Marketing Research

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barodine primary & secondary research services

Both principals of our Madison marketing agency have graduate training in statistics and research, and so our methodologies are based upon mainstream psychosocial and anthropological¹ theories that are supported by university research.

Primary methodologies include:

Focus Groups
Ethnographic Observations
Contextual Interviews
Cognitive Mapping
Problem Extraction From Observations

Secondary methodologies include:

Trend Research
Competitive Review
Technology Advances
Scenario Planning
Persona Mapping

¹Be wary of depending too much on focus groups

Controlled experiments and anecdotal data show that how people say they act in a particular situation is very often different from the way they actually behave. This is because people habituate behavior so that it becomes automatic.

For example, ask a sample of technicians how they go about their work, and they can only tell you what they think they do. But upon observation, it is unlikely that their actual time-motion behaviors will resemble what they report.

Thus, designing a product or process for the technicians merely around their self-reported behavior is dangerous, because what they think they want might not be what they actually need—and thus something that will fail in the marketplace.

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When deciding on a redesign of our website, we felt it very important to find a person who could grasp the fundamentals of our business, as we are a very unique company. [The barodine consultant] spent quality time with us to observe, ask questions, and understand the services we provide. This made our decision easy to choose [him] as our consultant for our new website. He was very gracious when we asked for changes along the way. I would not hesitate to recommend [barodine] to anyone in need of a consultant.

H.C. Business Development Manager at an electronic component OEM manufacturer
We enjoyed working with [the barodine consultant] on the total revision of our website. We could tell that he really enjoys his job, and he put a lot of thought and effort into it. When done, our message to our customers was communicated in a concise and professional manner. [The barodine consultant] placed a high value on the exchange of ideas and our input. His contribution to the project made our job less stressful.

R.F. Operations Manager at an electronic component OEM manufacturer
Stephen knew less about our industry than anyone we have talked to in the past. Yet he came forward with the most incredible and precise depiction of what we do. It was really amazing. Stephen is incredibly sharp and quite witty... kind of reminded us of Woody Allen!

T.F. at a commercial farm/nursery
We really enjoyed the opportunity to work with [the writer]. Through his unique collaborative process, we learned much more than just effective marketing—we learned how to communicate to our customers who we are and what we do.

E. S. at a commercial farm/nursery
Stephen listened to me talk about my business for an hour, from technical issues to philosophical perspectives; ten minutes later he had a rough outline of the information I was trying to convey, and two days later the task was done: a task the previous copywriter couldn't achieve in six weeks and three visits. Time spent with Stephen doesn't cost; it pays.

S.M. at a food manufacturing company
[The writer] worked on copy for our website. We list a wide variety of products, and what impressed me the most about [him] was how easily he adapted relatable copy for many of the items that I'm sure he wasn't even familiar with. It showed me his versatility and command of commercial markets.

P.W. at an industrial supply company
It is very fun and rewarding to collaborate with Stephen. His style is remarkably chameleon-like, whether we are addressing an older, educated market, or a younger carefree twenty-something. He does a good job of keeping a consistent voice that is on brand and very specific to whichever demographic we are targeting. He has always been flexible and very attentive to corrections and critiques. In our case, comments and edits come from several departments within the company. He listens carefully to each person’s perspective and incorporates their thoughts creatively. Stephen has always made his deadlines. The best thing about Stephen Barone? He is on brand and on time.

W.B. at an apparel company
[The writer] was able to take a part of our business that we are trying to grow and write about it in a way that captures and intrigues a new customer base. Thank you!

K.W. at a hospitality company
Our organization had decided to develop a large self-publishing website in just nine months start-to-launch and we had a large number of unspecified subject areas to create from scratch, yet be specific to the site's application. Stephen was challenged with understanding our overall concept and design goals, and to start from a blank screen to develop 'use information content' that would help users understand what to do. Stephen energetically leveraged his writing skills and knowledge of information architecture to produce high quality content that was a direct fit to our needs. We will use his services again.

R.W. at a publishing company
[The writer] was able to help us by putting our company culture and services into words for our website. He was professional, prompt, and good to work with. We will be using his services again to create our brochure.

S.M. at a construction contracting company
Who says you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear?! [The writer] made the Web copy for our rather mundane industrial products pop!

P.W. at an industrial supply company
I have enjoyed working with [the writer] very much. I was most impressed with his ability to quickly understand the nature of our business, and his rapid response in delivering quality materials.

J.S. at a software-as-service company
Stephen's uptake of information is ferocious, and his analytical abilities allow him to process that information in a very timely and efficient manner. He's a good consultant, turning complicated issues into straightforward explanations and providing practical advice. Once done, he builds enthusiasm for turning his observations and recommendations into action steps that we can deploy. And always a perfect Gentleman!

S.D. at a software-as-service company
We're glad to use [barodine] on a regular basis with our clients. They bring sound marketing consulting to the table, which adds value to our services.

T. H. at a website development firm
Stephen is an integral part of our team. He understands our clients’ business extremely well and hits the ground running. He’s always vigilant about providing good value, prompt service, and most importantly, compelling copy that meets or exceeds clients’ expectations.

J.A. at a research & marketing consultancy
In the complex world of health care, we have found Stephen to be a clear, focused and dogged navigator. Stephen has provided his analytical, workflow, and communication skills on several key organizational projects. Smart: yes. Thorough: yes. Fun: absolutely! It's as if ‘he is one of us!

N.N. at a statewide professional association
Our company works in a very technical field…[the writer] …was a very fast learner and developed copy that was absolutely perfect for our audience.

RMA at a site-selection consultancy for corporations
In business, what you say is as important as to whom and how often you say it. [The writer is] excellent at discovering your unique story and crafting it into words that are interesting and easily understood. I recommend barodine if you want to maximize the effectiveness of your marketing communications and its return on investment.

B.V. at a large regional residential & commercial painting company
Stephen is fast. He was able to wrap his head around our company and summarize what we do in a very short time. The information was pertinent, to the point, written simply, and accentuated [our point of differentiation], making our sales task much easier.

B.K. at a pharmaceutical company