To be empowered today means to have a voice. Whether in the work place or the community, having a voice equates to having influence. But what about those who are hesitant to speak their mind? Who don’t offer their opinions un-elicited, if at all? Consumers today can be divided into two categories: the introvert and the extrovert, or the “non-sharer” and the “sharer,” respectively. While extroverts are known for sharing openly about their wants, needs, and experiences, introverts are more likely to live inside their heads and be reluctant to share publicly.
For brand managers and researchers who rely on consumer insights to develop the latest products and services, extroverts prove to be incredibly valuable, as they are more likely to share their feedback, recommend products, and influence others’ purchasing behavior; the introvert, on the other hand, can pose more of a challenge. Not only do they tend to be quiet by nature, but when under environmental and peer pressures, they are more likely to sink into their shell, or modify their responses in order to fit in with the group. In other words, when in a public, extraneous setting, introverts are more likely to compromise the accuracy of the insights by not being true to themselves.
So does that mean that the introvert provides less value to brands? Not necessarily. It just means that they need the right conditions – which often equate to natural conditions – in order to open up. While hesitant to share on a public platform, when given the right setting (in-home; at-work; in-vehicle), privacy, and convenient, in-the-moment mobile access, introverts are more likely to share, giving businesses critical in-the-moment access to traditionally hard to tap consumers. When engaged the right, natural way – unthreatened by external pressures – consumers are less likely to be inhibited and more likely to give their unadulterated feedback – providing just as much, if not more value for your business.
And with online qualitative research, you can engage consumers in just the right way – via asynchronous mobile video, in a convenient, private setting. In these conditions, traditionally introverted consumers are empowered, becoming surprisingly forthcoming and providing businesses with rich feedback that drives their business decisions and, ultimately, their marketing strategy. Whether an introvert or an extrovert, the asynchronous video methodology gives consumers what they need to share and become invaluable brand advisers.
Have you empowered your introverts yet?
Webinar: The Four Pillars of Truth
Letting Consumers Share the Facts
