.

I am best known for conducting studies with leading edge methodologies including online research, mobile research and digital ethnography. I also conduct traditional in-person interviews, either in focus groups or one-on-one, and I should also mention that I am always on the lookout for new projective techniques and creative ways to ask questions.

Feb 22 / 5:01pm

Gaga, Oooh La La: Why the Lady Is the Ultimate Social Climber (via AdAge.com)

Artistic phenomenon Lady Gaga doesn't show any signs of stopping. Her interstellar looks and brilliant madness at the Grammy Awards, MTV Music Video Awards and her creative performances at other live audience gigs have got her fans hooked and following her wherever she goes. She does not disappoint.

How did she become so famous so quickly? It wasn't just talent that did it. Rather it was the way her Star Power was catapulted into prominence over social media. A recent article on Lady Gaga by AdAge.com examines how the Lady's brand and fame increased in proportion to audience demand, all in a short period of time.

LINK: http://adage.com/digitalalist10/article?article_id=142210#

One of Universal Music/Interscope Records' best moves was to plant Lady's Gaga's newest music video, "Bad Romance" on their website, waiting for her closest fans to spread the word on her video in a giddy rush, crashing the giant Universal Music server, leading to the creation of fresh links to copies of the video across Youtube. There's also a fascinating literary and visual portrait of the artist on LadyGaga.com. The lesson is far-reaching. A formal website may seem unnecessary, but it is smart for any "social climber" to have a more in-depth, non-Twitter home base to release and promote new material.

I attended a bachelorette party in late December where one of the bridesmaids whipped out her laptop to play "Bad Romance" (still new at the time), "Paparazzi" and other Lady Gaga hits from Youtube. Her choice lacked the convenience of a CD or mp3, but it didn't stop any of the girls from shimmying or rocking to the music any less.

The article claims that we won't see Lady Gaga making direct endorsements or show up on on any packaging materials anytime soon. She does consult with Universal Music and other brands like Viva Glam and Polaroid, where her artistic eye is redesigning the role of existing products in pop culture. If she runs out of musical ideas in five years (unlikely), she has a strong Plan B.

Smart Lady.

- Shaili

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Feb 1 / 3:24am

Pee-Wee's Playhouse and the Apple iPad

What would happen if Pee-wee and the Playhouse gang had an Apple iPad in the house?

Goolemaps, shmooglemaps... It's over HERE!

 

Jan 13 / 4:26pm

Mobile Market Research Opportunity - Olympics? Valentine's Day?

Update: This opportunity has ended its run... Please contact me on Twitter @ShailiBhatt if you have any questions about running a qualitative research project on participants' cell phones. Thanks.

Would you like access to consumers’ cell phones to conduct market research during a major sporting event, product purchase/use or holiday?

I am donating the [You can] use of an industry-leading mobile research software product and my services to a select client candidate for this purpose:

  • Pay for recruiting and minimal incentives (if necessary), and my team handles the rest, including creation of the discussion guide (with team input) and moderation of the incoming and outgoing mobile messages. We will also debrief and discuss next steps with the client’s team.
  • The scope of this study can vary according to your needs; the methodology is very flexible and can easily combine with a more in-depth online research component.
  • In exchange, we would like to use this project's overview–revealing the client–in a public forum for the advancement of mobile market research education.
  • The client's objectives can vary, but we will require this study to focus on the brand's product or a specific event tied to the product in some way. For example, this methodology could be used to research specific products, like potato chips, served at Super Bowl parties where it would be useful to reach consumers away from home.

There is great PR potential for mobile projects right now. We are currently seeking client candidates for this opportunity, and the door is still open.

Please message/direct message me on Twitter @ShailiBhatt if you or someone you know has a product that is interested in connecting with consumers' cell phones and accessing their stories.

Dec 17 / 10:50pm

Michigan Avenue from up above on a chilly winter night!

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* * * Shaili Bhatt
Main: (312) 945-0067
Mobile: (224) 520-0381

Sent from my Verizon Blackberry.

Dec 16 / 5:20pm

PIC: The ice skating rink at Chicago's Park looks fun and cold!

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* * * Shaili Bhatt
Main: (312) 945-0067
Mobile: (224) 520-0381

Sent from my Verizon Blackberry.

Nov 30 / 4:04pm

What Everybody Ought to Know About Mobile Research

What can you do with your cell phone? Do you use it to read the news, tweet, check your e-mail, make phone calls? Working with mobile market research requires us to understand the capabilities and limitations of today's cell phones.

I've been using a Web-enabled Blackberry Storm phone since last year. Having this phone in my purse lessened my need to carry around my laptop and Palm PDA. I use my cell phone to check my e-mail, check my projects, take pictures, grab links, compare prices, check in for flights, listen to US radio stations, record audio notes, and access Twitter & YouTube. Owning a Web-enabled device is a luxury, but experts say most people will own a phone with some sort of wireless Internet plan in the near future.

Advertisers and marketers are already in this medium, creating mobile-formatted pages and commercial content specifically for cell phone browsers. There is room for improvement in how this content is being accessed and delivered.

I have developed reliable research methodologies to adapt with consumers' online and mobile worlds. Information can be captured from cell phones very effectively, so let's work with that...

Consumers carry their cell phones even when they are not carrying their laptops. Conducting research with cell phones is an excellent way to capture information from consumers who are on-the-go.

When my clients need insights from consumer experiences at a specific location, away from a computer, sometimes it's not enough bring consumers into a focus group room or a discussion board. Mobile research methodologies bridge that gap because consumers can respond whereever they are, whenever they want.

The first thing I've described to my clients about mobile research is how any phone can do it. Consumers do not need a Web-enabled phone to participate in a mobile research study. The beauty of mobile research is that we can use the text messaging, camera, and e-mail functions found on most of today's phones to gather rich insights from consumers' everyday lives.

I adjust basic incentives on a market research study to compensate consumers for participating in a mobile component; depending on the project, extra compensation may not be needed. Consumers usually enjoy participating in mobile research, because it involves little or no travel and it allows maximum flexibility with their schedules. Let me know if you have any questions about conducting qualitative mobile research.

Note: I'm currently seeking a client or two who are interested to conduct innovative mobile or online research re: Super Bowl commercials for February 10, 2010. Please let me know if you or someone you know have a product that would like to be involved. (I will post an update on this opportunity when it is no longer available.)

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Nov 20 / 1:54am

Here's a Device to Help Any Amateur Record DVD-Quality Videos!

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I cannot recommend this gadget enough!
The Flip UltraHD Camcorder is one of the BEST recording devices on the market that is now at a fantastic price.

I use my Flip UltraHD Camcorder much more than my digital camcorder, because it's very portable, it's as small as my digital camera, it films high-definition digital video, and it plugs directly into my laptop USB port. Plus, it's a cordless, rechargeable device. This product has to be very attractive to any amateur with a penchance to record home movies. Tech-savvy marketers are already passing out Flip cams to customers who promise to film their experiences and thoughts when using their product.

Downloading high-definition, on-the-go videos could not be any more efficient or easy! There are no excuses for uploading grainy videos with poor audio. The videos resulting from this product are ALWAYS high definition... I think it looks like DVD-quality video.

I bought the Flip UltraHD for over $225 last summer. Amazon.com just put it on sale for $150 with free shipping--it's the best price out there.

If you could use a top-of-the-line & affordable recording device, this is it. It's perfect for vacations, family reunions, birthday parties, as a wedding gift or a perfect baby shower gift. It looks like a toy, so people may laugh when you record them with it initially, but they will be blown away by the quality of what you can capture.

NOTE: There are inexpensive Flip products that have unimpressive, low resolution, akin to a digital camera's video. That's not exciting. The only thing the UltraHD has in common with its previous models is the frame and its portable size. I am only recommending the "Ultra HD" model.

This is an AMAZING product, and I hope my review helps someone who is sitting on the fence about it!

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Nov 10 / 4:04am

Google Wave vs. Twitter at conferences

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Hoping for real-time audience interaction at your next conference?

Twitter is not alone. This post in FreshNetworks' blog describes the innovative use of Google Wave during a recent Ecomm conference where delegates banded together to edit a single, collective summary of each presentation... as each presentation was being delivered.

The screenshots in this blog say it all. It's such an awesome idea!

I usually carry my smartphone with me, which is essential to tweet or access group tweets during any event. The downside is that I don't usually carry my laptop when I attend a conference, and I think I would need it to participate in a Wave.

I admit that "Waving" could be a bit distracting to the live educational value of the presentation. That said, I am one of those people who is twittering several times an hour during events... I admit that I can't wait to try creating my own Google Wave with a crowd at a future event.

Fascinating use of the new Wave platform. What a great way to share your notes!

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Nov 9 / 5:43pm

Five Tips for Your Next Conference

Have a conference coming up? Are you at a conference right now? You might enjoy the stuff that you can collect from sponsors' booths for free, but are a handful of pens and magnets the real reason you attended a conference?

As a consultant since 2004, conferences have inspired my passion for qualitative research. Some of you might be more experienced at conference-going, which is great, and I would love to hear if you have any tips from your experiences.

Five Tips to make the most of a conference experience:

1.) Why are you Going?

Before you zip up your bags and pack your laptop, sit down for at least a few minutes and think about why you are going to the conference in the first place. Take out a sheet of paper and write down at least THREE THINGS you hope to learn or do at the conference. These are your key objectives. These don't have to be very detailed points, but depending on the conference speakers and content, this renewed focus on why you're going will help you highlight the educational sessions that might give you the most value.

If you can't come up with at least three reasons why you are going... Re-evaluate your priorities! Why are you spending your time and money on a conference? It's not a good enough reason "just to be there." For advanced conference attendees, why don't you get involved? Ask the conference team if there is anything you can do to volunteer and help out with the events.

2.) Who else is Going?

Do you know anyone else who will be there? If not, no worries! Check Twitter to see if there is anyone twittering about the event. There are usually a few professionals that tweet about most of their trips and conferences, and you can meet someone that way. There may also be a tweet-up for attendees; if not, set up your own tweet-up for conference attendees at a local bar and see who shows up.

Read the attendee list when you arrive at the event, including the list of sponsors & suppliers. Is there anyone you would love to meet? Also, don't forget to read people's name tags when you're at the event. You might meet people who signed up at the last minute, after the attendee list was already printed. Sometimes these are the most interesting people!

3.) Socialize

For those of us who work in small teams or are self-employed, conferences are a great chance to socialize in a professional atmosphere. At a refreshment break or have the educational sessions ended for the day? This is not the time to hide in your hotel room. Get to know other people who do what you do.

It is not about the quantity of people you meet. It is about the quality of people you meet. We probably won't meet this quality of colleagues by randomly wandering local coffee shops or airports, just hoping to bump into them. I enjoy making friends at conferences and it fits my style. When I have attended a conference of value and taken time to socialize, I often end my conference time with more hugs than handshakes.

If you find yourself clicking with someone at a conference, your conversation should be more detailed and warmer than just swapping business cards! If anything, I have found interesting people who will share appetizers or a meal with me after hours. Take efforts to remember the people you meet, and as time permits, follow up with them when you get home.

4.) Talk to Vendors

Set aside time in your day to speak with vendors. Vendors at conferences help me learn about products, and in turn, that helps me advance my methods and recommendations to my clients.

Vendors usually send leaders to conferences. It's a fantastic chance to go straight to the source! If you find yourself speaking with the product developer, this is the time to ask tough questions and share your professional needs.

Who provides products and technologies that could fit your clients' needs? See it as a partnership of sorts. I like being on the leading edge of qualitative research and regularly present new innovative methodologies at conferences... These methodologies almost always employ the support of software providers, facilities and hard-working recruiters. Other researchers ask me for product referrals almost every week, and I give them a fair assessment of the services I've encountered. What if you could do that for your clients?

5.) What to Bring?

In the haste of packing, do not forget to bring these key items:

  • Business cards
  • Shoes that are comfortable, business-like and well-maintained
  • Granola bar or other snack to keep yourself going in a long day when drinks aren't enough
  • Mobile device to stay connected, such as a laptop and cell phone
  • Power cords for electronic devices
  • Scarf, sweater or blazer/jacket for rooms that get chilly after 5:00pm

Nice to have you here, and I hope you picked up a tip or two for your next conference.

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Oct 28 / 1:23am

Engaging Gaming Research

Something funny that struck me tonight was the unintentional innuendo that followed this Tuesday morning's online gaming research presentation by MTV and their research colleagues. It happened during the Q&A session...

An ESOMAR attendee asked a question to understand if there were differences with male and female gamers.

The presenters described that both genders played online games to the same extent.

However, there was a variance in that women prefer games akin to the timing of Pride and Prejudice, while men preferred Die Hard timing! This meant women will play seemingly long and (more complex) games styled with "peaks and valleys" over the course of gameplay, while men prefer a "strong crescendo" throughout. The presenter also said that men find it hard to stay engaged with a game that is played differently, as they will eventually lose interest and dropout.

He was humorously cut-off before he could say anything further.

On a more mature note, this particular presentation struck a chord with qualitative researchers when they mentioned that gamers like branded games better than "generic" games without a brand tied to them.

Branded games (with a :15 promo prior to gameplay) approach 80% recall. That got me thinking about how to get involved with branding my favorite online games, like my favorite sushi game: Youda Sushi Chef. <-- It's a relatively short, free and addictive little game where you run a sushi shop!

 

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