( 12 reviews )
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Posted: Jan 27 2009
At the core of this book is a process called ZMET that uses patented research techniques to identify deep metaphors people apply to daily situations. For example, thoughts about working-out could revolve around "anticipation, companionship, and self-esteem." This trio of concepts can then guide product development and marketing communications. I've had the good fortune to help redesign customer experience using ZMET research, and the technique is simple and powerful. The book itself is academic and wanders around more than a bit, but there are pleasant surprises at every turn. For example, Zaltman outlines three primary research errors: 1. Mistaking Descriptions for Insight 2. Confusing Data With Understanding 3. Focusing On The Wrong Elements Of Study He also makes a persuasive case for 1:1 interviews instead of focus groups, and I agree with him here. In-depth interviews are my preferred research method for most situations. He supports this 1:1 method with research indicating that the outside limit for effective small group communication is three people. Zaltman also presses the case that 95% of our thoughts are unconscious, and that marketers rely too heavily on people's purported understanding of themselves (i.e., the 5% of conscious thought). He argues that people are driven by an inner world of images, stories, metaphors, and ultimately, emotions. While people report on their inner worlds with words, Zaltman argues that too often marketers take these words at face value, which is a mistake, for there is a low correlation between what people say they'll do and what they actually do. More often than not, he believes customers use unconscious mental models to sort the stimulus that comes their way. Ultimately, this book is about unearthing the unconscious metaphors that lead to conscious behavior, and then finding the right types of stimuli to influence that behavior. If anything, this book will help marketers become more perceptive in discovering how customers think.
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Posted: Aug 25 2008
If a picture tells 1,000 words, and the average person uses 5-6 metaphors per minute, then typical market research is just hitting the tip of the iceberg in accessing the 5,000+ wpm that customers process internally. Zaltman shows how to tap into the subconscious and nonverbal elements by using metaphor-based research methods. The 1st part of the book contains a lot of neat facts although it is written in a rather academic style, but the middle section gives how-to and examples of metaphor-based research. Overall I found the book to be eye-opening, thorough, and useful ... in fact, essential for superior brand/product positioning and customer experience improvement.
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Posted: Aug 25 2008
If a picture tells 1,000 words, and the average person uses 5-6 metaphors per minute, then typical market research is just hitting the tip of the iceberg in accessing the 5,000+ wpm that customers process internally. Zaltman shows how to tap into the subconscious and nonverbal elements by using metaphor-based research methods. The 1st part of the book contains a lot of neat facts although it is written in a rather academic style, but the middle section gives how-to and examples of metaphor-based research. Overall I found the book to be eye-opening, thorough, and useful ... in fact, essential for superior brand/product positioning and customer experience improvement. For a quick read on driving progress of customer programs I also recommend this book with step-by-step tips: Metrics You Can Manage For Success.
