Market Research for Sales

The Paradox of Growth: The Bigger You Get, the Less You Know I came across something that stuck with me: When companies scale, they gain users — but lose understanding. Not because they stop caring, but because their customer feedback starts living everywhere — support tickets, sales calls, forums, surveys, social media, and app store reviews. That thought really made me pause. I’ve seen this firsthand. When a company is small, every piece of feedback feels personal — every bug report or review has a face behind it. But as you grow, those voices scatter across platforms and departments. Support sees the frustration, sales hears the hesitation, leadership sees the numbers — and somehow, everyone’s looking at the same customers, but no one’s hearing them anymore. That, in my opinion, is the quiet cost of growth. This is the problem Enterpret is solving — by helping teams stay in tune with their customers even as they scale. Here’s how it works: → It collects real-time customer feedback from 55+ channels — support tickets, sales calls, social media (X, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook), app store reviews, community forums, surveys, Slack, and more. → It analyzes all that feedback using AI and tells you exactly what to fix or build next. → It maps everything through a customer knowledge graph that connects feedback, complaints, and requests by channel, user, and payment data. → It even provides a chat interface where you can directly ask questions, and AI agents that flag bugs or issues automatically. That’s why teams like Notion, Perplexity, Canva, Chipotle, and The Farmer’s Dog use it — to make sure customer voices never get lost in the noise. In my view, the real lesson here isn’t about using more tools — it’s about staying close to the people you build for. Here’s how I’d approach it: ✅ Centralize every piece of feedback — even if it’s messy. ✅ Look for patterns instead of isolated complaints. ✅ Use AI systems like Enterpret to uncover the “why” behind what customers say. Because in the end, growth shouldn’t make you deaf. It should make you listen better — just faster. How does your team make sure you’re hearing what customers really mean, not just what they say? #CustomerFeedback #AIProducts #ProductStrategy #VoiceOfCustomer #Enterpret #Leadership

BAD NEWS: By the time your sales team reaches out your buyers have already decided who they’re doing business with. For digital natives, 4 of the top 5 buyer interactions are completely self-guided, with almost no vendor involvement until much later on in the buying journey. Let that sink in. → Millennials + GenZ: Research, evaluate, and narrow options independently → Boomers + GenX: Prefer direct engagement with product experts and sales reps The traditional GTM playbook assumed buyers needed our guidance throughout their journey. That playbook is now obsolete. Today's buyers have already formed strong opinions about your solution before your sales team even knows they exist. 74% of sellers agree that buyers are doing more self-guided research before reps ever get to speak with them. They get informed by: → Watching product comparisons on Youtube → Reading customer reviews on LinkedIn → Following thought leaders on Twitter/X → Engaging with brand content on Instagram The truth? GenZ doesn't want to be sold to. They want to find answers on their own terms. GREAT NEWS: You can be part of their shortlist if you show up where they're already doing research.

A graphic design degree costs £40k and takes 3 years. But you? You're about to get the essentials in under 3 minutes. Because EVERYONE should know how to use design to make their expertise irresistible — whether you're presenting, pitching, or promoting. 👇 But first. The BIG misconception: Most people think visual communication = pictures. Wrong. It’s strategy. It’s how you use: - Layout + structure - Fonts + spacing - Visuals + white space - Content flow 💡 Why it matters: Dual Coding Theory. Allan Paivio (visual communication researcher extraordinaire) says we process info through two systems: both verbal (words) + non-verbal (visuals). We need to use them together for boosting understanding, engagement AND memory. Here’s how to do it like a pro 👇 --- 1️⃣ Visual Hierarchy Everything else serves this one goal: Make sure your audience sees the *right info* in the *right order*. Tips: - Bigger = more important - Closer = related - Structure = use titles, subheads, body - Use white space to reduce cognitive overload - Guide the eye like a story --- 2️⃣ Colour Keep it simple: 🎨 Pick 3: light background, dark text, bright accent ⚖️ Check contrast (aim for 8+): use Adobe Colour Checked to help (https://lnkd.in/eavEBGwD) 🔁 Use consistently Try: Coolors (https://coolors.co) for instant, accessible palettes. --- 3️⃣ Fonts ✔️ Use clean sans serifs (Helvetica, Inter, etc.) OR what is most accessible for your audience. This will be different for neurodivergent people or those with visual impairments. ✔️ Pick one with multiple weights (bold, medium, light). ✔️ Apply consistently for hierarchy Here’s a great resource to help: https://lnkd.in/eJA8NheT --- 4️⃣ Imagery Use visuals *with purpose*. 📸 Every image should enhance understanding, not just decorate 🎨 Stay consistent in style 📋 Attribute if using stock or AI imagery --- That’s your crash course in visual communication. Credibility. Clarity. Clout — without the £40k price tag. What would *you* add to the list? Liked this and want more? Follow me for tips on how to use visual storytelling to collaborate, communicate and change-make 👏

It is so important to understand and utilize the voice of your customer (VOC). The VOC is esentially the feedback, opinions, preferences, and expectations of customers about your product, service, or brand. We are taught very early on in #leanmanagement about the importance of understanding and integrating customer feedback, needs, and preferences into the product or service development process. Why? Because VOC helps ensure that products or services align closely with what customers truly want and value, reducing waste, increasing quality and increasing customer satisfaction. Many companies collect data...lots of it...but leave out the crucial step of analyzing this collected data, identifying patterns, and drawing actionable insights. Also, they collect data far too late, often after the work has been done instead of getting input at the start of the creative process. So, here are a few guidelines to help you make the most of your customer voice: 1️⃣ Gather VOC at every critical stage: pre-development, during development, post launch and at critical touchpoints. 2️⃣ Identify Patterns and Prioritize Issues: Group similar content and determine which issues or suggestions are most frequently mentioned or have the most significant impact on customer satisfaction. 3️⃣ Contextualize Feedback: Consider when, where, and how the feedback was provided to better interpret its significance. 4️⃣ Quantify Feedback: Assign metrics or scores where possible to quantify feedback. This helps prioritize improvements based on the magnitude of impact. 5️⃣ Root Cause Analysis: Dig deeper to understand the root causes of recurring issues. Sometimes, the stated problem might not be the actual underlying issue. 6️⃣ Link Feedback to Action: Connect the feedback directly to actionable steps. Develop strategies or changes that directly address the issues raised by customers. 7️⃣ Continual Improvement: Use feedback not just for immediate fixes but as part of an ongoing process for continuous improvement. Regularly revisit feedback to track progress and make further adjustments. What other tips can you add?? #voiceofthecustomer #lean #qualitymanagement #customerfeedback #customersatisfaction Image Source: Lucidchart

Every company says they listen to customers. But most just hear them. There's a difference. After spending years building feedback loops, here's what I've learned: Feedback isn't about collecting data. It's about creating change. Most companies fail at feedback because: - They send random surveys - They collect scattered feedback - They store insights in silos - They never close the loop The result? Frustrated customers. Missed opportunities. Lost revenue. Here's how to build real feedback loops: 1. Gather feedback intelligently - NPS isn't enough - CSAT tells half the story - One channel never works Instead: - Run targeted post-interaction surveys - Conduct deep-dive customer interviews - Analyze product usage patterns - Monitor support conversations - Build customer advisory boards - Track social mentions 2. Create a single source of truth - Consolidate feedback from everywhere - Tag and categorize insights - Track trends over time - Make it accessible to everyone 3. Turn feedback into action - Prioritize based on impact - Align with business goals - Create clear ownership - Set implementation timelines But here's the most important part: Close the loop. When customers give feedback: - Acknowledge it immediately - Update them on progress - Show them implemented changes - Demonstrate their impact The biggest mistakes I see: Feedback Overload: - Collecting too much data - No clear action plan - Analysis paralysis Biased Collection: - Listening to the loudest voices - Ignoring silent majority - Over-indexing on complaints Slow Response: - Taking months to act - No progress updates - Lost customer trust Remember: Good feedback loops aren't about tools. They're about trust. Every piece of feedback is a customer saying: "I care enough to help you improve." Don't waste that trust. The best companies don't just collect feedback. They turn it into visible change. They show customers their voice matters. They build trust through action. Start small: 1. Pick one feedback channel 2. Create a clear process 3. Act quickly on insights 4. Show results 5. Scale what works Your customers are talking. Are you really listening? More importantly, are you acting? What's your approach to customer feedback? How do you close the loop? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1999+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

We talk a lot about content, channels, and campaigns in #demandgen.  However, the most important thing is understanding your customers.  Without that knowledge, you're just guessing. Jumping straight into campaign mode is a big mistake. Even if you already have a file of your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), it's still worth it to double-check for any new trends to understand your audience in real-time.  👉🏾Who are they?   👉🏾What are their (present) frustrations?   👉🏾What keeps them up at night? Understanding these factors changes everything. There are many ways to gather such insights:  👉🏾Using surveys gives you quantitative data. 👉🏾Interviews provide qualitative depth.  👉🏾Social listening (very important) reveals what people are saying online.  👉🏾Competitor analysis shows the overall landscape. Recently, I was working on a campaign for a new product. My assumptions were way off, especially after reviewing recent customer interviews, which revealed a different path. Together with my team, we updated our messaging and saw a massive increase in engagement. To say the least, market research saved the (our) day! #b2bmarketing #ABM #marketingstrategy

Segmentation beats personalization. Personalization is terribly inefficient... (and oftentimes unnecessary outside of highly strategic enterprise selling). Think about the ads that really grab your attention. None of them have your name in them. Or mention podcasts you were interviewed in or posts that you wrote. These ads work because they're segmented based on patterns amongst small-ish groups of people. Outbound should be treated similarly. Pro tip: this approach works WAY better over the phone than via email. The expectation for personalization and quality is much higher in emails than over the phone. Here are a few ideas for segmenting your lists so you don't have to personalize so much: ✅ By region/location If you sell anything brick & mortar, SLED, etc—segment your accounts by geographic region. You really don't have to personalize much when you can: - Name-drop local businesses/organizations - Drop the location This sounds like: "Hi David, we work with Fit & Fashion right down the road in SLU. It's Jason with ________. Ring a bell?" ✅ By tech stack Let's say you sell a tool that enhances Salesforce. Or Jira. Or some other specific tool. Segment your accounts by tech stack. This sounds like: "Hi Katie, we're partnering with engineering teams who wish sandboxes were way easier to set up and use in Zendesk. It's Jason with ________. Got a min?" ✅ By persona Let's say you sell to ecomm solutions to SMB retail business owners. This sounds like: "Hi Tom, we're working with several retailers in the Seattle area. It's Jason with ________. Heard our name tossed around?" (H/T Armand Farrokh) ✅ By trigger This list gets pretty extensive. Hiring, job changes, customer/champion change, M&A, expansion/contraction, promotion, etc This sounds like: "Hi Dave, congrats on the promotion. It's Jason from __________. Was just talking to a new HR leader yesterday who's running into all kinds of complications scaling international hiring. That by chance something you're running into?" ✅ By niche One of my favorites. Take a well-recognized logo like Rippling. You could go after direct competitors, but it's even better to focus on non-competitive products selling to the same personas. This sounds like: "Hi Cierra, we're working with Rippling to help scale their product suite for HR leaders. It's Jason with ________. Thought you might want to hear how they've doubled ACV in the last 6 months. Have a min?" ~~~ Before you think of personalization, start with segmentation. Do the work upfront to avoid having to customize too much. Agree or disagree? We're training entire sales orgs at companies like Shopify, Rippling, Zoom, and many more on how to land more meetings with outbound. Interested in custom training for your team? DM or email me jason [at] outboundsquad.com for more info.

The secret to company success is deep-customer understanding. And no one did it better than Gillette. How? By literally living with their customers and seeing how they use Gillette products. When Gillette wanted to expand to India, they realized that Indians didn't shave the same way as Americans. To understand Indian customers better, one of Gillette's executives, Chip Bergh, asked his team to go to India and live with the customers there. They wanted to observe how people shaved and how it fit into their lives. This concept is called ethnographic market research. One scientist from the UK thought they simply could talk to Indian men living nearby, but Chip said it wouldn't be enough. They needed to see and experience things firsthand. In India, the team discovered that many people in India didn't have access to a big sink with hot running water like in the West. They used a small cup of cold water to shave. This made shaving with regular razors difficult because the small hairs clogged the blades. So, they innovated a razor called the Gillette Guard: it had a single blade with a safety comb to prevent cuts and was easy to rinse. Perfect for Indian customers. This way, they could make razors that people needed and loved. The lesson: The key to unlocking consumer experience lies in understanding the consumer’s needs in-depth. #consumerresearch #customersatisfaction #startups #entrepreneurship

Selling into complex B2B Industries requires a completely different approach on LinkedIn. At Triangle, we typically spend 15+ hours on research before writing a single post. Step 1: We study your customers We go into LinkedIn and pull up 20-30 profiles of your ideal buyers. We analyze patterns across: - What posts are they engaging with right now? - What topics are they commenting on? - What language are they using when they discuss industry challenges? - Which thought leaders are they following? If your buyers are CROs or Heads of Strategy inside growth-stage companies, the nuance matters. Are they focused on regulatory risk? AI adoption? Margin pressure? Procurement scrutiny? That context determines what earns attention – and what creates instant skepticism. Step 2: We reverse-engineer your sales process We listen to your recent sales calls. We review your sales decks. We talk to your sales team. Why? Because your strongest content already exists – it's just trapped in private internal conversations. The objections you handle on calls, the moments where prospects lean in, the explanations that unblock deals – that's content. We translate what already works one-to-one into one-to-many positioning. Step 3: We map the competitive landscape We analyze: - What are competitors talking about? - What are the biggest voices in your industry saying? - Where's the white space opportunity? Most companies create content in a vacuum. They talk about their features, their team, their milestones – without considering what's already saturating the market. We identify the gaps where a credible, experience-led point of view can stand out. Step 4: We anchor everything to your differentiation After we've done all that research, we sit down for a strategic Deep Dive interview. We ask: - What you believe that others don't - The trade-offs you've made - The experiences that shaped your judgment That differentiation is what pulls you out of comparison mode and into category leadership. In long-sales-cycle, high-ACV deals, buyers aren't choosing based on features. They're choosing based on judgment, conviction, and evidence that you understand how they operate. That's why we spend time listening to your podcasts, watching your talks, reviewing sales calls, and getting genuinely immersed. The result: A commercial growth strategy that drives growth, not a content calendar.

When I took the role of a sales lead several years ago, I was shocked I did not know where to start, what to do first. Structured approach helped me. Decided to create this post for those who are struggling in the new role. With a hope it helps at least one person. Step 1. Analyze current client database, do segmentation, run a series of interviews to understand why the clients actually buy your services/ product. What will you get: a detailed criteria for your ICP. Analyze risk accounts (with the churn potential) and see cross/ upsell opportunities. Step 2. Analyze competitors and market penetration. Here’s where you will need marketing/ analytics support. What will you get: market penetration metrics/ idea in which regions/ industries to invest time and effort. Focus on the client/ market segments with the highest growth potential. Step 3. Analyze current funnel and churn. Number of deals in the pipeline, velocity, lost reasons, etc. What will you get: current pipeline analysis. Reasons why you lose deals. Step 4. Analyze pipeline blockers: long proposal preparation, wrong focus of the sales team, lack of tech support, etc. What will you get: a plan of blockers elimination. I.e.: knowledge database, templates, presale team, detailed client segmentation criteria. Step 5. Build channels. How you are planning to go hunting: cold calling, email outreach, conferences, offline meetups, etc. What will you get: an action plan on where to find the leads. Next step: work hard, experiment, test, make mistakes. 😃 Good luck. You can do this! #b2bses #salesinsights #headofsales