Overview

Exploratory Market Research (EMR) is Rubikn’s early-stage, research-first program to map unfamiliar markets, uncover unmet customer needs, and surface high-leverage opportunities before you commit budget. We combine qualitative discovery with quantitative validation to turn vague questions into clear, testable hypotheses and next steps.

Value in one line: Get clarity and evidence on where to play and how to win—before you spend big.

Why It Matters

When teams move straight to tactics, they risk optimizing for the wrong thing: chasing platform KPIs, copying competitors, or burning spend on audiences that don’t convert. In new or shifting categories, you often don’t know what you don’t know—customer language, true purchase drivers, or where the white space sits. EMR reduces uncertainty fast, so strategy, messaging, and investment decisions align with real market behavior—not hunches.

What You’ll Get

• Executive Summary (1–2 pages): The core questions, top insights, and priority recommendations.
• Market Map & Competitive Scan: Who plays where, positioning themes, gaps, and white space.
• Customer Insights Pack: Interview themes, language, journey frictions, decision drivers/barriers.
• Quant Snapshot: Survey or data read-outs (e.g., unaided/aided awareness, concept appeal, segment sizes).
• Personas/Segments (lite): Actionable profiles with goals, pain points, and how to win them.
• Opportunity Hypotheses & Tests: A ranked list of bets with suggested experiments (e.g., message tests, landing pages, ad creatives).
• Recommendations & Roadmap: Quick wins (0–30 days) and strategic moves (60–180 days), tied to business metrics.
• Appendix & Sources: Methodology, guides, raw tables, and references for transparency.

How It Works

1. Problem Definition (Day 0–5)

   Align on business decisions, scope, success metrics, and stakeholders. Produce a one-page brief.

2. Hypothesis Generation (Day 5–10)

   Review existing data; draft and prioritize hypotheses that, if true, change your strategy.

3. Qualitative Discovery (Week 2–4)

   Customer interviews, desk research, social listening, and competitor review to uncover the “why.”

4. Quantitative Validation (Week 4–6)

   Lightweight survey and/or data analysis to size and rank what we found.

5. Insight Synthesis & Delivery (Week 6–7)

   Converge qual + quant; deliver insights, recommendations, and test plan in an executive readout.

   Collaboration rhythm: 3 working sessions (kickoff, mid-point, readout) + async updates. You bring access (customers/data); we run the research and synthesis.