Valuable, timely information is the key to progress within business operations. From key data to client feedback, company stakeholders need to become equipped with all relevant research insights to make well-informed decisions. There are four steps in communicating research insights to stakeholders. By asking the right questions, companies become equipped with key information to challenge assumptions and biases.The collection of insights from interviews and surveys:
- Gives instant feedback on what’s working
- Identifies areas of improvement
- Brings new ideas to the forefront
- Spurs new business lines or offerings
- Highlights new themes to concentrate marketing efforts
- Determines areas of highest engagement, growth, and success
Step 1: Get your stakeholders engaged.
Take the time by getting to know your stakeholders. Get them involved early. Start the process by meeting with your internal stakeholders. Ask what information they are looking for. What assumptions are they seeking to validate? Is there an upcoming initiative that still has outstanding questions they need answered? By providing valuable information to answer these questions, you’ll likely be able to receive greater buy-in earlier in the process. By presenting the value of research, correlate the WHY with the HOW. Why is this information crucial to our decision-making and how are we going to utilize this information to bring innovative change within this company?
Step 2: Prepare your research process.
Collecting insights can come in a spectrum of methods. From email surveys to one-on-one interviews, the type of responses will likely differ. For example, if you are collecting brief/annotated responses to provide quantitative data in a larger sample pool, you’ll likely put together an online survey to capture the largest group of responses within the shortest period of time. If you’re seeking more qualitative responses where you can ask follow-ups based on a specific response, one-on-one interviews will likely cater to this research style. These interviews provide more narrowed-down information and will likely result in quoteworthy insights to present to your stakeholders.
Step 3: Determine your record keeping platform of choice.
Your information is only as good as the research repository that you have to reference. Before presenting the information to your stakeholders, you’ll likely need to spend time reviewing the data, collecting the most pertinent information, and reorganizing the insights to draw valuable recommendations. Surveys, for example, can be automated by using platforms like Typeform.com. By organizing and sending out the survey through a single URL, responses will be collected and recorded within your account and can be extracted as searchable Excel files. If you’re conducting interviews, prepare a Word document in a Q&A format. With permission, record the interview and transcribe the information. Highlight key phrases and quote-worthy insights that address your stakeholders’ questions and concerns. Not all stakeholders want to see the data in its entirety but be prepared to share this information in an organized fashion as an appendix to your stakeholder presentation.
Step 4: Present with digestible information.
- Not all stakeholders are alike. Your presentation should communicate the right message to the right people. For example, some stakeholders are more focused on marketing efforts and brand awareness whereas others are more curious about business operations and revenue. Assess your stakeholder’s needs and present the information that they’ll find most valuable. Give the option to share all of the insights with them, but make sure you’re maximizing their time to promote internal efficiency.
- Correlate the cause and effect of the research. Find tangible evidence and show the relationship how the information addresses a core need of the company. Point at previous successes of the company and draw insights on how the research provided an informed decision-making process. By showing the before-and-after, stakeholders will see the benefits of the information and your contributions to the process.
- Make the information accessible and human. Storytelling in a PPT format, for example, may transcend the monotony of sharing an Excel spreadsheet. By including quotes, photos, and videos, your research will bring a human connectivity. This brings a more compelling lens for your stakeholders to utilize your research.
- Put a monetary value on research. If you’ve learned from your interviews that clients may be hesitant to sign on unless you have sustainability practices in place, estimate how much revenue will be effected within a year. Attributing a monetary value will likely bring financial scrutiny to a stakeholder’s decision. Look at potential business losses such as client retention, churn rate, missed opportunities, and average profitability.
- Approach the conversation with respect. Your stakeholders have years of experience. Account for their experience within your narrative and make sure they feel valued throughout the research process. Business considerations are not taken lightly and by elevating a company’s success metrics, good research will likely correlate to good conclusions.
Strategic insights bring value to your stakeholders. Focus on the information that is the most important based on initial obstacles or concerns. Use storytelling to bring context to ensure that your findings aren’t misinterpreted. By enlisting stakeholders early in the research and interview process, common ground will be established based on what is needed and how progress can be made. By making informed decisions, missed opportunities will decrease and success metrics will likely increase to gain business traction and momentum.
