Robert Gerrish, Sam Leader and Peter Crocker have developed www.flyingsolo.com.au from an e-zine and website with articles to an online community with forums and directory.

Understanding Micro Business Survey

In reference to the first Flying Solo ‘Understanding Micro Business Survey’ in 2008, Flying Solo founder Robert Gerrish said:

“Kate and the team at Tribe Research helped us with our ‘Understanding Micro Business Survey’ earlier this year. We were mightily impressed with the service and look forward to working together again in the future.”

In 2010 Tribe Research was again requested to setup the backend of ‘Understanding Micro Business Survey 2010-2011’ and analyse the data. The backend support included designing the survey, and the generation and maintenance of the survey online. Following the distribution of the survey to their community via their weekly e-zine and promotions on their website, we analysed the data and prepared the report.

You can download both reports yourself, just head to: flyingsolo.com.au/understanding-micro-business.

The report assisted Flying Solo in positioning themselves as experts in the anatomy of Australia’s micro business owners, and provided valuable statistics that they can use when talking to potential advertisers. They now understand their existing tribe better.

Launching in 2004 with 12 designs, LaRoo needed to undertake market research to identify designs to produce for the next Mocks season. Whilst LaRoo CEO, Lara Solomon, had a background in marketing and a general idea of creating questionnaires she was lacking practice.

Masterclass hosted by Kate Tribe

LaRoo CEO, Lara Solomon attended our Customer Feedback: for small business workshop in 2006.

The challenges for LaRoo were:

• to increase understanding of survey design; types of questions and how to ask them
• to create a survey to see if LaRoo’s monthly store newsletters (mailed at a cost of $150 plus time each month) were really valued and used by the retailer recipients
• to develop an alternative to face-to-face research on the popularity of potential Mock designs, as these could only be collected in Sydney hindering nationwide predictions

Lara came away from the day with the tools for several new initiatives she has since implemented in her business, including:

• A survey for retailer customers, to explore their thoughts on service, the newsletter and promotional items. It has become an annual barometer of business performance and confirmed their newsletter was valued and service levels to retailers were about 90%. Since the workshop the survey has been instrumental in deciding on point of sale materials for stores.
• Redevelopment of an existing Mock design range survey, with improved questions and an online survey tool. The new survey had increased survey participants from about 100 to 300, broadening the range of participants and making it easier, cheaper and quicker for LaRoo to collect and analyse their research.

Overall, Lara’s attendance at our Masterclass increased LaRoo’s productivity, reduced their risks and enhanced their sales.

Lara has since sent other LaRoo team members to the Masterclass, to ensure that as Lara moves into other areas of the business, she maintains consistency when conducting research and their surveys are still designed to produce optimum results.

Lara was the 2008 NSW Telstra Micro Business Award winner and has published the book, Brand New Day.

How do you turn your tribe into raving fans? Most small businesses know they should be doing things like feedback forms, identifying trends, understanding your best and worst customers… but they often find it’s still on the “to do list”. Song Division knew they needed to do these things, and enlisted our help in developing a Know Your Tribe Strategy.

Song Division is a unique employee bonding experience where people – usually a group of employees – get to work with real musicians in professional venues.

Their clients bond by composing and recording their own song: no musical experience is required, but all employees get to act like rock stars!

Their first year focused on getting themselves out there, bringing in clients and coming up with ideas. However, Song Division soon realised that they needed feedback systems and procedures to ensure the continued growth of the business.

This is a common realisation in small business! While Song Division is a unique company, their business issues aren’t.

First, we had a great day at a Song Division session with staff from a large corporate. After reviewing the existing systems and procedures with Andy Sharpe (Managing Director), we discussed where he wanted the business to go, and who Song Division’s important stakeholders were. These are all crucial steps in developing a plan for collecting meaningful data.

Next, we set to work developing a strategy that Song Division could implement immediately. We went through the following steps:

• analysed how their clients moved through the buying cycle (looking at both the client company and their employees who participate, as well as event companies on-selling Song Division)
• designed separate surveys to collect relevant and usable data from each important stakeholder group
• developed a plan of when and how to conduct surveys for each of these groups
• designed a database plan to match the strategy so the data could be recorded in an easy and practical way

Song Division can now set up a database to be sure that their data will be collected and recorded in a consistent way. Now they won’t overlook changing client needs, and their knowledge will be continually updated.

Building a data strategy into your ongoing systems and procedures means you won’t have to go out of your way to get important information about your tribe – you’ll already have it!

The ABN was established to provide business education for women across Australia and to facilitate opportunities for them to network, learn and be inspired by role models and by each other. More information at: http://www.abn.org.au.

Community Surveys

Community Director and Advisory Board Chairperson, Suzi Dafnis said:

“Kate has helped us get to know our ‘tribe’. She’s a thorough operator who I have relied on to help develop, implement and analyse our research and who has always been ontime, proactive and whose work is of an extremely high standard. I have no hesitation recommending her. She’s a great person to have on your team!”

Explore | Assisted in survey design for 2005, 2007 and event feedback survey design. Assisted in the data collection for the 2005 and 2007 surveys. Undertook data entry of the paper based event feedback.

Uncover | Provided member and non-member views through surveys in 2005 and 2007 that provided insights for direction and focus. Provided summary reports of event feedback.

Clear-Head | Liaised with Suzi Dafnis and the Advisory Board about actions that could be undertaken from the results to improve the ABN.

Drive Change | Results used by Suzi Dafnis and her Advisory Board to assist in strategy.

Tribal Voice | The results for the 2005 and 2007 survey were published in ABN publications.

Over 1,000 businesswomen participated in the 2005 ABN online survey providing a valuable resource for the development of networking events for business-women throughout Australia.

More than two thirds [69%] of full time, self employed women work between 35 and 50 hours per week; 27% work between 51 and 75 hours per week; and 4% work 75 hours or more per week. These are similar findings to the Australian Bureau of Statistics report Characteristics of Small Business Operators; 65%, 30% and 5% respectively [ABS Catalogue number 8127.0]. However the ABN survey found that 71% of those self employed worked full time whereas only 40% of female small business operators reported by the ABS worked full time. Full article We Are Hearing You: ABN Membership Survey Results in ABN’s The Networker, February 2006 (p7-8) .

The 2007 survey results are available on the ABN’s website.

This post is extracted from our newsletter, Tribal Voice editions #3 Summer 2006 and #4 Autumn 2006.

Earlier this year we worked with Reading Systems, producers of Phonica, a phonics based literacy software system for children and adults with reading difficulties and an accelerant system for younger children. Reading Systems Managing Directors, Dr Norman Swan [also presenter of The Health Report on the ABC] and Dr Jeffrey Tobias wanted to know more about their customers and where their prospects were positioned in the buying cycle. It was also important to uncover the prevalent attitudes and perceptions of parents and guardians about reading.

We conducted in-depth telephone interview surveys to understand the decision paths made by parents looking for ways to help their child learn to read. We created a market segmentation model to illustrate where contacts were at in the buying cycle and already. Dr Norman Swan, Managing Director, Reading Systems said:

“Reading Systems has put this model into practice with excellent results”

Adapted from the Spring 2005 Edition of our newsletter Tribal Voice

Last Thursday Club (LTC) was a monthly networking event on the last Thursday of each month. It was started by Paul Jones from Magneto, who hosted the event for many years. It was then run by Business Chicks. In 2010 they changed the format to Small Business Seminar Series.

How we helped LTC to explore, uncover and drive change

Paul Jones said:

“I’m happy to beat the drum for Tribe Research. Kate’s personal service, skilled and insightful analysis, and easy-to-read (and absorb) report layout were excellent. She really added huge value to my business, and to our future project.”

Explore | Paul Jones created his own member satisfaction survey.

Uncover | Tribe Research analysed the survey results for insights and key themes. Then created a clear and concise report drawing out the key themes.

Clear-Head | Kate explained the results to Paul, and they discussed ways they could be implemented for the benefit of LTC.

Drive change | Prospective speakers are sent a copy of the survey factsheet highlighting insights into the Last Thursday Club audience. This ensures their presentations are as relevant as possible.

Tribal Voice | The results were presented at the Last Thursday Club to members at the monthly networking event in October 2004.