--- title: The Only Research That Works description: If you’re a small or mid-sized business, and you feel you need to do formal market research, then you should be treated as the commodity that you are. image: https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361913607-jpg/blog-files/market-research-sucks.jpg --- ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner ![Award Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%203.png) Award Winning, Amazon #1 Bestseller: The Revenue Acceleration Framework ![Lift Logo](https://www.liftenablement.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Lift-Theme-Dev/images/LiftEnablement%20-%20Logo%20-%20Reverse%20(2).png) HubSpot's Most Trusted Partner for Complex Implementations ![HubSpot Certified Badge](https://49161231.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/49161231/image%204%20(2).png) HubSpot Certified App Partner # The Only Research That Works [ Doug Davidoff ](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/author/doug-davidoff) Apr 30, 2010 4:17:22 AM [![](https://www.liftenablement.com/hs-fs/file-361913607-jpg/blog-files/market-research-sucks.jpg?width=182&height=322&name=market-research-sucks.jpg "Market Research")](http://thefastgrowthblog.com/2009/09/02/the-idiocy-market-research/)I got an email today from a marketing consultant cautioning everyone to be careful not use customer satisfaction surveys when [double blind market research](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_experiment) is more appropriate.  The consultant warns, in surveys, "customers often rate everything as important.” While I certainly agree with the assessment of how surveys provide less than reliable data, I couldn’t resist commenting on the idea that double blind studies “make the information you get more actionable.” Maybe if your Proctor and Gamble, Microsoft or Coca-Cola market research may really matter (though it’s interesting that even Proctor and Gamble, the father of modern market research has [turned away from traditional research](https://blog.imaginellc.com/listen-to-proctor-gamble)). However, if you’re a small or mid-sized business, and [you feel you need to do formal market research](https://www.liftenablement.com/blog/the-idiocy-market-research), then you should be treated as the commodity that you are.  The problem with market research is that it creates a feeling of certainty where there is none. There is only one type of research you should consider doing:  spending time with customers, learning absolutely everything you can about them.  Watch what they do, listen to their goals and what’s frustrating them, etc.  What are they saying, and **more importantly**, what aren’t they saying.  [Understand them better than they understand themselves](http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/07/21/smallb3.html). Then take that knowledge, connect to your expertise, and you’ll have actionable research that actually drives sales and margins. 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