Guest Blogger: Dr. Brenda Turner
Founder and Principal Consultant of BrandIvy Marketing, LLC.
Board Member of the Executive DBA Council
Research is a vital component of marketing, offering insights into consumer behavior, market dynamics, and the effectiveness of strategies. In today’s dynamic marketing landscape, bridging academic research is crucial. For instance, academic research has provided insights into the effectiveness of influencer marketing, leading to the development of innovative and evidence-based strategies. This ultimately leads to more effective and impactful outcomes. The challenge, however, lies in translating these academic findings into actionable marketing tactics that drive real-world results.
Over my three decades in the marketing arena, I’ve observed the powerful interplay between data-driven decision-making and intuitive leadership and the profound value of diverse marketing approaches. Working with global brands in the food, beverage, and beauty industries, I’ve seen how those leveraging extensive consumer research gained deep insights into behavior and market trends, directly informing their innovative product development and compelling brand campaigns. Conversely, I’ve also engaged with companies that relied more on their leadership teams’ intuition and experience than on research. Each approach merits understanding, respect, and acknowledgment for its unique contribution to business performance.
These experiences underscore an important lesson: intuition and experience are invaluable, yet they are most potent when complemented by rigorous, evidence-based research. This realization has guided my pursuit of advanced knowledge through the DBA program at Georgia State University, where I have learned to apply an academic approach called the Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) research method. The CAT method empowers practitioners like me to integrate empirical research with practical insights, bridging the gap between theory and practice. However, it’s important to note that this integration often requires strong leadership that values and encourages the use of academic research in decision-making, inspiring and motivating everyone involved.
The Practitioner-Scholar Approach: Enlightening the Marketing Landscape
The CAT approach systematically reviews and evaluates existing research on a specific topic to extract the most relevant and reliable findings. It consists of the following steps:
- Formulate a Clear Question: Define a specific, focused question that addresses a real-world marketing challenge or opportunity. For instance, you might ask, ‘How can we increase customer engagement in our digital marketing campaigns?’ or ‘What factors influence consumer purchasing decisions in our industry?’ This question should guide the research process.
- Search for Evidence: Start by pinpointing relevant academic studies to your marketing challenges. Look for research that addresses your specific industry, target audience, or marketing objectives. For instance, studies on consumer behavior can provide valuable insights into what drives purchasing decisions, while research on digital marketing trends can inform your online strategy.
- Appraise the Evidence: Critically evaluate the quality and relevance of the identified research. This step ensures that only the most robust and relevant research informs your decisions.
- Summarize the Findings: This crucial step involves distilling the core insights and presenting them clearly and concisely. By doing so, you ensure stakeholders can easily understand and apply them and make yourself more informed and knowledgeable about the topic.
- Apply the Evidence: Use the summarized findings to develop evidence-based strategies and solutions. For example, if research indicates personalized marketing improves customer engagement, consider implementing personalization tactics in your campaigns. The goal is to base your decisions on proven data rather than assumptions. Implement these strategies in your marketing practices and measure their effectiveness.
While the benefits of integrating academic research into marketing strategies are clear, it’s important to remember that this process also opens up new strategic avenues for growth and innovation. Despite the challenges and resistance that many marketers may face, this is a strategic move that can elevate your marketing approach.
- Data Overload and Integration: Some marketers may have abundant data, and adding academic research can feel overwhelming. Integrating these insights to complement existing data without adding to the information overload requires advanced analytical skills to synthesize insights effectively.
- Data Timeliness: Academic research may lag behind current market conditions. However, by balancing these long-term insights with the immediacy of real-time data, this approach ensures that marketers can confidently make strategic and responsive decisions.
- Resistance to Change: While there may be initial resistance to incorporating academic research into established practices, stressing the need to demonstrate the practical value and unique perspectives of academic insights can pave the way for a more open and future-forward marketing approach.
When academic research and practical application converge, it paves the way for solutions that can transform marketing outcomes. Here are a few examples:
- Enhanced Customer Segmentation: Research on consumer demographics and psychographics can lead to precision in segmentation, which empowers marketers to tailor their messages and offerings more effectively to specific groups.
- Optimized Pricing Strategies: Studies on pricing psychology can inform pricing strategies that maximize perceived value and drive sales, such as implementing anchoring techniques.
- Effective Content Marketing: Research on content consumption patterns can provide insights that assure marketers their content will resonate with their audience, thereby improving engagement and conversion rates.
Bridging the gap between academic research and practical application is essential for advancing marketing practices and achieving superior results, even in data-rich companies. By leveraging evidence-based strategies and fostering a culture of continuous learning, marketers can stay ahead of the curve and drive marketplace innovation. Embracing this synergy and applying the practitioner-scholar approach through methods like the Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) can unlock new opportunities, address complex challenges, and deliver exceptional market value.
Recommended Reading:
Moghadam, J., Yates, S. W., & Baskerville, R. L. (2019). Critically Appraised Topic (CAT): Building a Library of Validated Practices. Engaged Management Review, 3(1), 1.
