It’s character building: How segmentation is storytelling, and how to get better at it

The role of storytelling in research can sometimes be overstated, but when it comes to segmentation it’s of the essence. Segmenting a market is not just descriptive but creative. We’re led by the data, but our success really depends on how well we craft, choose and illustrate our solution.

What you’ll learn:

• What makes for a great – or not so great – segmentation
• Why getting names right is the key to everything, and how to do so
• How number-crunchers should communicate segments to both agency and client teams…and what everyone else should be asking them
• When we draw on our own experiences to paint different pictures in our heads, how can we be sure we’re talking about the same people?
• Happily ever after: delivering and extracting value that lasts

Joe Catling from Relish Research outlines the principles of refining and choosing a quantitative segmentation, arguing that we should be led by how well we can describe segments as characters.

When presenting quantitative outputs, it’s easy inadvertently to mislead stakeholders with data, thereby compromising the solution and any further work based on it. Analysts can improve here but wider teams must better interrogate their work, too. And where a segmentation is shared with a wider audience – perhaps without the time, inclination or know-how to dive into the research – communicating segments presents further challenges.

Drawing on his experience as a quantitative researcher and book nerd, Joe demonstrates how the principles of character selection and development are essential to creating and communicating a segmentation that is understood by all parties, and that delivers lasting value.

About the speaker:

After graduating in Mathematics and Philosophy, Joe Catling stumbled along the archetypal road from innocence to experience, running segmentations for brands as diverse as Sky, Nutmeg, 2 Sisters Food Group and EDF Energy. En route, he became Head of Analytics at Relish Research, where his colleagues tease him about his being a hipster cliché. You can imagine how this secretly wounds him.

Bookings:

Bookings will open approximately 6 weeks before each event. 

This event is free for MRS members. Non-members are welcome to attend for a fee of £25.00 + VAT, which must be paid in advance.

If you would like to join MRS to enable you to attend this event for free and take advantage of the other benefits of membership please click here.