This article is part of our “Thinking Like a Futurist” series exploring how Strategic Foresight helps leaders prepare for what’s next. Here, we introduce the concept of Horizon Scanning, show how it can help you spot early signals of change, and explain why that matters. If you haven’t read the intro article yet, we recommend
Strategic Foresight can be a game-changer for future-proofing your business. In this article series, we’ll be covering the key essentials for what, why, and how to get started. As we’ve all seen over the past few years, the future is unpredictable. Whether it’s market shifts, new technologies, or evolving customer expectations, change happens quickly and
Back in 2017, we wrote a “by the numbers” article sharing stats about what Millennials want from their employers. A top motivator was finding a socially responsible organization, and studies revealed specifics around what that meant. The world has drastically changed since then, but a desire for social responsibility has remained a priority for employees.
When planning for 2026 (and beyond), understanding how to use market research for brand growth is crucial. Not only will this provide data-driven insights to guide decision making, it’s a way to stay connected with your audiences throughout the year. Allowing them to be active participants in your strategic development will strengthen relationships and ensure
Making strategic business decisions without customer insight is like trying to navigate in the fog. Market research clears the view by showing you what customers want, need, and expect. It builds a foundation for meaningful products, services, and experiences because it comes directly from your audience. When you focus on survey topics that guide strategic
A strong brand isn’t built on instinct alone. It grows through intentional choices, clear direction, and a deep understanding of the customers you serve. As expectations shift and competition increases, teams need more than data. They need clarity, confidence, and a strategy that connects insights to real-world actions. Getting there is about investing in the
Brands often hold more customer insights than they realize. Feedback lives in dashboards, old survey reports, CRM notes, email analytics, social listening tools, chat transcripts, and more. The challenge isn’t a lack of data. It’s knowing how to unlock the customer insights vault and access the value hidden inside it. This is all about the
If your brand wants to stay relevant and competitive, the first step is understanding customer expectations. And the best source of understanding is hearing directly from them. Real insight comes from research, not assumptions. When you collect customer feedback, you move from reaction to foresight which aligns your strategy with what your audience truly wants.
Customer segmentation is one of the most powerful moves a data-driven brand can make. By grouping a broad audience into meaningful sub-groups based on shared traits, behaviors and needs, you build personas, tailor experiences and sharpen your marketing and CX efforts. But at the same time, every person behind those segments is unique. Two customers
Market research is often seen as a way to answer questions, which it is. But to get there, we need to ask the right people the right questions at the right time. The difference between information overload and actionable insight often comes down to having a clear, structured market research process. At MacKenzie, we’ve spent
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