Ponderings From The Perch

In this episode, host Priscilla McKinney talks with Tiama Hanson-Drury, Executive Vice President of Product and EVP Partner for Diversity and Inclusion at Dynata. They discuss the creation of customer-centric products and solutions, including a mindset shift that Tiama utilizes to create products that walk the line between being bespoke and being reusable. Priscilla and Tiama discuss their involvement with and appreciation for Women In Research, and Tiama tells about her work with diversity and inclusion with Dynata: “Diversity and inclusion drives better ideas in the room. It drives better voices at the table. It drives better ways of looking at a way to solve a problem, or even saying, ‘Hey guys, you’re focusing on the wrong problem. The real issue is over here.’” SPONSORS Insights Marketing Day is back! This 1-day virtual event features must-have marketing expertise for market research companies. Get tips and tools from industry leaders, and leave informed and inspired! Visit insights-marketing.org and us

Bigfoot. Nessie. The Squonk. Some myths persist because they’re too compelling to let go. Other myths, on the other hand, are dumb and should vanish completely (like any concrete evidence of those first three.) It’s time to debunk three email marketing myths.  In this episode, semi-pro myth busters Priscilla McKinney and Ashley Le Blanc tackle three persistent yet misguided beliefs about email marketing. Preview time! Email marketing is dying Email is still one of the most trusted forms of communication, and one of the strongest performing media buys. Open rate is the most important metric While open rates are a valuable metric, they are not the only defining factor of an email’s success.  Unsubscribes are a cause for concern Unsubscribes in mass quantities might warrant further investigation, but generally having a user unsubscribe has saved you time in list cleaning - which you should be doing! Listen to the full episode to get facts, stats, and way more information about these common email misperceptions.

As Will Rogers famously said, “The farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.”  In this episode, host and Momma Bird Priscilla McKinney talks with Colson Steber, Co-CEO at both Communications for Research, Inc (CFR) and Ag Access. They talk about agricultural research and how Ag Access has created an insights community specifically centered around a highly specialized sector that includes crop growers, livestock producers, feed mills, veterinarians, and more.  “I joke that I spent the first eight years of my time at CFR convincing people that we could do more than ag. And now we’re leaning back into our niche, we can definitely be the experts on how to accelerate access to market,” Steber says, adding, “Everything from ingredient companies that sell back into large chemical companies, as well as user experience designers doing ag and precision ag tech all need research now, and that has widened the base of people that can draw on our services.” Additionally, Priscilla and Colson discuss r

Simply put: Your website matters. Like really matters. In a digital world, it’s where people meet you - it’s your first impression to your future customers. But before you type in your URL and start auditing your website’s appearance, let’s talk about the metrics you should be tracking to evaluate performance.  In digital marketing, data is how we track progress and make informed decisions. From determining your marketing budget to the details of your next campaign, your marketing metrics guide the way to success. Having a deep understanding of where you truly are and where you want to be will dictate how you get there. Looking at your metrics and insights provides deep insights into what is working and what isn’t.  Why is tracking numbers important? Here’s a truth bomb: Numbers don’t lie. It’s actually the opposite – they uncover truth. We don’t track numbers for the sake of numbers. Metrics are valuable, but only as valuable as the action they inspire. Often organizations blindly measure industry-recognized

Goodbye competition…Hello collaboration! 2020 has been full of learnings, but if we’ve benefited anything from this year, it’s this new mantra - “the only way forward is together.”  In this video podcast, Momma Bird and CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, is joined by Sarah Kotva of Fieldwork, Melanie Courtright of Insights Association and Lisa Wilding-Brown of InnovateMR. The group talks about leaving behind the mentality of scarcity and how doing good for more people - even your competitors - can work in your favor strategically.  This special video podcast is available to view here! Each one of these insights powerhouses shares how they collaborate with colleagues outside their companies - sharing the pitfalls and benefits.  Want to take part in moving your industry forward? Tune-in for collaboration tips.  A bit about our guests: Sarah Kotva, Vice President at Fieldwork Sarah is a proud Fieldworker. Her day-to-day includes connecting the dots for clients and ensuring site visits and projects

Over the past couple weeks, a whole bunch of people have thought they accidentally opened the wrong app when they noticed a “Stories” button at the top of their LinkedIn feed. “Ope, accidentally got Instagram, dang thumbs,” they muttered and then headed over toward LinkedIn ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THEY WERE IN LINKEDIN ALREADY! As with any new feature, LinkedIn Stories opens a lot of questions for users. Both pros and noobs have asked, “Should I upload a photo of these pancakes I made?” or Should I post a video of myself lip syncing to my Jock Jams playlist now?”

Are you struggling with using LinkedIn to effectively grow your network and generate leads? You’re not alone! In this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, host and LinkedIn wiz Priscilla McKinney chats with Advanced LinkedIn Strategies Coach Andy Foote. Andy is the author of “3 Stunningly Good LinkedIn Profile Summaries,” author of the LinkedInsights blog, and host of the Foote-Notes Podcast. Together, they discuss commonly seen but seldom diagnosed missteps on LinkedIn interactions, including “set and forget” mentality on profiles and posts, comments that disrupt or inhibit interaction, and unwillingness to share thought leadership and accomplishments. Check out the full episode to learn immediately actionable mindset shifts that can help you up your LinkedIn game.  Sponsors: Global sampling, field management, data collection and more - Gazelle Global’s ad hoc services give you access to global experts as an extension of your team, without the extra overhead. Our team is ready to lend our expertise to comp

You remember regular-old in-person conference fatigue, right? The packing, traveling, and reservations…the seminars, breakout groups and after-parties…the (slightly-tipsy) 2 am bedtime, and (still-tipsy) return to the fray? By contrast, one might assume that attending virtual conferences from either the office or the comfort of one’s home would be a walk in the park. And yet, digital conferences somehow combine all the frenetic information overload of in-person conferences, the focus struggle of online classes, and the eye strain of bingewatching all 9 seasons of Seinfeld into one tidy little package known as digital conference fatigue. In the “Dear Priscilla” series, host and Little Bird Marketing CEO Priscilla McKinney, along with Executive Director Ashley Le Blanc provide answers to the sometimes-abstruse, oft-embarassing marketing questions that everyone has — and everyone is afraid to ask. This week they discuss ways of avoiding digital conference fatigue. Guess what? A lot of the steps that can help fac

At Greenbook’s IIEX NA 2020, Priscilla McKinney, Little Bird CEO and Momma Bird sat down for a fireside chat with Mary Martha Stasinopoulos, Head of Consumer Insights at Kairos. Stasinopoulos came to Kairos after serving as Head of Consumer Insights at Glossier, and previously Insights Manager at HBO - each with wildly diverse internal insights configurations. Mary Martha discusses the differences between working in a well-established, process-oriented team versus starting from the ground up with from-scratch culture creation.  Kairos is a startup studio focused on making life more affordable. They focus on critical life stages where old industries have failed to mee the needs of everyday individuals around the world, partnering with the brightest entrepreneurial minds to build solutions for these issues.  Mary Martha and Priscilla discuss a variety of topics, including preparation and tools, accountability and the speed of delivery for insights (never fast enough!) The fireside chat concludes with a brief QA

During Greenbook’s IIeX North America 2020 event, Priscilla McKinney hosted a live visual podcast with Bianca Pryor, VP of Consumer Insights at BET, and Chrystal Day, Global Head of Marketing Measurement at Google.  While 2020 has had its share (and more!) of hardship and struggle, it has also fostered many new opportunities for increased representation and social impact. Bianca and Chrystal discuss their roles, and the opportunities they are finding to champion diversity and inclusion in the MRX space and beyond. They talk about respect for data, new avenues and platforms for sharing, collaboration and mentorship, and dream projects they’d love to work on.  Check out: BET’s #Reclaimyourvote campaign - This campaign began in February and was intended to feature in-person events, but was able to pivot toward virtual events. Youtube’s Continuing the Conversation about Racial Injustice playlist Insights In Color Colour of Research Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, host and Momma Bird Priscilla McKinney talks to QualSights Head of Operations Courtney Williams about continuous improvement, the industry-wide race toward better and faster insights, and the importance of the consumer voice.  Growth, in any industry, poses an opportunity for reinvention and improvement. Sometimes, however, the growth becomes the focus, and the quality inadvertently falls by the wayside. Courtney’s work with QualSights, a visual insights platform, is centered around consistently improving quality by creating frameworks to better support researchers and consumers.  Williams offers many insights about the future of panel, the role of AI, and stewardship of the consumer.  “No matter what you’re doing, you can do better,” Williams says.  SPONSORS Are you conducting global research or marketing your brand to a multilingual audience? Reach out to Multilingual Connections for translation, transcription, voiceover and subtitling services in over 75 languages. Linguistic accuracy mee

What constitutes “quality?” As Mark Menig, CPO at PureSpectrum points out, the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” perfectly illustrates that quality is a subjective construct.  In this episode, host and Little Bird Marketing CEO Priscilla McKinney geeks out with Menig about how PureSpectrum uses advanced machine learning to process unfathomable amounts of data and objectively identify patterns.  Menig discusses the responsibility in the market research technology industry for first to utilize the best available technology, as well as PureSpectrum’s proprietary quality scoring system. ALSO! In celebration of the launch of this podcast, the team at PureSpectrum is giving away an unforgettable virtual wine tasting “in Napa!” Sample some of the best wines from the region from the safety of home. Listen to the episode to get the link! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the “Dear Priscilla” series, host and Little Bird Marketing CEO Priscilla McKinney, along with Executive Director Ashley Le Blanc provide answers to the sometimes-weird, oft-embarassing marketing questions that everyone has — and everyone is afraid to ask.  This episode is all about LinkedIn’s SSI Score. What is it? Where does it live in LinkedIn? What is it used for? If your SSI score is low, can you pay half a million dollars and still get into a top university? The SSI Score (Social Selling Index) is an indicator of how strong LinkedIn thinks your personal brand on LinkedIn is. Priscilla believes it’s important, but only to an extent.  “Once you hit 70 as a score, maybe 75, I don’t think the score matters anymore.” The good news is that if you are doing the things you should be doing on LinkedIn anyway, your SSI score will reflect that. Those things include publishing content regularly, commenting on other people’s posts, interacting like a normal human being in a social setting - as Priscilla summarize

Our notion of online quizzes is largely limited to ideas like, “Which Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean Are You?” or “How Would You Die in an Agatha Christie Novel?” However, Josh Haynam, cofounder of Interact is proving that quizzes have a lot more to offer in terms of lead generation.  Interact helps businesses (like Eventbrite, Forbes, American Red Cross, and Marie Forleo) build beautiful and engaging quizzes. Those quizzes are founded on the principle of curating helpful interactions with potential clients. Haynam, also a former Ponderings podcast guest, shares his ideas of the best quiz structures: Quizzes that provide the most helpful information to the right audience, based on their own participation. Priscilla and Josh discuss the creation process, customization of outcomes, and implementation strategies that work best. Haynam believes that one of the format’s main benefits is the genuineness of connection, which presents a positive shift to the consumer insights industry.  “I think we’ve really moved in

So, you’ve got questions about marketing. Not the type of questions you can just raise your hand and ask in the middle of a crowded auditorium. No, no. These are the questions you’re maybe a little…embarrassed to ask. Maybe you’re afraid you should already know the answer. Maybe you think you’re the only one with this particular problem. Fear not: you’re not alone! Between immeasurable speaking engagements, industry events, consultations, and online interactions, Little Bird CEO and podcast host Priscilla McKinney has heard it all. Guess what? A lot of people are asking the same types of questions.  “Dear Priscilla” is a new series founded on the basis of answering those hushed-tone pain point questions in an anonymous judgement-free format that’s accessible to everyone. Or, as Priscilla says: “What’s running good marketing? What’s running good social selling? It shouldn’t be hidden in a mystery.” This episode addresses one of Priscilla’s most frequently asked questions: “Should I be paying for LinkedIn?”  Pr

No, it’s not Christmas, but in this episode we unwrap the truths of research during the pandemic. Katrina Noelle of KNow Research returns to the podcast and comes bearing the gift of insights. Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal. In this episode, Priscilla McKinney and Katrina elaborate on the recent collaboration between KNow Research and Logica Research and how brands are hungry for deeper insights. They two companies planned their partnership pre-pandemic, but quickly shifted directions in response to the world-wide outbreak. Katrina shares about the pivot and her experience with continuing research in the pandemic atmosphere. Katrina is also the co-founder of Scoot Insights, which strives to fuel the wicked challenges of consumer insights. Her partner Janet Standen help decision-makers drive business forward with real-time, accurate insights. Sponsors: Global sampling, field management, data collection and more - Gazelle Global’s ad hoc services give you access to global experts as an extension of your te

This episode was originally a live podcast, broadcast during IIeX Behavior 2020 by Greenbook on July 22. In this episode, host Priscilla McKinney talks with Rana el Kaliouby, co-founder and CEO of Affectiva, and author of Girl Decoded. As a pioneer in artificial intelligence, Kaliouby’s personal mission is in humanizing technology.  She and Priscilla discuss the trajectory of societal empathy, programming emotional intelligence, and the importance of equatibility in AI algorithms. About equatibility, Kaliouby says: “The more diverse the brains are around the table who are designing and deploying these technologies, the more likely it is going to work for all of us.” Check out the full episode for an in-depth, relevant look at the complex state of technology and research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last time Michael Brenner was on the Ponderings from the Perch, we thought it was weird that at the end of the show he said, in a spot-on Schwartzenegger voice: “I’ll be back.” But now, it’s all starting to make sense, because sure enough, he’s back as the special guest of this episode.  Brenner is many things. He’s the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, an author of bestselling books The Content Formula and Mean People Suck, and a globally-recognized keynote speaker on leadership and marketing, and so much more. In this episode, he and host Priscilla McKinney share in a compelling conversation about the state of content marketing, inspirational figures, ways of measuring engagement, and influential writings that have shaped their views.  About personalized experiences, Brenner says, “The need for digital transformation is because customers are demanding it. We don’t care about brands anymore. we are happy to replace one product for another based on experience. And it’s the digital platforms and the culture

This episode was originally a live podcast, broadcast during IIeX Forward 2020 by Greenbook on June 15. In this episode, Priscilla McKinney talks with Stephanie Robotham, CMO of Gainsight about mindset shifts toward customer-centric thinking. They also discuss the role of marketing in insights, humanistic presence, and thought leadership.  IIeX Forward 2020, a new virtual conference, was presented by Greenbook. The event featured 2 full days of content with over 45 sessions broadcast live to a worldwide audience.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As brands attempt to understand how consumers are navigating the ever-changing landscape of Coronavirus, good market research acts as a counterfriction against oversimplification. Instead, deeper understanding is dependent upon recognizing the mechanisms with which people react in establishing their routines. In this episode, Priscilla talks with Sigi Hale, Ph.D., Principal Neuroscientist and Director of Research at ThrivePlan about the role that brands must play in helping the world bounce back - not to normal - but to a better place than before. Together, they examine buyer motivations, the role of science in the private sector, and whether or not there is a fever for which more cowbell is the only prescription (not the last one, actually). Sigi explains the neuro-evolutionary perspective to help crack the code on what makes humans tick, including the four main systems we use to assess information: Instincts Memory Social Mind Rational Thought Check out the full episode for a truly deep dive into progr