Does Your Brand Really Need Research?

You’ve just kicked off a new marketing partnership. You’re eager to get started, but the agency wants to spend weeks in ‘research mode.’ One of the most common questions we get at the start of a new client relationship is: Do we really need to spend weeks (or sometimes months) doing research?

The truth is, it depends… 

It depends entirely on the nature of the project at hand, client needs, budget, and most importantly, timeline. 

In our experience, we’ve had clients on both extremes: those who delve deeply and those who opt to skip it entirely. 

When time and budget allow, we dig deep, from internal and external stakeholder interviews and known/unknown audience surveys to competitive audits and historical brand analysis. These research studies lead to deeper knowledge of the client, the competitive landscape, and growth opportunities. 

 

On the other hand, some clients opt to skip research altogether. While there is nothing that can truly replace human insight, we’re now able to leverage AI to learn about the brand’s history, industry landscape, and opportunities for improvement. 

Whether you have the time and resources to delve deep or just enough time to scratch the surface, it’s crucial to set a foundation of knowledge before beginning any new project. 

So, why does research matter?

We completely understand that timelines, budgets, and internal capacity are real constraints, especially when you’re butting up against internal expectations, lead goals, and a need to prove ROI for all marketing expenditures. These are real issues that every marketing professional and company faces. We’re here to help you get it right the first time! 

The research phase isn’t just about learning. It’s about aligning. Aligning the brand you know so well with the brand your customers are looking for (or helping them find you if they aren’t already aware). 

But we also know time and budgets are real.

Not every client has the time and resources to commit to a big research project. However, skipping research entirely can create issues that cost more time and money down the road. It’s the foundation that prevents costly mistakes in positioning, design, and even media planning, and it builds trust between clients and agency before any work even begins.

Research helps to build initial trust between clients and the agency because all ideas are being taken into consideration before any work has been started. Once we’re speaking the same language, you’ll see creative work that resonates deeply with your audience.

That’s why we’ve reimagined what the research phase can look like, flexible frameworks designed around your reality.

At Phire Group, we recognize that every client is different and requires a unique approach to research and onboarding. At the start of every project, we work together to determine an approach that fits your needs, such as: 

• Rapid Discovery Sessions – Virtual brainstorming sessions where we bring all stakeholders together in one meeting and use breakout rooms to dig deeper into key question
• Example: In a recent university website project, we condensed what used to be a month-long discovery phase into a single 60-minute session with 25+ stakeholders. We quickly uncovered insights that shaped the entire website structure. 
• Hybrid Approaches – This may combine one or more rapid discovery sessions with one-on-one or small group sessions to weigh all voices appropriately 
• AI-enhanced onboarding – For those clients who are really strapped for time, we recommend a quick working session with a small core team to ensure human insights are being considered, but we couple this with deep AI research that can be done on our own.
• Note: AI can accelerate background learning, but it doesn’t replace human understanding. We use it to supplement our discovery, not shortcut it.

These custom approaches allow for faster alignment, higher engagement from stakeholders, and more confidence in the creative direction or media plan. 

Research doesn’t have to mean red tape. When it’s built around your needs, not the agency’s, it becomes the spark that fuels better ideas, faster. 

If you’re curious what a custom research approach could look like for your brand, let’s start the conversation.