Does Research Scare You?

Are you an Autodidact (I am an Autodidact at heart, if something interests me, I will deep dive until I understand it completely) or research-phobic (this is more of a tongue-in cheek term rather than a real one).

I can be described as certain terms, mostly nice! For the sake of this blog, I am going to use the term “life-long learner”.

Autodidact defines a person who is self-taught, someone who learns independently rather than through formal education or structured instructions. For me personally, I loved structured education and received very good grades at each level of education, including professional certifications. My love for learning is a daily passion, it is one that keeps those little grey cells working and allows me to feel connected to the world, especially useful as a self-employed business owner.

This term carries positive connotations and suggests;

-          A healthy level of curiosity

-          A high level of discipline

-          Self-motivation to be across all details and research

-          Absolute “love of learning”

-          Ability to teach yourself complex skills

As I said, I loved my structured education (a bigger debate is whether the current education system works as effectively as it could, and if the curriculum is robust enough to prepare pupils for real life – that’s a different blog!), but I continue to conduct research for personal and professional gain and it is my choice.

If you describe yourself as an autodidact, you’re saying;

“I learn things on my own, because I’m driven to understand and improve”.

It is a great term for people who love all aspects of research, self-development and continuous learning.

I love conducting all types of research, within the 7 types we will explore here, I use a mix of them all, they have personally and professionally served me well. I have a whole process to how I perform research. I will start with a question, a curiosity or inspiration and follow a research process until I have explored all threads and then feel ready to prepare a conclusion based on what I have learnt. I have just put together a 286 typed paged bible for a concept we are working on at Niche VA Services.

Research Name	Why it is Important	Methods Used	Experience Using This Type
Primary	Collecting new data directly from the source. It gives fresh, first-hand insights about your target audience, their opinions, pain points or buying habits	-          Interviews -          Open-ended questions -          Surveys -          Questionnaires -          Customer Feedback Polls	Used in Traditional Marketing, for example when I worked in the corporate world. Gaining direct information from sections of your targeted market, asking the correct questions and comparing the results for direction. Answers from questionnaires have been used to prepare training aids.
Secondary	Using existing data that others have already collected. Saves time and helps you understand the bigger picture or industry trends.	-          Reviewing Reports, articles, statistics, government data or competitor websites	I use this type the most, for building case studies (like those used in our Insights project and “What I Stand to Lose” book. Compiling reports for clients so they can identify market trends.
Qualitative	Explores why people behave the way they do, focuses on opinions, motivations and emotions. Helps clients understand what drives decisions, not just what people do, but WHY	-          Interviews -          Open-ended Surveys -          Social media listening -          Focus groups
Quantitative	Focuses on numbers and measurable data. Track keywords volumes, survey responses or engagement data/statistics to identify growth opportunities. Helps validate assumptions with data backed evidence.	-          Polls -          Structured Surveys -          Website Analytics -          Performance Metrics	Niche compiled data from financial records for business reflection and planning. Financial analysis, recover hidden costs and prevent spend waste. Generate savings and additional income for clients.
Exploratory	Used at the start of a project to better understand a problem or market. Used to investigate emerging trends in a client’s niche to spot untapped opportunities.	-          Explore new ideas -          Define questions -          Identify areas for deeper research	I use this this the most, exploring new ideas and following the research threads for a complete deep dive, to validate a proposal or move away from existing commitments, for maximum effectiveness.
Descriptive	Used to describe the characteristics of a market or group. To build a clear profile of customers or market segments.	-          Create a report showing who your client’s audience is, where they spend time online and what content engages them	This is used in Competitor analysis and similar research. Create SWOT analysis and prepare market feedback for clients.
Casual	Used to test cause-and-effect relationships. To understand what happens when you change one variable.	-          Practical tests like A/B testing 2 advert headlines, to see which converts better	This has been used in email campaigns we manage at Niche.

The reality is that not everyone can love everything! I know plenty of amazing business owners who are completely research-averse — and that’s where I come in. I love the deep dives they would rather skip. Many tell me that market research is one of those “important but time-consuming” tasks that often gets pushed aside. I ask because it’s something I genuinely love doing — and it’s one of the core parts of my VA services, especially when helping clients understand their niche and audience better.

For a lot of small business owners, coaches, and founders, it’s one of those tasks that’s important but easy to postpone.

Personally, I love it — diving into trends, analysing competitors, and finding audience insights is a big part of what I offer as a Niche VA.

I help clients turn data into direction — so they can focus on the creative or strategic side of their business.

How about you — do you handle your own research, or delegate it?

Would you rather DIY your research or delegate it? 👇If the answer is to delegate this task, then Niche VA Services is your solution.

Packages are based on variables such as number of words, goals and objectives and what you would like to do with the information we glean for you.