One common theme in Delphi’s work for clients in the past few months has been the request for deep, qualitative-based understanding of their audiences. Whether they operate in fintech, cybersecurity, or AI, clients have frequently asked us to dig into what their audience is thinking and feeling right now.
We’re not 100% sure why this is – but we can have a good guess based on our conversations with them. Three things stand out for us.
1️⃣ First, there’s the sheer pace of change. There’s a feeling the world is moving so quickly right now, it’s hard to know what’s really going on (politics, pop culture, economic shifts – you name it). No brand wants to say the wrong thing either. The only answer is to gauge the mood among your audience in real depth to inform your next moves.
2️⃣ Second, quant research tells you the *what* but only qual research tells you the *why*. Qual is key to understanding why someone is behaving as they are. It’s the data that digital metrics can’t reveal. In a world drowning in quant numbers, there’s something beautifully precious and revelatory about qual insight.
3️⃣ Third, B2B brands are embracing increasingly emotive content. This doesn’t need to replace rational messages necessarily, but we’re definitely seeing it supplement (and lead) them more often. And the best emotive work comes from speaking to audiences about their experiences, challenges and needs.
If you want to understand your B2B tech audience through rigorous qualitative insight that informs effective comms and marketing campaigns, then we should be talking. Drop us a line to chat more.
