Not intentionally, of course. Results can be skewed, depending on how a question is posed or, sometimes (gasp!), when a respondent gives an answer she thinks the surveyor wants to hear.

When the Kimberly-Clark Corporation hit a wall with sales of their Baby Wipes brand, it turned to surveys in order to learn more about how, when, and where mothers change their babies’ diapers. But the surveys proved fruitless. It was immediately apparent that mothers often subconsciously gave answers that would put them in the best possible light.  The survey indicated that mothers only used changing tables and rated themselves very high in the cleanliness category.

Kimberly-Clark researchers decided to gather their own data, utilizing “immersion” research.  The mothers that were recruited wore a cap-like device with a live camera attached, and researchers studied mothers as they went through their day, viewing activities from a mother’s perspective.  The results contradicted the surveys.  They watched as women changed babies on top of washing machines and on the floor of mall bathrooms.

But it was one small observation that was the discovery of the decade.

When mothers tried to use the Baby Wipes brand, they had to use two hands to open the container. (Try opening something with two hands when you have a wiggling baby revving his engine.)  Kimberly-Clark re-designed its packaging so it could be opened with one hand, and sales of Baby Wipes skyrocketed. Using the technique of immersion – a form of “cultural anthropology” to observe how customers use a product or service – Kimberly-Clark found the one small nugget that had been holding them back.

Immersion research doesn’t have to involve high-end technological equipment, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.  There are a couple of ways you can conduct a “mini-immersion” project of your own:

1. Spend a day with a customer in her own environment.
You may not be able to conduct live camera research, but why can’t you spend a little time with your customer, in her surroundings, to observe how she goes through her day?  You’ll see the challenges she faces when trying to use your product or service, indicating changes you need to make.  You’ll be surprised when she’s unaware of information about your product that you take for granted.  And you might even discover that she’s using your product in ways you never dreamed about.

2. Let customers open their lives to you through a contest.
Astech Closet Systems connected with customers’ lives by holding its “Messiest Closet” contest.  With hundreds of photographs and essay entries, Astech could peer directly into the closets of people and observe how the company’s closet organization systems could benefit them.  The winner received a closet makeover and Astech gleaned a treasure trove of information that would help them with future product ideas, blog posts to help customers organize their lives, and copywriting for ads and the web.

What kind of contest could you promote?  It would not only provide great insight, but promoted correctly would get you plenty of local PR, which amounts to the best in free advertising.

Consumer research doesn’t have to be costly or traditional; it just has to be conducted in a way that gives you answers that are directly aligned with the personal, everyday lives of your customers.

Give it a try.  The only thing you have to lose is a tired-out, traditional way of thinking about your customer.