One of the key gremlins in the marketing process is that consumers might tell you what they would do in response to a hypothetical situation, and then behave differently in real life. 
Such is the bane of consumer research: How to create an environment as close as possible to a real life situation so that consumer behaviour can be observed, and response to the product offering can be anticipated so that positive influence can be put into effect.

Of all the magnificence that the web has brought to the world, one that is so often overlooked is the ability to conduct dynamic research; observing consumer’s behaviour in real time. Not what consumers say they will do, but what they do do.

The model is a simple one. In the dimension of SEM, Key words are purchased and your ‘advertisement’ made up of a headline (AdWords) and 2 lines of supporting copy (AdText) appear in response to the consumer search. Those AdWords and AdText can be ranked in terms of relative performance – how many click-throughs each trigger in relative terms. New AdWords and AdText can be introduced and tested until the optimum set of ‘advertisements’ are revealed. Those advertisements, made up of headlines and copy, are propositions that consumers have shown to respond to more than others. That data then becomes the definitive brief for display ads, as they are based on proven consumer behaviour! 

The basic dilemma with traditional consumer research is that consumers are human beings. We all like to be liked. So our response to research propositions – ‘what would you do if’ - tend to be shaped by the way we like to be viewed by others. What you actually do in the privacy of your own world can be something else.

Here’s an exercise: consider the following drivers that were identified for people to volunteer their time to community services: Imagine being asked whist in a group 'situation', how you might rank these drivers in order of importance. Would the group influence your prioritisation?

1. Volunteering can be on your terms - your available time/your desired level of commitment
2. Utilise the skills you possess
3. Gain new skills and experience that will benefit you in your career
4. As convenient as you want in terms of location proximity
5. Make a difference where you believe a difference should be made
6. Meet new people
7. Feel good for giving something back to the community

Now, write down these drivers in your order of the importance; highest being the strongest trigger for you to consider volunteering and lowest being the least important. Please send us your responses by completing the ‘research’ question on the following link: Click here. Remember, we want you to think of yourself in a research situation, we are asking you why you might volunteer – and be honest – put those 7 considerations in your order of importance if you were personally asked by someone.

Next month, we’ll reveal what you and our sample said they would do, compared to what consumers did do in our SEM pilot study.