Marketwise Strategies: Expert Marketing Consultancy in the North East

2. Marketwise Strategies • Research and marketing strategy consultancy • Rooted in North East, expanding nationally • Founded in 2000 • 7 permanent staff • Several associates and part time staff • Based in Newcastle City Centre

3. Clients – Knowledge Intensive • Public sector • One North East, Tees Valley Regeneration, Tourism Partnerships, NHS, Natural England, Environment Agency • Universities and colleges • Environment and technology • New starts, knowledge intensive growing companies, technology companies

4. Marketing and social research • Market entry / proof of concept: • Toothbrushes, stationery, healthcare products, energy efficient lighting • Higher Education: • student perceptions; Ucas decision-making; market positioning; employer engagement • Campaign development and evaluation: • Inward investment studies, LEGI branding • Customer perception: • Universities, public, private and third sector • Strategic marketing: • Wide range of clients

5. Research methods • Depth interviewing (telephone & face-to-face) • Focus groups and workshops • Surveys (online, telephone, street) • Desk research

9. Marketwise Strategies People • Degrees • Business and marketing • Architecture and town planning • Politics • Environmental management • Immunology • 2 PhDs, 4 MA / MSc, 2 CIM DipMs, 2 MRS Advanced Certificates • Range of career paths

10. John Gibson, Senior Researcher • Lead researcher on qualitative projects • Research design (proposals) • Desk research • Questionnaire development and sampling • Depth interviewing • Focus group moderation • Analysis (qual and quant) • Interpreting findings / report writing • Presenting results • Recommendations and strategy development • Business development • Building client relationships • Writing proposals and delivering pitches • Networking

11. A recent “day in the life” 09:00 Telephone interview: government agency interviewed for recycling-themed project 09:30 Analysis of interview findings for recycling client using Xsight software 11:00 Meeting with university client to discuss research findings 13:00 Writing up findings from earlier Xsight analysis 14:30 Reading report about freshwater for university client 16:30 Team meeting concerning new research enquiry Need to be flexible to respond to any changing demands as they emerge

12. Best bits • Happy clients! – Practical action • Our case studies on One North East RIS website (www.northeastengland.co.uk) • New strategic planning service launched • University has better understanding of its position in the HE market • Using knowledge and theories learnt • Research techniques: e.g. projective techniques in focus groups • Knowledge of Higher Education issues • Interesting subject matter • Researching perceptions among teachers and students about university applications • Looking into strategic planning in the public sector • Discussing environmentally-sustainable building materials with architects and civil engineers

13. Challenges • The real world (different from academia!) • Budgets • Timescales • Gaining respondent participation • Achieving quality while making money • Flexibility (can be assigned to help other projects) • Working with people • Colleagues: Different skills / needs • Clients: Different expectations • Things go wrong! • ICT systems • People make mistakes

14. How did I get here? • 1999 Newcastle University, BA (Hons) History • 2001 Newcastle University, MA International Studies • 2006 Newcastle University, PhD Politics (ESRC-funded) • 2007 Newcastle University, ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Politics) • 2007 London School of Economics, Research Officer (Centre for Civil Society) • 2008 Research Executive, later Senior Researcher, Marketwise Strategies

15. Important Skills / Qualities • Inherent • Attention to detail • Pride in presentation • From education • Research principles • Knowledge of Higher Education • Use of IT • Learnt at work – experience • Getting things done (Drive, initiative, ownership) • Professional standard of written English • How to communicate: clients, colleagues, suppliers, research respondents

16. “I wish I’d known…” • Variety of opportunities available in research • Commercial / market • Not-for-profit • Public sector • Opportunities available outside the “milk round” • Job markets are competitive – but most employers don’t advertise • Difference between commercial and academic research

17. Advice • Find out about potential careers early • Small companies often recruit through specialist agencies • Any work experience is good experience • Think re: postgraduate qualifications (MRes/ PhD) • Get the basics right • Writing skills • Maths • Presenting data: charts, tables, base sizes • Working with others • Show initiative and take responsibility – e.g. extra-curricular activities • Learn to understand the why – what is research actually meant to be achieving?

18. www.marketwisestrategies.com 0191 261 4426