This is lesson thirty-six. 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.
Good marketing decisions are not made on instinct alone.
They’re made on evidence.
Market research helps you understand:
who your audience really is
what they need and care about
why they behave the way they do
what stops them from acting
how your organisation is perceived
Without research, marketing becomes guesswork.
With it, strategy becomes intentional.
Why Research Matters (Especially for Charities)
For charities, research isn’t about profit optimisation. It’s about responsibility.
Research helps charities:
avoid assumptions about communities
design services people actually need
communicate ethically and respectfully
allocate limited resources wisely
build trust through evidence-led decisions
In short: research protects impact.
Primary vs Secondary Research (The First Distinction)
All research falls into one of two broad categories.
Primary Research
Research you collect yourself, directly from people.
Examples:
surveys
interviews
focus groups
feedback forms
observations
Strengths:
specific to your organisation
highly relevant
current
Limitations:
takes time
requires planning
smaller sample sizes
Secondary Research
Research that already exists, collected by others.
Examples:
government data
academic studies
charity reports
industry benchmarks
census data
Strengths:
fast
often large-scale
cost-effective
Limitations:
not tailored to your exact context
may be outdated
Good research usually combines both.
Qualitative vs Quantitative Research
The second major distinction is how data is expressed.
Qualitative Research (The “Why”)
Qualitative research explores thoughts, feelings, motivations, and experiences.
It answers questions like:
Why don’t people donate?
How do supporters feel after engaging?
What language resonates emotionally?
What confuses or frustrates people?
Common qualitative methods:
interviews
open-ended survey questions
focus groups
diary studies
ethnographic observation
Best for:
deep insight
messaging
experience design
understanding barriers
Quantitative Research (The “How Many”)
Quantitative research focuses on numbers, patterns, and scale.
It answers questions like:
How many people donated?
What percentage dropped off?
Which channel performed best?
How does behaviour change over time?
Common quantitative methods:
surveys with fixed responses
analytics
dashboards
experiments
A/B tests
Best for:
measurement
comparison
trend analysis
performance tracking
Exploratory, Descriptive & Causal Research
These describe the purpose of your research.
Exploratory Research
Used when you don’t yet know the problem clearly.
Examples:
early interviews
discovery workshops
open-ended feedback
pilot studies
Use when:
You’re exploring a new issue, audience, or idea.
Descriptive Research
Used to describe what’s happening.
Examples:
donor demographics
awareness levels
usage patterns
satisfaction scores
Use when:
You need a clear picture of the current state.
Causal Research
Used to understand cause and effect.
Examples:
A/B testing
controlled experiments
before-and-after studies
Use when:
You want to know whether X caused Y.
Common Research Methods (Practical Overview)
Surveys
scalable
good for both qualitative and quantitative
best when short and focused
Interviews
rich, detailed insight
excellent for VoC and CX
small samples, high depth
Focus Groups
group dynamics reveal shared beliefs
useful for concept testing
can be influenced by group bias
Usability Testing
shows where people struggle
critical for forms and journeys
often reveals hidden friction
Observation / Ethnography
shows what people actually do, not what they say
especially valuable for community work
Analytics & Behavioural Data
reveals real-world behaviour
shows drop-offs and patterns
needs interpretation, not assumption
Research Ethics (Critical for Charities)
Ethical research is non-negotiable.
Key principles:
informed consent
transparency
data protection
respect for vulnerability
no extractive research practices
feedback loops
Research should benefit participants, not just organisations.
A Simple Research Stack for Charities
You don’t need complexity.
A strong baseline:
one regular survey
one open-ended VoC question
basic analytics
occasional interviews
periodic secondary research review
Consistency beats sophistication.
10-Minute Exercise: Choose the Right Research Type
Pick a question you have right now.
Ask:
Do I need depth or scale?
Do I need to explore, describe, or test causality?
Who do I need to hear from?
Then choose one method. Not five.
Start small. Learn fast.
Why is this important to know?
Because marketing without research is assumption-driven, and assumptions are risky, especially when working with communities, donors, and limited resources.
Understanding different types of research helps charities ask better questions, listen more carefully, and make decisions that are ethical, effective, and grounded in reality.
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.
