As my students wrapped up their marketing research projects this semester, I have noticed once again that the best insights came from teams who were flexible, kept an open mind and let the data guide them.
In industry, quite often primary research isn’t really about discovery, but about validation. I have certainly worked on projects where research was commissioned with a hypothesis already in mind and a quiet hope that the data will support it. This isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s confirmation bias in action.
When research is used to back up a pre-decided course of action, it stops being a tool for insight and becomes a tool for justification. Brands ignore inconvenient findings, dismiss “outliers,” or tweak questions to steer responses in the desired direction. The result? Decisions that feel data-driven but are anything but.
If marketers want to use research to make better decisions, not just safer ones, we have to let go of the NEED TO BE RIGHT. That means starting with empathy-based exploratory research and asking open-ended questions. It means designing surveys and studies that allow for surprise. And it means having the humility to follow the data, even when it challenges our assumptions.
Real insight doesn’t come from being right. It comes from being curious. What a world or would be if we also took that into our everyday lives and relationships. 🙂
Hello,
I’m Polina
I’m a professor, marketing expert, and children’s author passionate about the power of storytelling – whether it’s inspiring students in the classroom, helping brands connect meaningfully with their audiences, or sparking imagination in young readers. With years of experience in marketing education and industry strategy, I bring a thoughtful, creative approach to everything I do. I value curiosity, clarity, and connection, and I’m driven by a deep belief that good ideas, whether in business or books, deserve to be shared in ways that resonate and make an impact.
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