What we offer

Steel Magnolia is the only strategic market research consultancy specialising solely in the 50+ market. At one level researching the older consumer is no different from researching other audiences BUT......there are some things that need to be taken into consideration and these will differ dependent on whether you are undertaking qualitative or quantitative research and most importantly the age of the respondents you wish to cover in the research. There are also issues around how you present ideas to consumers, older consumers 65+ are not as marketing literate; the language used to present ideas/concepts needs to be jargon free.


Services offered include:


Leading edge qualitative research in the UK and Internationally that will provide original and thought provoking input to the brand planning and development process. Techniques adapted, where necessary, to accommodate the needs of older respondents


Quantitative research in the UK and Internationally using face-to-face, telephone or web based surveys


Network 50+ – a programme of facilitated understanding comprising Immersion sessions or bespoke panels


Marketing Consultancy – Opportunity Assessment. Is your company or brand making the most of marketing to the over 50’s?

Qualitative research

At Steel Magnolia we aim to provide original and thought provoking input to the brand planning and creative development process for brands targeting 50+ consumers, in the UK and Internationally, at home or in the workplace.

Over the years expertise in a wide range of areas has been acquired including segmentation work, positioning strategy, communication development, innovation/NPD, packaging and design.

A range of both, more innovative, as well as traditional qualitative methodologies are used dependent on type and level of insight required and age of respondents.

All projects are tailor made with the specific project objectives in mind.

Qualitative Research Methodologies

It is important to look beyond the obvious and look at accessing those nuggets of insight that give brands a reason to stand apart in increasingly competitive markets.


Through all of our methodologies we aim to be empathetic to our respondents.
The range of qualitative methodologies includes:

  • Observation in home/shopping,
  • Accompanied work,
  • Focus groups,
  • Creative Workshops,
  • Pre-group tasks – diaries, change behaviour, collection of interesting materials,
  • Friendship pairs/couples/depths/triads. Where possible we capture respondents on video or on camera in order to bring alive the target audience.

Adapting techniques for older respondents includes:

  • Talk to them in their own language, 65+ not marketing literate
    For those 65+ our recommendation, where relevant, is to talk to them in pairs (husband/wife or friendship) to elicit and check behaviours. Also groups should comprise 5-6 people to allow more time for a considered response, lower attention span and possible difficulty in hearing

  • Avoiding online groups/bulletin boards as penetration of broadband is low and typing skill often mean that their ability to express themselves is limited by the speed at which they can type.

Quantitative Research

Full service is offered. Surveys are tailor made and all survey collection methods are offered – face-to-face, telephone and web based.

Adapting techniques for older respondents includes: using mixed data collection methods eg web and telephone, if the research target group is 65 and over

Network 50+

The Over 50’s are stereotyped by many of the people charged with marketing to them, they see them as old, dull and very set in their ways. The truth these days, particularly amongst the ‘baby boomer generation, couldn’t be further from this picture. They are the new ‘youth’!

All marketers need to get close to their target audience, not just to answer today’s pressing marketing or advertising problem but also in a wider context to understand what makes them tick.

It is in this context that we have developed Network 50+, a programme to facilitate understanding between marketers, planners and consumer insight teams and their target audience over 50.

Network 50+ Immersion
Immersion session where client and target consumers 50+ come together

Network 50+ Panel
Meeting real people in the target audience and talking to them about their lives on a regular basis, monthly or quarterly. Steel Magnolia can manage and moderate the panel to suit your requirements

Marketing consultancy

We offer 2 services under this heading

Training
This comprises at its core a presentation on ‘Understanding the 50+ market. This includes insights that come from being immersed in the sector/ongoing research amongst the target group supplemented with data and information taken from relevant secondary data sources. The content can be delivered as a 45, 60 or 90 minute presentation, or used as the basis for a full day training session for people in marketing, sales, customer service, research and product development, as well as executive staff.

Opportunity Assessment amongst 50+ Have you ever wondered whether your organisation is paying as much attention as it should to this lucrative market place?

Our Opportunity Assessment approach comprises a programme of desk research and interviewing of key personnel. The analysis of the information is designed to give you an indication of whether you are making the most of the marketing opportunity amongst this target audience. We have developed a traffic light system-

Red means there is little opportunity
   

Amber means that there may be an opportunity but more work is required and to proceed with caution
   

Green means that there is a big opportunity and that plans should be developed further to segment and target this audience as there is significant profit opportunity. The output from this stage will include recommendations for a programme of original research