“The Beach Is My Backyard” 

 

In-depth interviews take marketers inside the homes and minds of their high-net-worth customers

 

 

 

Joe and Julie appear to have it all. This high-net-worth couple have a beautiful ocean-front home, with floor-to-ceiling windows that show the every-changing panorama of the water just outside. “It’s the biggest swimming pool you’re ever going to see,” laughs Joe. “Waking up and hearing the water crash onto the beach is soothing in the morning. It makes you feel like you’re on vacation, not at home.”

 

Julie was delighted to find that Joe shared her passion for living around – and in – the water. “When he wanted to live near the water and we both liked to play in the water, I’m like, ‘yes, of course!’” They use their Jet Skis to get out on the water, but they also enjoy the quiet pleasures of tying their rafts together and basking in the sun as they float on the waves. And they are sharing this love of the ocean with their five-year-old son, Sam, who already enjoys throwing rocks into the waves. “It gives him a lot more experiences. It gives him a lot of things that other kids don’t have. He wants to go fishing all the time, and we take him,” says Joe. “All you do is go out the back door.”

 

For a peek into the life and point of view of Joe and Julie and other luxury customers, click on this link: http://filmedresearch.com/luxury/

 

Get Inspired>> In-Depth Interviews Invite Marketers Into the Customer’s Homes

 

I learned about Joe and Julie through watching an in-depth interview (IDI), an interview that was captured on video in their home by Jo Anne De Vargas and her team of researchers with Filmed Research group. By watching this video, I could see Julie’s eyes light up when she talked about the simple pleasures that living on the ocean allows, and I could tell that both parents were passionate about sharing their preferred lifestyle with Sam. I learned so much more about them from this brief clip than I ever could have from administering a survey or even from asking them to take part in a focus group.

 

Plus IDIs are virtually the only way to successfully reach high-net-worth consumers like Joe and Julie who so many luxury brands need to understand better. HNW consumers are unlikely to respond to invitations to focus groups and are a challenge to keep engaged in surveys. But they often are very willing to open up their homes to researchers like Jo Anne who has a unique knack for bonding with respondents and experience discreetly capturing respondent comments that produce deep insights.

 

This powerful tool captures the qualitative side of research that marketers need, in a way that allows a sneak peek into the customers’ lives. For Joe and Julie, a future IDI could include a walk around their home: Did their love for the ocean and desire to live near it impact their decorating choices? How does this luxurious property affect their style when entertaining? A peek in their closet could divulge a wealth of information for marketers about how their luxury lifestyle plays out in their clothing choices. And, of course, a visit to Sam’s room would tell us more about how Joe and Julie are passing their values down, as we look at everything from décor to picture books to favorite toys.

 

Take Action>> IDIs Give Marketers a Wealth of Information in a Memorable Way

 

Marketers dream of getting a look into the homes, hearts, and minds of their luxury customers, and an IDI give us just that. Joe and Julie make hundreds of buying decisions every year, and they represent a coveted HNW luxury customer market segment. Quantitative surveys can capture the “what” and “how much” metrics, but the IDI allows marketers to see the couple’s eyes light up and hear the passion in their voices when they talk about choices and purchases that really match their values.

 

Most importantly, IDIs take place in the customer’s home, where they are comfortable, and where looking at treasured objects will spark memories and connections that are impossible to gather in a traditional focus group setting. Because these intimate conversations are captured on video, they can be reexamined and included in client presentations as well.

 

If you’d like to learn more about putting the power of video to work for your business needs, you can call me at Unity Marketing 717.336.1600 or reach out to Jo Anne De Vargas directly at 262.595.0091 or jo@filmedresearch.com