Why Research?

HRC believes in the power of "marketing" or "consumer" research to improve the effectiveness of animal advocates, with the potential to inform every stage of your advocacy. Research is by no means a panacea for animal protection, but it provides the best starting point for evaluation and identification of the most effective advocacy strategies and tactics.

Here are four good reasons to conduct research for your next campaign or program:

1. You are not your own target audience. Animal advocates are different than "normal" people, and this is crucial when communicating with non-advocates (i.e., your target audience). Don't assume you know what they're thinking or how they'll react; all campaigns could benefit from a little research. As Fenton Communications says: "Go with what is most effective in reaching your key audience, not what most appeals to those within your organization" (Fenton is a leading nonprofit consultancy).
   
   
2. Your supporters will appreciate it. Before giving you a grant, many foundations want to know that you are applying solid methods to plan and evaluate your programs. Well-planned research will help your proposal stand out relative to the competition. For individual supporters, you can show them how you're maximizing every donation by using research to assess your programs at key stages and improve your approaches.
   
   
3. To know if you're having an impact. Have you ever had a nagging question about the real impact of one of your programs or campaigns relative to the time and money you've put into it? Or have you ever wondered about society's progress toward an ideal situation for animals, whatever that may be for your issue? The animal protection movement can address these concerns by using a variety of available research methods.
   
   
4. It doesn't have to cost a paw and a leg. Even a small amount of research can provide a lot of insight, especially when you know very little about your target audience. There are many kinds of do-it-yourself research, and organizations like HRC offer discounted services to nonprofit animal advocacy groups. HRC also makes available a wide range of free resources, exclusively for animal advocates, through our online research portal, HumaneSpot.org.

For more reasons to use research, read our article, "How Can Marketing Research Help Animals?"

Or visit our frequently asked questions about research.