Services
From a base in retail and research studies, my work has broadened over the past five years to the other techniques described, and to serve other types of organizations that benefit greatly from my approach.
The range of clients includes:
- Chain and growth retailers & malls
- Experientially-driven consumer or service organizations (including web)
- Organizations targeting the retail channel
- NGOs
I do not share client lists on this site. However, I work with some of the leading organizations in their categories, and am pleased to share references and cases with qualified enquiries.
While I successfully bring best practices in strategy and knowledge-building from other sectors, there is also a lot to be learned from principles of great retailing. Retail business practices offer a great deal in terms of delivering an integrated brand experience, detailed execution and overall retail ‘theatre’.
Strategic Studies
“David is a creative ‘out of the box’ thinker. He is well informed and keeps himself up-to-date on the most current thinking with regard to market research and marketing strategies.”
– Ed DesRoches, Owner, Plum Clothing
Leading organizations understand that market and competitive knowledge is a strong advantage. Creating knowledge through thoughtful study is my competitive advantage.
Through a combination of multi-disciplinary fact-finding, stakeholder research, and my own interpretation of a changing world, I help develop and assess options that assist organizations to achieve their market goals.
I specialize in strategic research that anticipates the road ahead, and I encourage clients to continually learn about their markets in advance of major decisions. I have worked with many of the leading market research survey firms and other specialists, when situations dictate, to carry this out.
Outcomes:
- Clearly identified target audiences
- Insights about the hingepoint between their needs and yours
- The ability to measure success, identify opportunities and mitigate market risks
Audience Experience
Retailers, businesses, not-for-profits and NGOs alike all need to reach their target audiences. Though their goals may differ, their success lies with the receptiveness of their audiences and the way they interact with them.
As a consultant, I use my knowledge of best practices in retail and shopper experience to connect and align clients from various sectors with their target audiences. By reflecting your organization through the eyes of your audience, I help you adjust practices to optimize their experience.
Outcome:
- A shift from selling and telling, to engaging
Business Information Strategies
I help direct clients understand and leverage the quality of the market information coming through the technology pipeline and outside sources. I counsel them on develop and continuously improve the internal capacity to drive research and business intelligence.
In developing 1 - 3 year research programmes, DIG360 also acts as an outsourced research department, staying on top of leading trends and innovations in research and business intelligence. By synthesizing and developing new approaches to business intelligence and market research, I connect them with valuable information on an ongoing basis. That said, I believe in fostering a do-it-yourself approach where appropriate, allowing clients to discover their own answers.
Outcomes:
- Better defined market-based information needs and KPIs
- Proactive capacity for gathering and leveraging cost-effective information
- The benefit of a professional research department at a reduced cost
Presentations, Workshops & Education
I can provide your audience or extended network with a custom or off-the-shelf presentation on a variety of topics to suit your needs. Contact David about presenting at your event.
I also continually look to other means of providing ongoing education, from white papers to media pieces to webcasts. Workshops with client teams have been particularly well-received. These sessions draw on interpreted trends and research as a catalyst for facilitated discussion.
Outcomes:
- A common purpose for the management team
- Clarity around management’s internal perceptions of their markets and audiences
- Management engagement in leveraging research and data to shape a meaningful response - ROI!
- Deeper use of research and insights across the organization
Community-Building & Stakeholder Engagement
Not only is the world constantly changing, it’s becoming increasingly interconnected. In order to be prepared and flexible to these changes, organizations need to move away from tightly-defined research target groups (e.g. customers or franchisees) or to engage a broader spectrum of constituents. These stakeholder groups can become an excellent resource, providing you with important information and endorsement.
Community-building and stakeholder engagement broadly connect decision-makers to the world beyond their office walls. This is particularly relevant to complex situations requiring a balance between potentially conflicting goals. I help connect you with these critical stakeholders, outside the conventional scope, and facilitate meetings to exchange ideas and opinions that lead to better decisions and stronger relationships.
Outcomes:
- Increased flexibility for adjusting to the demands of the future
- New ways to achieve organizational goals
- The use of dialogue to build valuable relationships with audiences and community members
