Ponderings From The Perch

At PFTP we’re always pulling back the curtain to reveal the wizards behind the wizardry. To that end, I’m always looking for industry leaders who are willing to share their expertise openly. They are willing to say, “it’s just us behind the curtain and this is how we make the magic.” Today we’re going to talk about all things at the crossroads of shopper insights, marketing and behavioral science. Anne Stephenson has been a guest on PFTP before and when I heard their team at Explorer Research had a new framework for their work I just had to ask her to tell us more! Anne and I are both endlessly curious. You’ll love this guest. Welcome back, Anne Stephenson! Anne Stephenson, Founding Partner of Explorer Research, is a behavioral science shopping insights expert helping clients develop and launch effective retail strategies grounded in shopper behavior. With over 30 years of marketing and research experience with packaged goods, retail, pharmaceutical and more, she captures and translates shopper behavior to he

We've looked at it from all market research from all the different sides on the Ponderings from the Perch Podcast. Why is private equity interested? Why are people looking more to research technology to solve problems? How are people developing their teams in order to deal with technology?  Join Little Bird Momma and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, as she chats with CEO and Founder of Hatch Tank, and VP of Qualitative Research at Numerator, Shamsu Bhaidani about the value of human support when it comes to market research technology. With the push for better, cheaper and faster — and the word that we all have gotten sick of hearing: agile — teams were being asked to get more done with less. So what do they do? They turn to technology. Shamsu shared his observations, “​​What I see is that a lot of people get into using these platforms, do not necessarily use them to full capacity because they know what they know. They don't have time to explore more and take advantage of the different features and the different capa

Do not get on the train to “I suck.” When fear rears its head, especially in regards to public speaking, it’s too easy to get lost in the mental story of, “I have nothing to say, and I'm not good at this and nobody wants to hear what I have to say.” That is the train to “I suck,” and it doesn’t go anywhere else. Enter: Johanna Walker.  As a speaking coach and storytelling expert, Johanna joins Little Bird Momma and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, on the Ponderings from the Perch podcast to discuss the stories that we tell ourselves, and how tapping into, owning and sharing your story can transform your business and can transform YOU. One of Johanna’s mantras is: “Go before you’re ready.” While there are a thousand uncomfortable feelings and thoughts that can pop up when imagining getting on stage, being vulnerable and sharing your story, you have to embrace the sensations and drop the stories. If you wait until you’re ready, you may never feel ready. You have to go before you’re ready. When fear arises, “Drop out

Be forewarned: This episode is probably a gateway drug to a Little Bird Book Club.  If you keep up with Priscilla, you probably already know some of her thoughts on competition (yuck!), and how collaboration (yay!) is a better strategy. But even collaboration can be a perilous landscape. It goes all the way back to fifth-grade group projects where one kid does all the work and the others just coast. In the professional realm, there are many examples of things that *look* like collaboration on the surface, but are not actually collaborative at their core.  In this episode, Executive VP Leighton Cordell commandeers the podcast to get the scoop on Momma Bird Priscilla McKinney’s forthcoming book: Collaboration is the New Competition. Given that Priscilla is well acquainted with the stunning discomfort of entrepreneurship, paired with the fact that her heart is always with business owners who are trying to make an impact, get traction on their ideas and sell their products and services — a book was born! She s

No matter what Little Bird Momma and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, and Executive VP, Ashley Le Blanc do, they somehow end up writing. If you’re working on writing posts on LinkedIn, blogs or books, get ready for four applicable tips from these seasoned veterans to make writing that much easier for you.  You know Priscilla is a straight shooter who doesn't shy away from tackling the big issues. In this episode, she delves into the world of ChatGPT, OpenAI, and the impact of NLP and NLG on business and branding. While she sees the potential for these tools to revolutionize the way we work, she also highlights some key concerns. For example, the lack of SEO integration in these systems can harm your online visibility, and using the same generated content as others can lead to plagiarism and a drop in page ranking. Additionally, the impersonal nature of these tools can detract from your brand's unique voice and style, and raises questions about the impact on thought leadership. Tune in to hear Priscilla's candid take

To succeed, brands can’t just go around selling products anymore. Brands have to create transformative experiences and positively impact people’s lives and the world as a whole. Join Little Bird Momma and CEO, Priscilla McKinney and the Global Lead: Brand Thought-Leadership at Ipsos, Emmanuel Probst, as they discuss Emmanuel’s new book, Assemblage: The Art and Science of Brand Transformation and how brands can transform today to be truly successful. So just what is assemblage? Emmanuel draws a delicious metaphor between the process distillers go through to create a perfect cognac by choosing wisely from a wide range of barrels, grains and other alcohols to combine and mix the blend until arriving at the perfect product, to what marketers and brand managers need to do — collect a wide range of personal, social, and cultural attributes that to bring to the brand, the product and the perception of the product. Consumers are overwhelmed with products and overwhelmed with brands. Brands are waking up to the pos

It’s here! It’s here! It’s the 7th Annual Holiday Spectacular! Spectacular! Get ready for holiday fun, a movie quote quiz, musical merriment and the Great Birdish Bake Off! The Peeps are baking holiday treats and the judge is none other than our CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney!  Follow the trials and tribulations of our passionate holiday bakers whose goal is to be named the best Little Bird baker and the champion of the Great Birdish Bake Off! The bakers each tackle a different holiday treat, and Priscilla expects excellent flavor, top-notch texture, show-stopping looks and off-the-charts deliciousness.  The Peeps also are all on board to share their favorite holiday desserts, dishes, and sides and then battle it out in the holiday quote quiz. We’re also going to share our top four photography tips for taking the best holiday photos! Be careful though, as we may be getting a little silly will all this holiday fun! When the chaos subsides and your food coma ensues, wind down with our always h

Do you want to bring a box of chocolate chip cookies to the party, or do you want to bring a box of gluten-free, Himalayan sea salt, fair-trade dark chocolate cookies to the party? Are we really talking about cookies? Nope. This is our segue into the differences between generalists and specialists. Generalists are generally suited for everyone whereas specialists serve a niche market. CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney, and Co-CEO of Ag Access and Co-CEO of Communications for Research (CFR) Colson Steber dig into the differences between specialists and generalists in the world of market research. Colson Steber also volunteers as the President of the Insights Association Great Lakes Chapter, which is the combination of five regional chapters into one.  In this episode, we also discuss the value of serving a niche. Ag Access is laser-focused on the agricultural sector and has done large-scale work at a gigantic scope to stand out. His company has put together a phenomenal resource called the Ag Res

This show certainly gave us lots to ponder! Join CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney, and the Former President of ESOMAR and Chair of the Board at Zappi, Dan Foreman, as they unpack a laundry list of questions about WTF is going on with market research right now? They start by pondering the big questions: Why are market researchers, albeit jokingly, bad at business? Are they really bad at business or are they just focused on their work? Do they simply lack the vernacular to have their point of view heard? Do they understand HOW their work is used for revenue or brand impact? Are they looking to solve their boss’s boss’s problem?  As Dan says, “Data is the new oil.” Dan continues on to say, “Data is what people carry around in their heads and their hearts and their guts.” When you’re advising brands, governments, foundations, and people to make huge decisions based on the data, you get to see these incredible impact stories. Yet, the market research industry doesn’t effectively communicate that to

What is the difference between marketing and storytelling? While marketing is promoting your business, storytelling is a method for engaging your audience that takes longer, is more honest, and asks people to pause, take a minute and connect with your brand. Is there storytelling in marketing? Absolutely. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes vulnerability. Join Little Bird Momma and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, and VP of Marketing and Communications at Fluent Research, Stefanie Cousins, as they compare and contrast marketing and storytelling, and discuss the Venn diagram when two worlds collide!  A lot of brands struggle, struggle, struggle to tell their story. As Stefanie Cousins says, “There’s a transparency to storytelling that some brands might not want to dig into.” While social media has given brands the opportunity to dig deeper into storytelling, melding and mixing storytelling in marketing takes finesse.  Brands need to think about the craft of marketing, and hold space for storytelling to create

Chaos isn’t a word that usually makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. It’s a word that maybe you flinch when you hear, or your stomach does a little flip. Who wants life to be filled with chaos and uncertainty anyways? Well, chaos is inevitable. It’s part of growth and change. Personally and professionally. CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney, and Executive VP Ashley Le Blanc know a thing or two about navigating chaotic situations with grace and strategic planning. Join us on the Ponderings from the Perch podcast as we become your collaborator in turning marketing chaos into marketing organization.  Does this sound familiar? “Our company doesn't have a strong system in place to generate the right leads” “Our marketing actions are not in alignment with company goals” “My team just lacks the time and/or marketing expertise to execute our plan” When strategic planning is at the forefront and there is a plan in place, marketing chaos evolves into marketing organization, which leads to *sigh* marketin

Digital transformation is more than a buzzword. It’s a real, valid, and necessary concept and change necessary to be a part of the market today. Nobody uses a phonebook to find a business phone number, and your employees likely aren’t carrying around heavy three-ring binders anymore. To play ball— you’re going to have to step up to the plate: the digital transformation plate. In this episode of the Ponderings from the Perch podcast, CEO and Little Bird Momma Priscilla McKinney pulls back the curtain on digital transformation and how your business and brand can utilize these tools and tips to supercharge your marketing efforts and engage your team at a whole new level! 4 Tips To Digitally Transform Your Team Get Your Team Engaged With Social Selling Take A Load Off Your Plate With Content Management Systems Get Clarity by Streamlining Communication Channels Change the Game with Project Management Systems Social selling, when done with genuine employee advocacy can engage your employees in exciting new

Want a standing invitation to every party? Your wish is our command. Actually, it’s at the generous command of Paul Gaudette, CEO and co-founder of Dig Insights. Priscilla McKinney, CEO and Momma Bird, talks shop with Paul about tech-enabled consumer insights. As Dig Insights is one of the fastest growing consumer insights companies in Canada and is often listed as one of the most innovative research companies globally— Paul is definitely someone who talks the talk and walks the walk. He also, quite literally, has extended an invitation for you to attend any Dig Insights party he throws. Toss some confetti and pop that champagne! While there was no imbibing on the podcast, Paul ceremoniously pulled back the curtain on tech-enabled consumer insights and about what innovation means to him and his company. Innovation isn’t one-sided. It’s two-sided. Consider the consumer experience and the client experience. Ask the right questions. Speak to people as if they are normal people. Using relevant language is key. If

No one wants a bag of crap on their doorstep. If you’re thinking about email marketing in the wrong ways, you’re essentially delivering bags of crap to people’s virtual doorsteps. No bueno. Luckily, we have the Senior Manager of Client Solutions at iContact, Hank Hoffmeier, on the podcast to talk shop with CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney about the top things people are doing wrong with email marketing. Your hazard lights will be flashing. Your red flags will go up left and right. More than a few lightbulbs will go off.  After all, you don’t know what you don’t know. Do you have a thing or two to learn about: Automation? Segmentation? Split Testing? If your answer was yes, yes, and more yes then you’re not alone. The world of email marketing is constantly shifting. We all have to keep our eyes and ears to the ground. Hank’s bottom line? Simplify everything. Don’t overthink it. There are certain things that need to be checked off your list, like email authentication, sender policy framewor

With Esomar Council elections in full swing until October 25th, host Priscilla McKinney and Lisa Wilding-Brown meet to unpack all the reasons why leaders in the insights space would take this much time and effort to volunteer for this gig. While both our CEO and Momma Bird and InnovateMR CEO are on the ballot this episode is about pulling the curtain back and showing those curious about this effort what it really takes, how you can contribute and why it is important to get more people participating with different points of views, skills and passions. Lisa opens up about her passions for data quality, DEI and mentorship through different Esomar steering committee. In the past year Lisa has contributed to each of these efforts in the global insights community. You’ll want to year more about YES (Young Esomar Society). No matter who is elected by month’s end, the association is in good hands based on the highly-qualified candidates for the council seats: Nikki Lavoie Alain Mizrahi Dharmendra Jain Priscilla McKin

Work faster. Work smarter. Work harder. Work more. These things are no longer the answer. Work has fundamentally changed, especially for knowledge workers, and the answer lies in working differently. Collaboration in the workplace is key.  Are you the kind of person who needs some data? Employees working for companies with effective internal and external collaboration initiatives are about 22% more likely to believe that their employer cares about their morale, thus making collaborative employees more loyal to their organizations than their peers. And companies that promote collaborative working environments are 5x more likely to be high performers than companies with fewer employee collaboration initiatives. Data is power! Information is power!  Collaboration is the new competition. That’s why it’s the title of CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney’s forthcoming book. In this podcast episode, Priscilla chats with LBM Executive VP, Ashley Le Blanc, about elements of the collaboration process and wh

Oh, Canada. Priscilla and Ashley are back from the 2022 ESOMAR Congress in Toronto. In between attending sessions and networking events, the duo connected with colleagues to record their takeaways from the conference. Tune in to the episode to hear from thought leaders in the market research industry. This episode features: Pravin Shekar of ESOMAR Aryn O'Donnell of Fieldwork Anne Stephenson of Explorer Research Crispin Beale of Behaviorally, Insight250 and mTab Horst Feldhaeuser of Infotools Chris Martin of FlexMR Michaela Gascon of KJT Group SPONSOR: Do you know what “lies” behind your data? When the truthfulness of respondents is in question, the entire survey process is compromised. At CloudResearch, we’re exposing the hard truth about online survey fraud.  Join us in an Insights Association webinar that pulls back the curtain to reveal shocking, never-before-seen footage from actual fraudulent click farms. You’ll see fraud as it truly happens with your own eyes, and learn how Sentry stops fraudsters in

When you think about leadership do you want to flop down on a therapist’s couch and begin rattling off a string of worries and woes? We’re not crying. You’re crying. CEO and Little Bird Momma Priscilla McKinney and Ben Dueck, President/Founder of Cantera Leadership and a Gallup certified CliftonStrengths coach, join forces to talk about the principles of leadership, leadership qualities, and a laughably small step you can take in leadership.  No pressure on leaders but 70% of the success of your teams rests on leadership. A huge factor in— get ready for the buzzword!—employee engagement rests on leaders in the organization.  Employee engagement converts to: Profitability  Productivity Client Retention Client Sucess The principles of leadership transform and translate into the metrics we, as business leaders, love to see. That’s why empowering leaders to know and identify their employee’s skills, knowledge, experience, and natural talents are vital for success. If you haven’t heard of CliftonStrengths

What sets apart one research company from another? Each company will actually give you the same answer— quality. As Inigo Montoya says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” We’re going to have to second that motion, Montoya. It’s inconceivable! Join Little Bird Momma Priscilla McKinney and Tony Cheevers, the Customer Success Officer with Researchscape International, as they dive into current trends and pet peeves when it comes to the world of market research.  One of the biggest trends Cheevers points out is that market research can have an accessibility gap where buyers feel like their requesting data from a black box that magically appears from behind a Wizard of Oz curtain. As he says, “It's not really a tool that's accessible. So I'd like to see some disruption in that area to make something that's more available, more accessible and more affordable across a broader spectrum.” And that’s what Researchscape International set out to do by creating a digital storefro

What do a Thanksgiving turkey and social media strategy have in common? If something is worth doing once in a big way, then you should pull it apart to use it again in different ways. Thanksgiving day turkey transforms into turkey sandwiches on Friday, and a turkey casserole on Saturday. A blog post becomes the script of a podcast episode, which turns into pull quotes for social media! Voila!  CEO and Little Bird Momma, Priscilla McKinney, and Executive VP, Ashley Le Blanc, have prepared a feast for your social media strategy on the Ponderings from the Perch podcast. Even better? There are two downloadable free resources that make the perfect pairing on our website— the oh-so-delicious Top Tips to Crush it Social Media resource guide and the Social Media Content Calendar download. Grab a plate because we’re dishing up all the juicy tips on how to build up your sphere of influence on social media. Step one of social influence? Take the stress out of social media. Anxiety, stress, and not knowing what to pos