Thoughts on Consumer Insights Leadership

Ponderings from the Perch

*This episode of Ponderings from the Perch is brought to you by Patient Sight, an agile primary research service providing timely medical insights of interest to your organization.*

The strongest client relationships are built by those who ask the best questions.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and President of Burke Consulting, Tara Marotti, about the critical importance of asking strategic questions that challenge clients to think beyond their initial requests. They explore how Burke Consulting, the full-service insights and innovation firm, approaches custom research by first understanding what data clients already possess and whether stakeholders are aligned before designing new studies that generate meaningful market research insights.

They discuss how successful client relationships develop through vulnerability and collaboration, where both parties admit when they don't know something and work together to find solutions that transform data into actionable customer insights. Marotti explains that Burke positions itself as the research partner clients turn to for complex, gnarly problems that don't have ready-made solutions, requiring custom approaches that meet clients exactly where they are in their decision-making process. "Nine times out of ten, whether it's an employee or client or anybody, people know what they need to do, but they need somebody to spar with to give them the confidence to say, okay, I think I know what I need to do," Marotti explains. "And sometimes that's about getting more information in the business, but sometimes it's just about accessing what you already know."

The conversation reveals how Burke Consulting has maintained its irreplaceable position through decades of industry disruption by leaning into whatever direction their clients are headed, whether that involves DIY solutions or new AI tools. Marotti emphasizes that their role often involves helping clients navigate organizational culture challenges and ensuring stakeholder buy-in for research initiatives, recognizing that great data from research panels means nothing without proper organizational support for implementation.

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