Who is the Social Intelligence Buyer? ??

Curious about who buys social intelligence and what drives them? Our recent internal analysis of research outcomes and buyer personas revealed some surprising insights. I doubt sharing this harms anyone - on the contrary - would be great to stir up a discussion!?

Outcome Analysis: Upstream vs. Downstream Uses of Social Intelligence

Social Intelligence (SI) always delivers a spectrum of truths reflecting unfiltered opinions, but its value varies significantly between upstream and downstream applications.

• Downstream Studies: Here, the importance of unfiltered reality is often secondary, leading to suboptimal outcomes. Discovering crucial insights after key decisions have been made rarely brings joy—it's like bringing popcorn to a party that's already over. Moreover, the approach is not really suited for quantification of consumer preferences hence it creates more friction than benefits.?
• Upstream Studies: SI provides the best value when it performs ground-truth assessments early on, enabling stakeholders to see the full complexity of their areas of interest. This comprehensive view helps ensure well-informed, strategic decisions, allowing stakeholders to ask the right questions from the start. Think of it as getting the full script before the movie begins.

Who Buys Social Intelligence: Buyer Personas

We identified two broad archetypes that are particularly successful in utilizing SI.

Persona 1: The Driven ??

• Characteristics: Highly motivated, exceptionally smart, and understands the limitations of traditional research, corporate silos, and organizational indecision.
• Usage: Commissions SI to gain insights that surpass her colleagues'. While initially skeptical, she leverages the results to her advantage.

Scenario: Imagine Sarah, a marketing director at a tech startup. She commissions an SI study to uncover deeper consumer insights, initially skeptical. But when the data reveals a new, untapped market segment, she quickly pivots her strategy, leading to a 20% increase in market share. It's like finding gold in your backyard after years of being told it’s just dirt.

Persona 2: The Vigilant Visionary ??

• Characteristics: Seasoned professional, highly tactical, and always one step ahead. She manages critical business areas and understands the need for unfiltered data to validate her assumptions and fears that the data she receives from various departments and markets isn't good enough. She needs legitimization to voice her opinions directly.
• Usage: Uses SI to get an unfiltered view, often to confirm her own hunches and make informed decisions.

Scenario: Picture Emily, a senior VP at a consumer goods company, using SI to validate her hunches about a shifting market trend. The data supports her instinct, allowing her to make informed decisions that steer the company ahead of competitors. It’s like having a crystal ball that actually works.

Optimal Use Cases for Social Intelligence

We've clarified where SI is best used and identified our key buyer personas. The optimal use case for SI is upstream, where it can provide an unfiltered reality check, helping decision-makers navigate the full complexity of their areas of interest. It’s like having a GPS that shows every hidden path.

SI is not just a tool; it's a strategic mindset. It enables businesses to deeply understand their audience, shape brand strategies, and drive innovation. By leveraging SI, companies can overcome the limitations of traditional research and achieve breakthrough results. Imagine being ahead of the curve while everyone else is still figuring out which road to take. Or as Bakamo clients’ have phrased it: “Answering the questions you did not even know you had.”

What do you think? Which persona are you??

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