Food for Thought: This Week's Hot Market Research Discussions and Trends

To get your week humming and excite the coffee break conversation, here are some of the hottest trends and topics being discussed in market research.

Panel are HOT.  Panel management is becoming increasingly important AND a lot easier to do.  Join the Survey Analytics team and learn how to set up a research panel in 30 minutes or less.  REGISTER HERE

Data and privacy.  Look for more conversations about data and privacy in the months to come.  To whet your appetite, Brian Terran from Research gets the ball rolling with a terrific intro and summary to data privacy conversations that will be held Monday, August 22, 2011.  Head over to the Greenbook Blog to register.

Zuberance, the new software that allows companies to manage their customer advocates.  Romi Mahajan introduces Zuberance as a way for companies to enhance their customer satisfaction and customer engagement.  If you or your organization have been looking for ways to light a fire under those customers who are your biggest fants, this is an article worth checking out.

Gamification.  You're going to see this word more and more.  It isn't a fad, it's the future of market research and customer engagement.  Betty Amadou from Game Access does a fantastic job of introducing you to a new word in this new territory -- gamotion.  It's the combination of games and promotions and she's reviewing several apps that will introduce you to this latest trend.

The bond between research and technology.  It seems that there is an interesting relationship between people on the research side of the table and the people on the technology side of the table.  As a marketing strategist, I'm not as involved in that conversation, but I understand it can get rather HAIRY.  For some guidelines on how research and technology can get along, check out this interesting article by Greg Heist from Go Innovate called "Why Can't We Be Friends" where he outlines what each group can learn from the other.

Blogs you should be reading.  New Market Research has a list out of the top Market Research Blogs -- and Research Access and QuestionPro blog are listed.  If you want to know what you should be reading - follow this list.