On January 20, 2015, Gerard Loosschilder delivered a webinar about storytelling in market research for the Australian Market & Social Research Society. The webinar was about storytelling to share the insights coming out of a market research study, among which visualizing complex sets of data to turn data into insight. The webinar was aimed at helping market researchers see how to apply storytelling in their market research practices and why it is a necessary skill. Also, it provided them with a few helpful tools, tips and tricks to help them turn into engaging market research storytellers .

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The Power of Storytelling
in Market Research
By Gerard Loosschilder, aka GerART
For the Australian Market & Social Research Society
January 20, 2015
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Using stories
to turn data into insight
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What? Why? How?

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You are my target
Business teams
Client side
market
researchers
Agency side
market
researchers
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Storytelling is part of a consultative
approach to market research
Conscience
to the Business
Window
to the World
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Our deliverable is actionable insight
Now
I see
Now
I do
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The story is a vehicle
An engaging and credible narrative that makes
the audience see reality from a different perspective
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To engage with our audience,
activate them and prompt a change
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We tap into a long history of storytelling
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Ethos Pathos Logos
Storytelling is
here!

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Four tips to become
a storyteller in market research
1. Use templates
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Four tips to become
a storyteller in market research
1. Use templates
2. Visualize
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Four tips to become
a storyteller in market research
1. Use templates
2. Visualize
3. Think of analogies
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Four tips to become
a storyteller in market research
1. Use templates
2. Visualize
3. Think of analogies
4. Practice
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Intermezzo
The Positioning of Honest Tea
13 Vimeo WordPress
To watch the video, follow
this link to vimeo.com …
… or watch it from
gerardloosschilder.com

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A story conveying an insight
answers three questions
What?
So
what?
Now
what?
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These questions are the basis
of the Story Form framework
What?
The thought, fact, data
or the analysis of fact and data
So what?
The implication of the fact or data
to your business problem or reality
Now what?
The action that the fact
and its implication prompts
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This is a template to extract insight
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What (if)?
Why?
So what?
Now what?

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Every insight gets its own form until
you’re ready to complete the full story
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What?
Why?
So what?
Now what?
What is the positioning of Honest Tea in the
brand landscape?
What is the reason for the positioning of
Honest Tea in the brand landscape?
So what that Honest Tea is positioned in
the fringes of the brand landscape?
Now what do we suggest Honest Tea to do
now that we know about its positioning?

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Intermezzo
Building a hotel in Istanbul
18 Vimeo WordPress
To watch the video, follow
this link to vimeo.com …
… or watch it from
gerardloosschilder.com

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The Story Form framework was
used to share a meaningful insight
What? So
what?
Now
what?
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Every insight gets its own form until
you’re ready to complete the full story
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What if?
Why?
So what if?
Now what if?
What is the opportunity of various sites and
locations, and of types of hotels?
What is the reason for opportunity at this
site, and for the type of hotel?
So what if competitor hotels respond by
stunting with their room night prices?
Now what if Metropole opens a hotel in
Istanbul and competition responds?

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The Story Spine framework
helps to be dynamic
Ever
since
then …
The moral
of the
story is ...
Equilibrium
Until
finally …
Until
suddenly
…
Climax
Because
of that …
And then
…
occurred
Events
But then
one day
… some-
thing
changes
…
Catalyst
Once
upon a
time …
Everyday
…
Situation
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This is a template to build a story
using the Story Spine framework
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Situation
Catalyst
Events
Climax
Equilibrium
Also known
as the Pixar
Pitch but
originally
developed by
playwright
Kenn Adams

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Scenario thinking and the Story Spine combined
helps to see things from various perspectives
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Situation
Catalyst
Events
Climax
Equilibrium
Metropole is ambitious
Metropole wishes to
expand
Metropole explores
Istanbul
Metropole opens in
Istanbul
Metropole is a new
competitor
Istanbul is nice and
quiet hotel-wise
Competition sniffs that
Metropole is coming
Competition plans to
run for cover
Competition starts
discounts
Pieces of the pie have
become smaller
Metropole Competition

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Intermezzo
Daniel the Virtual Merchant
24 Vimeo WordPress
To watch the video, follow
this link to vimeo.com …
… or watch it from
gerardloosschilder.com

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This story was written to make you see
a paradigm shift in the industry
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Situation
Catalyst
Events
Climax
Equilibrium

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Intermezzo
The Curse of the Curly Fries
26 Vimeo WordPress
To watch the video, follow
this link to vimeo.com …
… or watch it from
gerardloosschilder.com

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The Curse of the Curly Fries –
what’s good about it?
Protagonist – David Antagonist – Philip
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The Curse of the Curly Fries –
what’s good about it?
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Protagonist
– David
Antagonist
– Philip

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To profile actors and characters,
use a Persona template
• Who is the protagonist?
• What are his dreams and
challenges?
• Who are his or her friends
and allies?
• Who is the antagonist?
• What are his dreams and
challenges? How does this
cross the protagonist?
• Who are his or her friends
and allies?
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Tip #3 Think in analogies
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analogy
/əˈnalədʒi/
noun
1.a comparison between one thing and another,
typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification.
2."an analogy between the workings of nature and
those of human societies"
3.a correspondence or partial similarity.
4."the syndrome is called deep dysgraphia because of
its analogy to deep dyslexia"
5.a thing which is comparable to something else in
significant respects.
6."works of art were seen as an analogy for works of
nature"

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Tip #3 Think in analogies
Where have I seen this before?
• Similar products or services
• Similar business models
• Similar market situations
• Similar research approaches
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Tip #3 Think in analogies
Where have I seen this before?
• Similar products or services
• Similar business models
• Similar market situations
• Similar research approaches
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Inert markets
The example of a low
churn rate taken from the
telecom market and
applied in the utilities
market to explain the
disappointing effectivity of
promotions

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Tip #3 Think in analogies
Where have I seen this before?
• Similar products or services
• Similar business models
• Similar market situations
• Similar research approaches
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Consumable business
The example of appliance
– consumable or head –
handle business taken
from razors and inkjet
businesses and applied
to the power toothbrush
business

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Tip #4 Practice – everything is a story
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Tip #4 Practice – in everyday life
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Wrap up: Storytelling is part of a consultative
approach to market research
Engage Activate
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Wrap up: four tips to become
a storyteller in market research
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Simon Says …
1. Use templates
2. Visualize
3. Think of analogies
4. Practice

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Thank you!
For more information, questions, coaching and support, contact
Gerard Loosschilder at Gerard.loosschilder@gmail.com or at
+31 6 2266 5218 (European continental time zone, GWT+1),
connect with me at Linkedin, follow me on Twitter at
@Gloosschilder or visit me at Gerardloosschilder.com.
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