One of the best parts of New Orleans culture has become my favorite, never-fail, go-to market research tool.
You can’t talk about New Orleans without salivating. We love food here. You name a type of cuisine, and we’ve got it. It’s cooked by world-renowned chefs in fine restaurants and by grandmothers in family-owned, hole-in-the-wall establishments. And it’s the best!
One day we brought some of that fine New Orleans food to an office meeting, and I noticed that everyone seemed more relaxed. They talked, laughed, and listened more. Hmmm. Being the market researcher that I am, I had to test my theory. Sure enough, it happened every time. When we brought food to the table, the conversations flowed.
Food is an automatic unifier. It puts everyone on the same level. Call it a buffer, if you want, but breaking bread and eating together creates an intimate experience that leads to organic conversations. You naturally – and comfortably! – learn a lot about the people you dine with.
OK, sure that works with teammates and friends. But what about strangers? Yup! It works there, too.
- Sales meetings with clients? Just ask any salesperson anywhere.
- Final job interviews? Definitely.
- Ethnographic market research projects? Oh, my goodness, yes!
Break bread to break tension
Case in point – I recently moderated an observational research project in which I spent several hours shopping with young women in multiple cities. You can be sure that every one of those interviews included a meal or coffee break. The conversations started off light and breezy, but they naturally shifted into much deeper, personal topics. The kind of topics that are hard to talk about with your friends, let alone someone you just met.
Yet, these women opened up to me and shared their feelings about social issues, their passions, and the personal conflicts that keep them from reaching their goals. I was humbled and honored.
To be honest, though, this breaking bread idea is not one sided. It helps me, too. I love talking to people and moderating studies, but leading people through hard conversations about sometimes very personal matters is not exactly fun. Eating together makes my job so much easier.
Observational research is all about studying behavior, seeing who people really are. In my more than 20 years of market research experience, the fastest, friendliest, and most effective way of doing that is by sharing a meal or a cup of coffee.
Want to talk? Let’s grab a seat and some of your favorite New Orleans’ cuisine. We can start by talking about the food, and then we’ll see where the conversation goes from there.
