The 2011 AMA Research and Strategy Summit has come and gone. It was a great opportunity to meet others and learn about the forecasted future of the research industry. We heard from industry leaders and company representatives about where they see research in five or ten years. The underlying ideas were the steps into social media and taking consultative roles. On the minds of research companies are the movements into social research. This is utilizing social media sites as vast pools of information. Gathering this information is just half the battle. Understanding how to use the inform ..read more

In the world of business, where unpredictability is the only constant, there's one steadfast ally that successful enterprises rely upon: market research. But as vast and overwhelming as the ocean of information can be, navigating it alone is often neither feasible nor strategic. This is where research partners come into play.  ..read more

Co-CEO Colson Steber was a guest of Todd Westra on The Growth and Scaling Podcast to talk about his entrepreneurial journey from staff member to owner and Co-CEO of Communications for Research (CFR) and Ag Access.  Colson’s father, Jim Steber, started CFR in 1997 as a telephone research recruitment company. Colson joined CFR in 2012, shortly after graduating with his Finance degree and MBA. He moved through a few different roles and learned about the company where he acknowledges that being in the family business helped him gain trust and access to opportunities that he may not otherwise ..read more

Colson Steber is calling the closing out of the trilogy! Previously at the start of COVID, then again in 2021, Colson spoke and now today’s conversation really brings us full circle on the journey he and his business have been on for the last few years. We start out by getting an update from Colson on how business has been going, specifically the Ag Access brand he launched in late 2020. He gives us the exciting news of the growth they are experiencing with the new brand and how it has helped him grow his business. This leads to a discussion around trends in market research where Brian Lamar ..read more

How quickly can CFR provide the audience I need?   By the time we’re asked this question, something typically has gone wrong on a project. We answer that question with another one, namely,  “What happened?” This is where we listen before taking action. Creating a way forward to solve the problem at hand requires that we understand what happened along the way and how the path led them to us.    ..read more

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Business leaders in marketing, research, communications, and development are specifically charged with moving the business forward. Relevant consumer insights can be difficult to achieve and keep up with, no matter the level of professional expertise. There’s still a lot to be said for plain old common sense and what you absorb anecdotally from social media, podcasts, television and — hold on! There are still old-school sources of information that are robust as well. Don't discount the value of books, newspapers, magazines and advertising just because we live in an increasingly digital worl ..read more

  A lack of time or access to outside resources, such as a large sample of your target audience or highly experienced interviewers, might affect your ability to complete a research project in-house. In any case, it may be best to bring in a research vendor to help execute your project.  ..read more

Every business endeavor needs a comprehensive plan with established processes in place. It’s also crucial that while the big picture covers all the bases, it must be customizable and fine-tuned as needed for each customer’s audience and goals, both long and short-term. Nothing is guaranteed, but with a well-crafted and thorough process, the odds for success go up. In fact, it is the only way to deliver client satisfaction reliably, on time, within budget, and with no surprises ..read more

Hiring a Market Research partner takes away the pressure of doing it yourself, but finding the right market research partner can prove to be a challenge ..read more