Ten Top Tips for Diabetes Market Research

1. Ready? Aim. Aim Again

   We love to debate methodology and sample as much as the next researcher, but it’s time spent ruthlessly defining your business goal that has the biggest payoff. Your business need must define your research plan, not the other way around. If you work with us, expect a serious but friendly grilling about your business goals. 

2. Which Hearts and Minds Did You Have In Mind?

   Who exactly needs to learn from your project? Internal or external stakeholders? The C-suite, the R&D team? Clinicians or investors? Tailoring the project to your audience maximizes its value. That’s why we’ll ask about it up front, use expert designers, host multiple readouts and Q&A sessions, and create video show reels where we build the bridge between your insights and your audience.

3. Sample First

   Who can truly answer your questions? For example, are HCPs your best source of deep patient experience insight? Are all the groups on your list “must-haves”? Does your vendor have hard data about counts or are they using words like ‘generally’ and ‘usually’? We’ve completed a few projects for clients when the original vendor couldn’t deliver what they had promised.

4. Don’t Take Their Word For It

   Cheaters and speeders and bots… Oh my! Survey fraud remains a challenge, so make sure your data-cleaning crew knows diabetes. “Earn $$ for taking diabetes surveys” is an open invitation to fraudsters. It’s not just patients - we’ve found ChatGPT answers in HCP responses too. That’s why we take our time checking and replacing dubious responses, and still hand-select every single dQ&A panel member.

5. Method and Madness

   We (and our stakeholders) all have our favorite methods, but don’t settle for the default. We need the very best match between goals and sample. A 23-minute conjoint with busy PCPs? Or a long feature list evaluation for a focus group of newly diagnosed patients? Ouch! Think hard about who’s answering your questions and how they can answer authentically and completely. Which brings us to…

6. Go Ahead. Try On Those Shoes

   Diabetes is complicated, difficult and forever - hard to imagine if you don’t have it. Team members with diabetes help us create survey questions with empathy, clarity and respect: in language people actually use, not clinical or industry jargon. With HCPs, we respect their knowledge, experience, and workload. If in doubt, we’ll test-launch the survey to make sure that it delivers the answers we need.

7. Don’t Get Lost in Translation

   There are plenty of good research vendors. But do they speak your language? Can you to teach them your business, or will you spend time course-correcting them? Things go more smoothly when you don’t have to explain your patient segments, or why those new trial results are a big deal. Your project might not be brain surgery, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need a specialist.

8. Line Up Those Ducks

   If a vendor offers no project plan covering both their steps and yours, ask for one. We’re still surprised how many RFPs don’t ask for this. Vendors are contractually bound to timelines, but stakeholders aren’t, so you’ll need to set clear expectations, provide plenty of notice, and give regular updates. And remember, you can’t have a win without an inclusive and organized kickoff meeting.

9. That’s My Story and I’m Sticking To It

   Tempting as it is to start making slides as soon as you get clean data, the top-line report is key. You’ll see whether you achieved your goals, and reporting will be smooth and efficient. Your vendor should work hard on the top-line report, and then refine it with you. It’s our favorite part of the process, when we see the answers come together, and get to work alongside clients and bring their insights to life. 

10. ‘Deliverables’ is Plural

    Just sending out a PowerPoint report is a missed opportunity. Instead, how about a topline ‘teaser’ summary with an invitation to a live readout and Q&A? Got video? Use it! Record the readout for those who (inevitably) miss it. Create a CliffsNotes version for your leadership team. Will your vendor help? We will—and it’s worth reserving a few hours in your budget to do it right.