NOT JUST ROCKET SCIENCE

"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."

Wernher von Braun, 20th century German American rocket scientist

If this is not true for you it should be.

Know what you don't know and then research what you must to learn what that is.

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE MORE YOU KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW

"Who knows most believes least."

Proverb

You know (or should know) this if you've invested in start-ups for which you did not do sufficient due diligence prior to making your investment. 

But this applies to every aspect of business.

I UNDERSTAND THAT

"Beware of the man who knows the answer before he understands the question."

Unknown source

And who among us has not been guilty of this?

You can't understand the question if you don't at least accept the possibility that you don't understand the question.

Only knowing how to get to places you never go to gets you nowhere.

"Today the tyrant rules not by club or fist, but, disguised as a market researcher, he shepherds his flocks in the ways of utility and comfort."

Marshall McLuhan

20th century Canadian communications theorist and educator

Not by a long shot.

I founded, grew, and sold what was at the time the consumer electronic industry's largest independent market research and database marketing company in the world.

No one did more research than we did and while much of it was acted upon, much of it was not.

Memo to managers: Don't buy research you don't use.

Analysis Yes, But Somebody Has To Decide

"Observation more than books, and experience more than persons, are the prime educators."

Amos Bronson Alcott
19th century American educator

As one who has made a career of formal market research, you might think I would disagree with this.

I don't.

At some point a human has to decide what to do next and all the research and analysis available to them, are only additional tools they can use to reach their decision.

Customer Knowledge: The Key to Sales

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well, the product or service fits him and sells itself."

Peter Drucker
20th century American business author/consultant/teacher

I can't believe I'm going to edit Mr. Drucker, however . . .

If you really do know and understand your customer, you will do a much better job creating and effectively marketing products for and to him/her than you will if you don't.

Understanding the Customer

"In each of us there is a little of all of us."

Georg C. Lichtenberg
18th century German scientist

Ok, I see that, but what one does with this is critical, particularly for marketers.

There is danger in thinking we know what others believe and want based on knowing what we believe and want. The image in the mirror does not always reflect reality.

The ability to objectively assess the needs of others is critical for those charged with marketing.