Can you share a time when market research revealed something unexpected about a target audience that completely shifted the direction of a business strategy?

Quite often when working with new startups, the business owner has already decided the product to create and who to target, have produced it already and a few months later they come to me and ask me to perform a deep research and find out why their actions haven't brought any result yet and what needs to change. That's basically a very common case. 

In several cases, the issue is either the product or the fact that they targeted the wrong audience. I hate to bring the bad news to a business owner, because I know how much they have invested to make it happen, but I always have to be honest to protect them from taking the wrong path and spending more capital for no reason. As I always say, Numbers don't lie.

Starting a business without any market research and no valid figures to support your business case, it's a complete risk and the absolute path to failure.

Hello there,

Im Loaloa Riad, a top rated seller on fiverr in the market research category.

One memorable instance when market research completely shifted a client’s business strategy occurred during a project we undertook for a consumer electronics brand looking to expand into the smart home market. The company initially assumed that their primary target audience would be tech-savvy, younger consumers (aged 18-34), who were early adopters of new technologies and highly active on digital platforms.

To validate this assumption, we conducted comprehensive market research focusing on the target country the client was interested in. Surprisingly, the data revealed an unexpected insight: a significant portion of interest and purchasing power for smart home devices came from older, middle-aged consumers (aged 45-60), particularly homeowners who were focused on convenience, home security, and energy efficiency.

This demographic had a different set of priorities—while the younger audience was attracted to tech novelty, the older segment valued practicality, reliability, and ease of use. Moreover, this group had higher disposable income and was willing to invest in higher-end products that integrated seamlessly into their homes, especially as they were interested in long-term solutions like smart thermostats, security systems, and automated lighting.

This unexpected finding caused the company to completely pivot its marketing and product strategy. Instead of focusing solely on tech-driven messaging targeted at millennials, the brand shifted to emphasize practical benefits like energy savings, home safety, and ease of integration into existing home systems. They also adjusted their advertising platforms to focus more on traditional media like TV and direct mail, which resonated better with the older demographic, while also expanding customer support services tailored to this audience’s needs.

Let me know if you have any additional questions