This is lesson thirty-nine. This is towards one of our missions. Education. You’ll learn everything about marketing - from the basics to the most advanced strategies - for free, thanks to VellumWorks.
Data tells you what happened.
Consumer insights tell you why it matters.
Consumer insights are what turn research, feedback, and data into a real understanding of human behaviour. The kind that improves decisions, messaging, services, and impact.
Without insights, data stays descriptive.
With insights, data becomes strategic.
What Are Consumer Insights?
Consumer insights are deep, evidence-based understandings of people’s needs, motivations, beliefs, barriers, and behaviours.
Drawn from data, but interpreted through a human lens.
They answer questions like:
Why do people support us emotionally, not just rationally?
What stops them from acting, even when they care?
What language makes them feel understood?
What assumptions are we making that aren’t true?
What unmet need exists beneath the surface?
Insights vs Data vs Observations
These are often confused.
Data = raw facts (numbers, responses, behaviour)
Observations = patterns you notice in data
Insights = explanations that change decisions
Example:
Data: “40% of donors drop off after their first gift.”
Observation: “Retention is low after the first donation.”
Insight: “First-time donors don’t feel confident their contribution made a difference, so they disengage.”
Only the insight tells you what to fix.
Where Consumer Insights Come From
Insights are rarely found in one dataset.
They emerge from connecting multiple sources.
Common inputs:
qualitative research (interviews, open-ended feedback)
quantitative data (surveys, analytics, retention stats)
Voice of the Customer (complaints, praise, questions)
behavioural data (drop-offs, repeat actions)
frontline staff insights
community conversations
Insight lives at the intersection.
The Anatomy of a Strong Consumer Insight
A useful insight has four qualities:
Human – rooted in real feelings or needs
Specific – not vague or generic
Evidence-backed – supported by data or feedback
Actionable – leads to a clear decision or change
Bad insight: “People like transparency.”
Good insight: “Supporters want proof of impact within days of donating, not months, otherwise confidence fades.”
Types of Consumer Insights
Emotional Insights
What people feel but don’t always say.
Examples:
anxiety about wasting money
guilt about not giving more
pride in being part of something meaningful
fear of being judged
These drive behaviour more than logic.
Motivational Insights
Why people act.
Examples:
desire to belong
need for control
hope for change
identity alignment
moral responsibility
Motivation answers why now?
Barrier Insights
What stops action.
Examples:
confusion
distrust
overload
friction
fear of commitment
Removing barriers often matters more than persuasion.
Contextual Insights
How environment shapes behaviour.
Examples:
time pressure
financial stress
device used
cultural context
social influence
Context explains inconsistency.
Consumer Insights for Charities (Specific Lens)
Charity audiences are different because:
decisions are emotionally loaded
trust is critical
impact must be believable
motivations are moral, not transactional
Common charity insights include:
“People want to help, but fear their contribution won’t matter.”
“Supporters care more about outcomes than activities.”
“Donors disengage when communication feels one-sided.”
“Volunteers leave when they don’t feel valued or informed.”
These insights should shape:
messaging
donation journeys
thank-you flows
impact reporting
retention strategy
Turning Insights Into Action
Insights are only valuable when they change something.
Strong insight leads to:
clearer messaging
better journeys
improved experiences
reduced friction
higher retention
stronger trust
Insight Statements (Practical Format)
A useful way to capture insights is this structure:
Because [human belief or feeling],
people [behaviour],
which means [implication for us].
Example:
Because supporters fear their donation won’t have real impact, people hesitate to give again, which means we must show proof quickly and clearly after first donation.
This keeps insights actionable.
Common Mistakes With Consumer Insights
mistaking opinions for insights
relying on stereotypes
over-generalising small samples
ignoring uncomfortable truths
collecting insights but not sharing them
treating insights as static
Insights evolve as people and contexts change.
A Simple Insight Workflow
Collect data
Analyse patterns
Ask “why?” repeatedly
Test interpretations
Write a clear insight
Decide what changes
Measure impact
Insight is a process. Not a slide.
10-Minute Exercise: Generate One Insight
Take:
one survey
or five feedback emails
or one interview transcript
Ask:
What emotion shows up most?
What expectation is being unmet?
What assumption might we be wrong about?
Write one insight statement and share it with your team.
That’s how insight culture begins.
Why is this important to know?
Charities don’t fail from a lack of data. They fail due to a lack of understanding.
Consumer insights turn research into empathy, strategy into relevance, and marketing into something people actually connect with.
When you understand why people behave the way they do, you can design experiences that feel human, respectful, and effective.
At VellumWorks, we believe knowledge should be free. That’s why this series will guide you, step by step, through everything from the basics to the most advanced strategies in marketing: no jargon, no gatekeeping, just education that empowers.
