Ponderings from the Perch

Most companies don't have a product problem but an operational problem that's quietly destroying their customer experience.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, host and Little Bird Marketing CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with Lasandra Barksdale, Founder and Principal at Kompass Customer Solutions about using customer insights to improve customer experience (CX). They examine how service-driven businesses often excel at marketing and sales but fail at the handoffs, workflows, and internal processes that determine whether customers stay or leave. Barksdale talks about her work helping companies transform support tickets, online reviews, and frontline feedback into actionable...

Your best LinkedIn content already exists in conversations you're having every day.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney reveals how strategic interviews transform the content creation problem from manufactured brilliance into curated snippets of conversations. She walks through a content marketing strategy that turns industry leaders, colleagues, and conference contacts into sources of compelling material while building genuine professional relationships. 

Before any tips are handed out a strong warning is given that the approach requires understanding your audience first through persona development. With t...

Most B2B companies throw away thousands of dollars on conference swag nobody wants, keeps, or remembers.

Priscilla McKinney, host of Ponderings from the Perch and CEO of Little Bird Marketing, challenges the bulk mindset destroying promotional budgets across every industry. She introduces what she calls the "stress ball epidemic"—the reality that 90% of conference swag ends up in the trash before attendees even leave the hotel. This episode reveals the psychology behind why people keep certain items while others create nothing but waste, and how strategic promotional giveaways can transform marketing expenses into measurable lead generation st...

*This episode of Ponderings from the Perch is brought to you by Rival Technologies. Ranked among the world's most innovative insights suppliers in Greenbook’s 2025 GRIT Report, Rival Technologies uses AI-powered video analysis to unlock deeper meaning from unstructured data.*

Can market research actually drive your thought leadership strategy?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Senior Vice President of Marketing Research at Method Communications, Svetlana Gershman, about how market research and PR must work together to create authentic thought le...

What if your best LinkedIn content is hiding in conversations you're already having?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses a systematic approach to creating high-quality LinkedIn content without adding another full-time job to your plate. She reveals how to capture moments of unconscious competence—when you're speaking from deep expertise during client pitches, presentations, or team meetings—and transform those insights into a consistent content library.

She explains that the most powerful content doesn't come from staring at a blank page at 7 a.m...

How do you transform abstract brand values into a consistent voice that cuts through the noise?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses the three pillars of developing an authentic brand tone of voice. She breaks down how personality, perspective, and language work together to create communications that sound distinctly like your brand across every touchpoint, from formal proposals to casual social media interactions.

McKinney explains that tone of voice begins with understanding your core values and how they translate into daily behavior...

Years of experience in healthcare insights is worth its weight in gold.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and President of the Research & Planning Group, Sean Jordan, about the critical challenges facing marketing research today and the specific experience of working mostly in healthcare. They explore how healthcare organizations lag behind other industries in adopting marketing best practices, why emergency departments create paradoxical brand experiences, and how data quality issues threaten the reliability of modern research methodologies. Jordan also shares about his...

What if the reason you struggle with thought leadership isn't a lack of ideas, but writing in a voice that isn't yours?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses the four distinct types of thought leaders and how identifying your natural style can unlock your content creation potential. She breaks down the visionary, revolutionary, radical, and inspirational approaches to thought leadership, explaining how each adds unique value to your audience and brand positioning.

She explains that most people mistakenly believe thought leadership requires...

Can synthetic data truly replace the messy, uncomfortable truths that real humans reveal about your brand?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Senior Manager of Brand Insights at Ricard Pernod, Kira Greenberg, about the critical balance between innovative research methodologies and traditional human-centered approaches. They explore why customer insights derived from actual human experiences remain irreplaceable, even as AI and synthetic data promise faster, cleaner answers to business questions.

They discuss how the best innovations emerge from contradictions and...

Can research partnerships move beyond the vendor-client dynamic to become valid strategic extensions of your team?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest Paul Mastrianna, Vice President of Business Development at Socratic Technologies, about building research partnerships that prioritize client needs over product pitching. They explore how understanding a client's business objectives, capability gaps, and internal strengths transforms research from a transactional service into a strategic partnership that delivers long-term value.

They discuss how successful research partnerships require moving beyond transactional...

*This episode of Ponderings from the Perch is brought to you by Patient Sight, an agile primary research service providing timely medical insights of interest to your organization.*

Can premium brands thrive when consumers tighten their budgets and economic uncertainty looms?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Global Director of Premiumization Insights & Foresight at AB InBev Sebastian Schuliaquer about how premium brands navigate economic uncertainty and shifting consumer behaviors. They explore why established brands with proven quality maintain consumer...

Are you spending six figures on conferences and walking away with nothing but branded tote bags?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses how to transform conference attendance from expensive guesswork into predictable revenue generation. McKinney breaks down a three-phase framework that includes three weeks of pre-conference planning, active participation during the event, and three weeks of disciplined follow-up to maximize return on investment.

She explains that conferences grow brand trust by 93%, brand recognition by 92%, and directly help 92% of attendees acquire new clients...

*This episode of Ponderings from the Perch is brought to you by Patient Sight, an agile primary research service providing timely medical insights of interest to your organization.*

The strongest client relationships are built by those who ask the best questions.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and President of Burke Consulting, Tara Marotti, about the critical importance of asking strategic questions that challenge clients to think beyond their initial requests. They explore how Burke Consulting, the full-service insights and...

Can pharmaceutical companies truly understand their customers without hearing directly from the patients who use their products?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and PatientSight President, Dave Muggler, about the critical importance of patient-centered research in the healthcare industry. They explore how rare disease patients face complex diagnostic journeys averaging four to five years from initial symptoms to diagnosis, and how pharmaceutical companies are adapting their research approaches to capture these authentic patient experiences through agile methodologies.

Patients today are...

What happens when you walk into a company with no insights function, where everyone is conducting their own research?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Head of Consumer Insights at StarKist, Raina Rusnak, about building an insights function from the ground up. They discuss how she transformed a fragmented research environment into a strategic advantage by focusing on customer insights and establishing proper survey design standards that serve multiple internal stakeholders.

Rusnak got to work when she discovered teams...

Are you seeing website traffic drops across your content?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses the widespread website traffic declines affecting businesses across industries. She explains how Google algorithm updates and AI search integration have fundamentally changed how people consume content online, with AI-generated summaries now providing answers directly in search results, eliminating the need for clicks to source websites.

She explains that businesses are experiencing traffic drops in two ways: many are seeing significant ranking declines for secondary keywords, while others...

What happens when the biggest obstacles to innovation aren't technical, but human?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest, founder and president of Sylver Consulting, Brianna Sylver, about transforming turbulence into trust through emotional leadership. They explore how insights leaders can navigate the inevitable resistance, doubt, and complexity that emerge when driving meaningful change within organizations. Sylver is the author of "Leading Through Freefall: How Innovators Turn Turbulence into Trust," a practical guide for leaders navigating uncertainty, change, and team dynamics in high-stakes...

Is your social media marketing strategy failing because you're trying to control something that was never designed to be controlled?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses why most B2B social media strategies fail and how to build one that actually works. She explains that the problem isn't posting at the wrong time or using the wrong hashtags—it's trying to control random elements while ignoring the strategic elements you can actually manage.

McKinney compares social media marketing to Dungeons & Dragons for bu...

What if the biggest factor driving your business decisions isn't logic, but emotions?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Psyclone CEO Ryan Baum about combining psychological science with data analytics to decode the emotional DNA of consumer and voter behavior. They explore how even seemingly rational B2B purchasing decisions are driven by deep emotional patterns, and why understanding the "big three" of thinking, feeling, and behaving is essential for effective marketing strategy.

McKinney and Baum discuss how emotions...

*This episode is brought to you by Dynata, the world's preeminent provider of market data services and first-party permission-based data.*

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney continues her Conference Flyover of Quirks New York 2025. She conducts interviews with 12 industry leaders, giving you their thoughts on everything from agentic AI workflow automation and post-launch product optimization to fragile consumer sentiment and the critical importance of authentic, inclusive advertising. These conversations reveal how the industry is navigating unprecedented consumer volatility while building more efficient research processes that...

*This episode is brought to you by Multilingual Connections, providing unparalleled translation, transcription, transcreation, and localization services to organizations worldwide.*

What happens when market researchers need insights yesterday but can't sacrifice quality or authenticity? They meet on the regular at events around the world to make meaningful industry connections and have real conversations! 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney takes you on her Conference Flyover of Quirks New York 2025. She conducts interviews with 14 industry leaders, giving you their thoughts on everything from AI-powered t...

What happens when psychology meets the courtroom and artificial intelligence starts reshaping how we select juries?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney and CRO Stephanie Douglass give you their Conference Flyover from the American Society of Trial Consultants' 44th Annual Conference in New Orleans. They share insights gathered from interviews with trial consultants, psychology students, legal professionals, and industry veterans who are navigating the intersection of behavioral science and legal strategy.

The conversations reveal how trial consulting has become essential for cases involving...

Why do brilliant marketing strategies with massive budgets still fail spectacularly?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and CEO Alexander Millet about the critical disconnect between what customers say they want and what they want. They explore how Brandtrust uses applied social and behavioral sciences to uncover the more profound human truths that drive real decision-making. 

Traditional market research often captures what people say they want versus what they do. A perfect example of this comes from Netflix, which  promoted Sc...

What happens when market researchers from around the world gather in Amsterdam to discuss the future of insights?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney takes you on a conference flyover of Greenbook’s IIX EU Amsterdam conference floor. She conducts interviews with 20 industry leaders, giving you an earful of  their thoughts on everything from AI implementation and global data collection to keeping the human in the loop with AI tools and the changing landscape of market research technology. These conversations reveal how the industry is ada...

Can you defend your research insights if stakeholders challenge them?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest, speaker and Full Circle Research Chief Product Officer Alexandrine de Montera about the critical shift in market research data quality standards. They explore how industry events have transformed client conversations from focusing on speed and cost to demanding defensible, transparent research practices that can withstand scrutiny, even from stakeholders.

Montera shares how Full Circle Research has evolved from treating quality as a back-end function...

Can you grow a market research company to £6 million in just two years?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Potentia Insight Managing Director Suzy Hassan about building a successful consultative data collection company from the ground up. They explore how Potentia Insight achieved remarkable growth by focusing on human relationships and niche market research solutions rather than relying solely on digital automation, which dominates the industry.

They discuss how the key to rapid business growth lies in maintaining personal c...

What's hiding in consumer blind spots that brands need to uncover?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and President and Head of Client Consulting at Nailbiter, Gram Bowsher, about capturing authentic consumer behavior through their proprietary in-the-moment video methodology, videometrics. They dive into how Nailbiter's approach provides deeper customer insights than traditional survey methods while removing recall bias that often plagues market research.

Shopping habits continue to change. Ever wonder how brands stay competitive despite these changes? They discuss how...

Amplifying patient voices transforms healthcare outcomes beyond what medical professionals alone can achieve.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Senior Vice President at Rare Patient Voice, Pam Cusick, about the critical importance of including patient perspectives in healthcare research and product development. They discuss how patients with medical conditions are the true experts of their experiences, yet historically, they have been underrepresented in developing products and services meant to serve them.

They explore the transformation happening in healthcare research...

Are you exhausted from chasing algorithm "hacks" that stop working the moment you try them?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses why obsessing over algorithms derails marketing strategies and how to build sustainable social influence instead. She explains that algorithms aren't the enemy or your friend—they're like the weather, shifting unpredictably and requiring businesses to focus on what they can actually control rather than trying to manipulate systems designed to keep users on platforms.

McKinney explains that companies cycle through social me...

Could understanding the non-conscious drivers of human behavior be the key to creating marketing that truly resonates?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest, author and Chief Creative Officer at HBT Marketing Nancy Harhut about behavioral marketing. Harhut explains how understanding hardwired human behaviors can help marketers craft more effective messages that drive customer action.

They discuss how behavioral science identifies automatic, instinctive responses that influence purchasing decisions, many of which consumers aren't even consciously aware of. Nancy shares how marketers...

This podcast mini-series is brought to you by Smith Hanley & Associates, connecting businesses worldwide through specialized recruitment solutions.

What makes a market research company truly stand out in 2025?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney delivers Part 2 of our Quirks Chicago Conference Flyover as she catches up with industry leaders about the evolving landscape of market research. This collection of candid conversations captures the pulse of the industry through unfiltered discussions with executives who are navigating the balance between technology and human connection.

*This podcast mini-series is brought to you by Gazelle Global, connecting businesses worldwide through expert research services and specialized recruitment solutions.*

How do research pros tackle today's most pressing challenges while preparing for tomorrow's opportunities?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney gives you Part 1 of our 2-part Quirks Chicago Conference Flyover as she talks with market research professionals about current trends, challenges, and innovations in the industry. This conference flyover captures candid conversations with leaders from multiple...

Could your team's hidden challenges be preventing business growth?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Team Leadership Coach Meghan Opitz about unlocking collective brilliance in organizations. They explore how trust-based team coaching can transform company culture and drive b2b content marketing success.

As an American expat in Berlin with extensive market research experience, Opitz brings a unique perspective on building high-performing teams across US and European markets. As a leadership and team...

Are you stuck in a content marketing rut, doing the same thing over and over again?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney discusses thinking outside the blog for content creation. She explores how a robust content marketing strategy extends beyond blog posts to include various formats that can help brands stand out in an attention economy.

She outlines six creative frameworks that marketers can apply to freshen up their content: the Haiku framework for distilling complex ideas...

Could the market research industry be entering its golden age?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest, CEO and Founder of OpinionRoute, Terence McCarron, about modernizing consumer insights and delivering meaningful competitive insights. They explore the intersection of technology and human expertise in market research, focusing on helping small to mid-sized firms overcome challenges with feasibility, data quality, and disjointed processes.

McCarron shares insights on AI's role in consumer insights, noting it's not about replacing...

Is your LinkedIn profile just a digital resume or a powerful business development tool?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest, keynote speaker, and Account Director at Savanta, Jake Pryszlak, about mastering social selling and building influence on LinkedIn. They discuss Jake's journey as "The Research Geek" and how his thought leadership evolved from differentiating himself during a job search to opening doors for new business opportunities.

They tackle the challenges of standing out in...

Is your company missing out on the power of bespoke events for business growth?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest Tara Mackay, Head of Global Events at The Research Club and Founder and CEO of Eventality, about the transformative power of corporate events as essential tools for networking. Mackay shares her expertise in creating meaningful experiences that foster connections and drive business results.

They discuss how face-to-face events have seen increasing demand post-COVID, with...

*This podcast mini-series is brought to you by Multilingual Connections, enabling you to connect with your audience in their language. And if you haven’t already, check out Part One and Part Two of the QRCA series!*

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney presents the final part of a three-part Conference Flyover from QRCA in Philadelphia. Joined by Multilingual Connections’ founder and CEO Jill Kushner Bishop, PhD, and Business Development Director Carlos Hevia, they discuss the power of conducting research in participants' nati...

*This podcast mini-series is brought to you by Multilingual Connections, enabling you to connect with your audience in their language. Click here to listen to Part One, and be on the lookout for Part Three of the QRCA series!*

How do qualitative researchers adapt to rapid industry changes while maintaining personal connections? A look inside Day 2 of QRCA.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney, along with co-host and CRO, Stephanie Douglass, present Part Two of a three-part...

*This podcast mini-series is brought to you by Multilingual Connections, enabling you to connect with your audience in their language. And be on the lookout for Parts Two and Three of the QRCA series!*

How do thought leadership and networking tools shape modern qualitative research? A look inside QRCA.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney presents Part One of a three-part Conference Flyover from QRCA in Philadelphia, featuring conversations about thought leadership strategy, networking tips, and the future...

Market research must evolve beyond simple data collection to protect people's privacy.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Ipsos Senior Vice President Alina Serbanica about global data privacy in market research. They explore how privacy legislation varies across regions and the challenges of implementing consistent standards in multi-country research projects.

In her role at Ipsos, Serbanica oversees privacy compliance across all operational areas, ensuring projects meet global, regional, and national law requirements. This...

Mental models can function as the hidden architecture of marketing strategy.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney presents the second installment of her exploration into mental models and the positive impact they can have on marketing strategy. As an established thought leadership strategist, she breaks down five powerful thinking frameworks and demonstrates how they can be used to help marketers understand complex patterns and make better decisions. Mental models covered in this episode include Bayesian updating, the Lindy effect, antifragile planning, systems...

Want to know how winning companies use their nuanced understanding of human behavior and market insights as a basis for competitive advantage?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with Social Lens Research Managing Partner Natasha Stevens and Founding Partner Julie Diaz-Asper about transforming marketing strategy through ethnographic research. They examine how video diaries and interactive activities help brands connect with diverse market segments representing $3.4 trillion in purchasing power.

Their collaboration with market research groups demonstrates how...

Can data reveal which 50% of your marketing budget is actually working?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and CEO of Mix Analytics Hillary Borndahl about transforming content marketing strategy through data-driven analysis. 

Through their company's marketing mixed modeling approach, Mix Analytics helps businesses develop a growth strategy framework to optimize marketing investments across channels by analyzing historical data and calculating actual returns. They begin their discussion with critical findings from Mix Analytics' study of $34 b...

Want to know what corn on the cob and mascara wands have in common?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and QRCA President Jeff Hecker about building community in qualitative research. 

As co-founder and principal of Athena Brand Wisdom, Hecker brings 15 years of experience conducting research across industries from pharmaceuticals to agriculture, using methods from focus groups to marketing semiotics. But his volunteerism in making the qualitative space is of interest in this episode. W...

Can intentional leadership transform workplace culture and employee trust?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and RADICL Work co-founder Dan Riley about the critical role of trust in organizational success and creating transformative workplace environments. As a content marketing consultant helping organizations navigate change, Riley shares that only about 20% of employees trust their leadership but believe intentional changes and consistent actions can help build stronger, more engaged teams.

Riley explains how companies need to...

** Be on the lookout for Part 2 to hear mental models Six through Ten **

Stop letting outdated thinking frameworks hold back your marketing strategies.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, introduces powerful mental models that revolutionize marketing strategy and professional decision-making. Drawing from her background as a cultural anthropologist and fractional CMO, she shares how these frameworks can transform both marketing initiatives and broader business decisions.

McKinney discusses the first five fundamental models...

Effective email list management demands a systematic approach.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney breaks down essential email marketing best practices through a creative North Pole analogy. She explains how businesses often chase new prospects while overlooking opportunities within their existing database. 

McKinney unveils a data-driven approach to email marketing B2B lead generation, from processing bounces to strategic database maintenance. Her framework combines analytical insights with human intelligence, bringing together email marketing KPIs and invaluable team i...

Understanding consumers beyond traditional market research metrics is important. Perfecting buyer personas requires a deeper dive, and technology can help. 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Glimpse Chief Strategy Officer + Chief Client Officer, Adam Bai about the evolution of buyer personas in marketing and how anthropology can perfect them. Traditionally, personas were simplistic stereotypes or basic demographic profiles. However, modern approaches focus on persona mapping and deeper attitudinal and emotional insights that go beyond surface-level characteristics.

Duration: 00:31:36

Is your LinkedIn profile working against you?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, discusses how LinkedIn serves as more than just a job-hunting platform, positioning it as a powerful tool for networking and social selling at scale. The platform's evolution from a simple job board to a comprehensive professional networking space has created unprecedented opportunities for businesses and individuals to connect, share insights, and build meaningful professional relationships. As an influencer in the space she has a lot to say about it...

Why are traditional market research firms getting left behind in the industry's rapid evolution?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with Tony Brown, founder of SKAIL, about transforming revenue generation strategies beyond traditional relationship-based selling. The urgency of this transformation is evident in recent industry reports, which show traditional firms growing at just 3% while the overall industry enjoys a 7.6% expansion rate.

McKinney and Brown discuss how market research firms can adapt to changing market conditions, particularly...

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney, along with guest and CRO Stephanie Douglass, discuss implementing the Little Bird Marketing  SOAR™ system. The system was created after noting that many companies were implementing the right marketing tactics but in the wrong order, leading to suboptimal results. So if you’re tired of marketing strategies that fail to produce results, this is the episode for you. 

They discuss the two primary ways to implement the SOAR™ system: DIY (Do It Yourself) and DFY (Done For You...

Trust and human connection are driving innovation in our digital world.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with global trust expert and author Philipp Kristian about developing a thought leadership strategy that transforms how businesses approach social selling and building your social influence in the digital age.

McKinney and Kristian discuss how the trust economy is revolutionizing business relationships and social influence, drawing from Kristian's extensive work with Fortune 500 companies and his book "The Trust Economy...

Ready to stop chasing every lead and focus on the ones that matter?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and CRO Stephanie Douglass about Account-Based Marketing (ABM). As a B2B lead generation agency, Little Bird Marketing shares insights on this targeted and customer driven marketing strategy that focuses on identifying and pursuing specific high-value accounts rather than casting a wide net with traditional demand generation approaches.

McKinney and Douglass discuss marketing effectiveness through...

**This episode of Ponderings from the Perch is a replay of a popular episode first aired on Digital Transformation Success, the premier podcast for no-nonsense discussions of digital innovation in business.**

No matter how advanced the technology it uses, market research still needs astute judgment… and the best judgment comes from humans. 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, gives her patented Conference Flyover of Question Pro’s XDay 2024 in Austin, TX. XDay is a premier event where the b...

Today, Miami. Tomorrow, the world! 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, gives you her conference flyover of Greenbook’s IIEX LATAM in Miami, Florida. IIEX LATAM is a conference dedicated to exploring the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies in market research, with a specific focus on gathering market insights from the Latin American region. She talks with leaders in market research about evolving marketing strategies and consumer insights in Latin America and how Spanish and Portuguese are needed for conducting representative market res...

What if the magic behind the Cinderella story isn't a prince and a fairy godmother but rather strategies for tapping into our potential?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, talks with guest and published author Joanna Bloor about her book, Tales of Potential: The Cinderella Story You Haven't Heard. Bloor, who examines how things work behind the scenes, discusses her experience of writing a book that presents a different perspective on potential and future. She describes how she overcame initial reluctance to...

Learn how market researchers navigate the complex market landscape to deliver more accurate and valuable insights.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, gives you her 2024 ESOMAR Congress flyover, held in Athens, Greece. The ESOMAR Congress is the premier global gathering for market research professionals. It brings together industry leaders to explore cutting-edge trends, share innovative methodologies and shape the future of marketing research.

McKinney’s guests discuss key topics such as the integration of AI in qualitative re...

It’s time to rethink how businesses use marketing. 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, talks about our proprietary SOAR™ - Strategy, Organization, Accountability, and Repeatability - system, a structured approach to marketing. 

While many businesses use systems for everyday tasks, like shopping lists and calendars, many abandon this systematic thinking when it comes to marketing. The SOAR™ system, on the other hand, is designed to help businesses create a sustainable lead generation system. It is broken down int...

Marketing research in healthcare is the key to unlocking better patient outcomes

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney talks with guests Brendan Egan and Lisa Kaiser, CEO and COO of Brightside Research Solutions respectively, about the latest market research industry trends in healthcare. With over 25 years of combined experience, Egan and Kaiser founded Brightside to address long standing issues in service and feasibility within the business marketing sector, touching on its unique approach to serving clients and enhancing healthcare outcomes through targeted...

AI's potential in SEO lies not in replacing human expertise but in enhancing it strategically as part of a comprehensive content marketing strategy.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and Orbit Media CEO Andy Crestodina, about the role of AI in modern SEO strategies. Crestodina, known for leading with value and always being helpful, brings over two decades of digital content marketing experience to the table. As the co-founder of Orbit Media, a web design company in Chicago, he's...

Is project management the secret sauce to organizational triumph?

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney talks with guest and TrueSense Marketing VP, Ann Campea, about the often-overlooked role of project management in business success. Campea, a fellow podcaster and experienced project management professional for companies like Apple, Amazon and Hasbro, has a diverse background that includes launching products, creating retail spaces, implementing data systems, and managing employee onboarding processes. She touches on TrueSense Marketing's unique approach to serving non-profit clients and enhancing...

Can unity be a meaningful and quantifiable statistic in business? 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney, talks with guest and Senior VP of Global Practice at The Kaleidoscope Group, Dawn Bryan, about the practice of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Unity (DEIU) in the corporate world. 

Bryan, a seasoned business and marketing strategy consultant with 30 years of international experience, discusses how these concepts translate into tangible business outcomes, examining the shift from mere tolerance to active unity in cr...

Hey y’all, Priscilla McKinney here, CEO and Momma Bird at Little Bird Marketing. 

This episode of Ponderings from the Perch will be what I call a “Conference Flyover” of my time at the Quirks New York conference, which took place in… well, guess where!

But first, check out my latest boutique hotel find from my last night in The Big Apple! 

The conference itself was full of discussions on AI and data quality, and I'm still energized by the constant conversations and new connection...

Data informs… but human judgment decides. 

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, and guest and CCO of PSB Insights, Christopher Frank, talk strategy in business and market research.

Frank, who brings 25 years of frontline experience from American Express and Microsoft, discusses his recent move to PSB Insights, a 40-year-old research-based consultancy with offices in DC, Seattle, and London, transitioning from the client side to a consultancy role in the field of market research. He stresses the importance of...

Hey y’all, Priscilla McKinney here!

This episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing Podcast, will be a replay of a part of my appearance on Joseph Jaffe’s podcast, Joseph Jaffe is Not Famous. Amongst the hijinks, I talk with Jaffe about my book, Collaboration is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards A Cross Pollinating Hive Mind and How Not to Get Left Behind.

The book's chapters are designed to be time-efficient, ensuring busy professionals can easily integrate these transformative ideas into thei...

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, discusses her experiences at Greenbook’s IIEX Amsterdam with guest and CRO, Stephanie Douglass, exploring key market research trends and insights.

A major topic of discussion is synthetic data in market research, with data quality remaining a crucial concern for obtaining reliable consumer insights. In fact it emerged as one of the top 12 trends mentioned by Insight 250 CEO, and Behaviorally Group President, Crispin Beale, the latter likening it to plastic pollution in oceans and emphasizing the need for industry-wide standards. "W...

This episode ain’t a swim in the kiddy pool.

On today’s episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing Podcast, host and Momma Bird Priscilla McKinney, and guest and marketing strategy consultant Ryan Barry, discuss the future of market research and the importance of community when fostering b2b relationships. 

As the co-founder and President of Zappi, an agile market research platform built to empower creators globally with smart, quick, and actionable data to inspire, optimize, and validate their ideas, Barry shares lead generation tips and intimate insights on the importance of cu...

Like the bird she named her company after, Data Larks founder, Mary Hunter, is looking to lead the dawn of a new era. On today’s episode Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing™ podcast, Hunter and host, Priscilla McKinney, delve into the world of market research and its potential to increase both awareness and market potential for underrepresented communities. 

Data Larks is a pioneering consultancy dedicated to diverse data storytelling and analysis. Hunter, with over 20 years of experience in cultural studies, shares her insights on both the benefits and overall importance of inclu...

Uncover the hidden heroes behind billion-dollar business decisions.

On this episode Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney, and guest Corie Suzuki, director at Fieldwork Chicago, chat about the world of market research as they celebrate the upcoming Global Focus Group Day on July 9th!

"This day is all about recognizing the heroes of market research,” Suzuki explians. “It's a day to honor the power of face-to-face interactions and the ‘A-ha’ moments they bring."

Suzuki shares her eight-year journey with Fieldwork, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the c...

Who here loves PowerPoint? Anyone… yeah, us too.

On today’s episode of Ponderings from the Perch, a Little Bird Marketing Podcast, host Priscilla McKinney and guest Rob Biesenbach discuss how to captivate an audience beyond tech. With backgrounds in both business and acting, the latter of which he trained for at Second City in Chicago, Biesenbach understands the power of storytelling to captivate audiences and drive meaningful change, and firmly believes that traditional presentation methods like the aforementioned Death by PowerPoint and basic info dumps are no longer effective in engaging modern audiences.

He’ll admit, Shawn Nason is a lot.

He’s looking for leaders who are mavericks.

He’s the founder and CEO of MOFI, a maverick-minded, human-obsessed boutique consulting firm that uses ethnographic research, journey mapping, human-centered design, experienced-based training, and design sprints to transform organizations. Shawn believes the only way to build a sustainable and thriving business is to put people first. As an experienced evangelist and experienced ecosystem designer, he unapologetically challenges leaders to blow up outdated, siloed systems and rebuild them with an aligned, human-first approach. He states, “If you put the human ex...

ROI & KPIs, MQLs& SQLs… The acronyms in marketing never stop. But the only KPI that really matters is that feeling you get when you’re exceeding revenue goals! At Little Bird Marketing, we’re overtly helpful, providing amazing resources and expertise like this lead generation funnel blog to provide important benchmarks for your work. What is also immensely helpful is knowing how to bring your sales and marketing departments together for a revenue generation WIN. No more listening to marketing blame sales for not closing leads or listening to sales say marketing doesn’t deliver quality leads. Instead, we’ll share o...

It’s time to quit thinking inside the box you’re creating for yourself.

Our CEO and Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney, loves advocating for women in business. Today, she pulls the curtain back to show the woman (and friend of hers) behind Harvest Insights, Alisa Hamilton. Her out of box business venture is a story every aspiring leader should hear.

Alisa started Harvest Insights out of a need she saw to help overwhelmed research teams be able to siphon off some of their overflow work on an as-needed basis. She...

Join Priscilla McKinney, CEO, and Momma Bird here at Little Bird Marketing as she gets down to the nitty-gritty of why our expertise in market research matters for better content, lead generation, and ultimately, revenue growth.

So many market research firms hire a marketing agency only to spend the next 18 months explaining the difference between qual and quant, nuances in the competitive landscape, getting familiar with insights associations and organizations, and still not being any closer to gaining traction in terms of hitting revenue goals.

To be of immediate significance as a content marketer in...

In a world where survey respondents are basically sick and tired of doing all the work to TELL as screener about their behaviors, qualifications, demographics, and more just for the chance at participating in a survey, along comes Qrious Insight with their “always on” approach to passive data collection.

In this episode, Priscilla McKinney, CEO and Momma Bird of Little Bird Marketing is joined by Andrew Moffatt, CEO and Co-Founder of Qrious Insight to discuss the future of dynamic brand tracking instead of static brand trackers.

In their work with marketing and ad e...

We’ve had DEI 101, can we advance? It’s time for 201.

Our CEO and Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney loves advocating for women in business, and brought Kim “Kimfer” Flanery-Rye Founder & DEI and Culture Practitioner for Inclusion Equals to open the conversation for change.

Inclusion Equals is a social enterprise focused on the IDEA: Inclusion = Diversity + Equity + Accessibility to build culture from the inside out. Entrepreneurial in spirit, creatively minded, and service at heart, Kimfer is a seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience with a diverse background in design, digital marketin...

So, you want to write a book? Is the idea becoming a burden because you can just see a way forward to getting it done?

In the true spirit of “always be helping” (ABH), our Momma Bird and CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney pulls the curtain back and talks about her experience hiring a scribe to complete her book.

The most important first step is to get clarity about WHY you MUST write your book. Are you looking for new clients? Want opportunities for public speaking? Want some street cred to increase your spea...

It’s here! Get ready for tidings and good cheer…it’s the 8th Annual Holiday Spectacular! Spectacular! The Peeps won’t be baking any treats this year, but we do have quite a few treats (and tricks) up our sleeve for you. Which holiday are we celebrating again? 

Little Bird Marketing is – as you may know – a marketing company. This year we’re covering something near and dear to our hearts…holiday marketing! While we don’t really do holiday marketing we can all appreciate a good holiday commercial.

Walk down nostalg...

Q: How did Microsoft Office get so famous?

A: Word of mouth.

Now, how did Microsoft Office improve its products using user experience research to satisfy customers and improve retention? No more dad jokes here. That’s a serious question for Joanna Jones with InterQ Research.

CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, welcomes Joanna to this podcast episode on Ponderings from the Perch. Joanna founded InterQ Research, a full-service qualitative and quantitative research firm headquartered in San Francisco. InterQ specializes in the tech industry. She has us...

Roll out the red carpet and act as paparazzi for those you admire in the business world; It’s time to start collaborating!

CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, is joined by content strategy expert, and good friend, Andy Crestodina to discuss the power behind collaboration. If you know Andy, you know he is helpfulness incarnate! In this episode, he’s doling out secrets to driving growth in content creation by finding ways to help others.

Andy has been in the web design and interactive marketing space for more...

A few questions from the CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney about your current marketing plan template:

- When you think about your marketing efforts, is it strategic?

- Have you defined and written down your goals and objectives?

- How are you holding your marketing efforts accountable?

- Are your marketing efforts repeatable?

When we sit down to do something, it's easy to have the mindset of just getting it done. We get hung up on the daily hustle and bustle...

Don’t get caught sending an email to Gen Z expecting them to take your survey. They won’t see it in their inbox of 5,735 unread messages.

CEO of Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, welcomes Jennifer Reid, Co-CEO and Chief Methodologist at Rival Group, to discuss how to best engage with Generation Z for market research. Jennifer is an expert in Gen Z engagement, specifically the ability to connect with younger generations for the purpose of consumer understanding and insights that move brands forward.

As with any generation, trust and...

Feel like you’re becoming irrelevant and lost in the industry?

In this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, CEO and Momma Bird at Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, is joined by Nancie McDonnell Ruder, an experienced marketing strategist, branding consultant and consumer researcher. As Founder and CEO of Noetic, a Marketing and Leadership Consulting Firm, Nancie shares the issues marketers face and the steps to move past old thinking and onto new strategies.

Marketers today are confronted with challenges that demand constant vigilance. The fear of losing resonance wi...

What do the greatest research minds share when brought together? If you’re experiencing a serious case of FOMO because you didn’t make it or are just wondering what everyone else was talking about while you were there, we bring you the Insights Association Corporate Researcher's Conference in a nutshell. When it comes to market research, consumer insights, shopper insights, survey sample fraud, focus groups, UX and CX, mock juries, what AI can do in the industry, and what the heck a synthetic respondent is, we have you covered. 

Hear it all right from...

Spending too much money on in-person events?

Experiencing FOMO when you don’t go to an industry conference? 

Struggling to get a return on investment from your trade show booth? 

You are not alone. 

Today, on Ponderings from the Perch, CEO and Momma Bird at Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney, delivers the tried and true maxim for in-person events: “What you put into it is what you’ll get out of it.” She outlines tips to make the most of your experience during the next conference…...

Q: Who do you call if your insights are taking you to Japan? 

A: Myth-busting Japanese culture expert Dominic Carter and his team.

Today, our CEO and Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney, welcomes a good friend and experienced researcher, Dominic Carter, Representative Director and CEO of The Carter Group.

Originally from Australia, where he was educated and started his career, Dominic has lived and worked in Japan since 1999. He has launched and nurtured several successful businesses in the market on his own account and worked as a key c...

You have been questioned.

The marketing and market research industries have been challenged.

But what if we had the courage to face them boldly?

Join Priscilla McKinney, CEO and Momma Bird, here at Little Bird Marketing as she welcomes inspirational and aspirational colleague Eileen Campbell. With an amazing amount of experience in the industry and a finger on the pulse of what the change makers are thinking about today, she shares her insightful perspective about what conversations we should be having for better outcomes, including:

What level of energy is needed to produce h@!y sh!t level of insights? Let’s just ask the? Verve team!

Today, Priscilla McKinney chats with Alex Charlton, the SVP at Verve North America, a global insights consultancy. The conversation delved into how Verve approaches marketing, consumer insights, and market research in a rapidly changing post-pandemic world.

Unlike traditional agencies, Verve boasts a team of experts from behavioral scientists to tech experts, data scientists to cultural experts, all working collaboratively. This integrated approach synthesizes complex challenges more effectively to...

John C. Maxwell famously said, “If you're proactive, you focus on preparing. If you're reactive, you end up focusing on repairing.” True dat.

In this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, our CEO, Priscilla McKinney and Tony D’Amato, a dedicated leader with over 20 years of marketing experience, discuss challenges and opportunities in the marketing ecosystem – from brand awareness to digital transformation. 

Tony emphasizes the importance of understanding and valuing the customer experience, which he has plenty of experience with! As the Senior Manager of Experiential Marketing and Public Relations...

What happens when mental health suffers in the workplace? What are we supposed to do? It seems like the obvious answer would be to simply ask for help. But some workplaces don’t allow for it. Also, some of our own minds don’t allow for it. As James Pickles says, “You’ve got to know you have a problem to ask for help.” 

In this episode, Priscilla McKinney, our CEO of Little Bird Marketing, engages in a compelling conversation with James Pickles, Certified Performance Coach and award-winning Wellbeing Consultant. Together, they explore James's remarkable...

If only Auguste and Louis Lumière could see where their motion picture invention is today. Audiences were spellbound by the film of the workers pouring out of the Lumière factory. Cat videos would blow their minds.

Let’s just start with this fact: simply including the word 'video' in the subject line of an email can increase click-through rates by approximately 20%! Add to that the fact that the majority of people are visual learners, and you have a compelling case for creating video content for your business! In this podcast, Little Bird Mark...

Healthcare is a sensitive subject for many struggling with rare diseases or disabilities. Researchers in the healthcare sphere are challenged with finding delicate ways to approach patients. How do researchers advance technology and create positive outcomes for patients? 

In today’s episode, our CEO, Priscilla McKenney, welcomes Wes Michael, President of Rare Patient Voice. His company's unique approach to building market research panels allows patients and caregivers to contribute their insights to researchers and companies worldwide. Rare Patient Voice has expanded globally, completed numerous projects, and served hundreds of clients, all with the aim of...

With a demand for accuracy but an appetite for innovating with new methodologies, finding the right balance between specialization and generalization is often seen as the key to success in delivering quality consumer insights. But what if we told you that there's more to the story? We’re pulling back the curtain to hear from one of the wizards orchestrating the delivery of insights into the world of finance.

In this episode, Priscilla McKinney, CEO of Little Bird Marketing, welcomes Kerry Sette, VP, and Head of Consumer Insights and Research at Voya Financial, a Fo...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Today, our CEO and Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney, is joined by Melanie Courtright, the Chief Executive Officer at Insights Association. Melanie is a true vanguard in shaping the future of the insights and analytics industry. With almost three decades of experience, she knows the industry inside out...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Steve Schlesinger, Executive Chairman of SAGO and Kim Harrison, Founder and CEO of Focus Forward, also serve as executive board members for the Marketing Research Education Foundation. Today, they join our CEO and Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney, who has served on this same board, to share the...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Priscilla McKinney, call sign Momma Bird, introduces us to esteemed guest and MRX veteran Dan Quirks of Quirks Media. Dan's mission at Quirks is to expand the company's digital offerings and global presence.

The day-to-day of Dan’s responsibilities revolves around staying ab...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Priscilla McKinney, call sign Momma Bird, is joined by Kristin Luck, Founder of ScaleHouse and consultant known for non-traditional growth strategies. You’ll hear the backstory of how and why Kristin founded  Women in Research and the impact this has made on the industry. Since 2007 this community has...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Priscilla McKinney, call sign Momma Bird, and Lauren Isaacson took flight in their conversation about the Qualitative Research Consultants Association.

The QRCA is the hot spot for qualitative researchers and UX professionals. They offer the ultimate package: support, training, and networking opportunities...

Strap on your headsets and fasten your seatbelts - we're taking you on a ride through the skies of market research! Welcome to the MRX Mavericks miniseries, where we'll show you how to soar above the competition like the true Top Guns of the market research industry.

Priscilla McKinney, call sign Momma Bird, welcomes Karen Lynch, Head of Content at Greenbook, to the cockpit. Together, they pull back the curtain to examine industry events both as organizers and as attendees! 

Karen’s passion is to bring the best content to...