Most small business owners have heard of demographics, but what about valuegraphics? David Allison, best-selling author and founder of The Valuegraphics Research Company, believes that entrepreneurs can go much farther with their public relations strategies than standard practices allow by deepening their understanding of the character qualities that differentiate consumers and make them unique. Allison spent years researching human behavior to develop the world’s first database of core values, which he now uses to help others predict responses to different narratives and concepts. His findings can also be found in the book: “We Are All the Same Age Now: Valuegraphics, The End of Demographic Stereotypes.”
On this episode of The Small Business Show, Allison joins host Shyann Malone to discuss how valuegraphics is changing the way businesses and entrepreneurs engage with their audiences.
Key Takeaways
1. Valuegraphics identifies the different internal motivators and beliefs that humans possess and categorizes people in much the same way that demographic studies sort by income, race or job occupation.
2. Small businesses can leverage valuegraphics data to understand who their customers are, the stories they connect to and what they want from their products with much higher accuracy than they can with standard demographics information.
3. One can identify the values individual people possess by asking them three questions: Why do you go to work every day? If you won the lottery, why would you give half of it away? If you could talk to yourself 10 years ago, what would you say and why?
4. Demographics-based research can strengthen stereotypes and create a disconnect between what a product’s user base actually wants and what the brand believes their preferences are.
5. Valuegraphics can provide deep insight into why certain products or stories resonate with some consumers more than others, allowing small businesses to create narratives that suit their audiences.
"Demographics don't really tell you anything about people except what you can see." — David Allison
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