Paste what people said
Quotes from interviews, reviews or sales calls. One per line, in their exact words.
Quote
I honestly thought they’d tell me off.
Quote
Every dentist says nervous patients welcome.
How to turn customer research into an insight
You’ve read the interviews and the reviews. There’s a lot of it, and it all sort of says the same thing. An insight is the one sentence that explains why people behave the way they do, and it usually hides in what they say twice.
You’ll recognise it
- Your research summary is a list of quotes
- “Customers value quality” is the biggest finding
- The client nodded but nothing changed
Why it happens
Insights get lost because research is summarised, not interpreted. The trick is to look for tension: what people believe versus what’s actually true for them. That gap is where copy can do work.
The approach
3 steps, in order
Each step gives the next one something to work with. The worksheet below follows the same order.
Spot what they believe
Read them back. What do these people assume is true, even if it isn’t?
Belief
The dentist will judge me for leaving it so long
Say what’s actually true
What’s the reality the brand can show them? This is the gap copy has to close.
Truth
Most new patients have left it years. Nobody minds.
Worksheet
Build yours as you read
Fill in each step. Your insight updates as you type. It stays in this browser until you choose to keep it.
More Strategy guides
Next problem?
I can’t say what makes them differentHow to write a positioning statementOne sentence everyone can agree onEvery page says something differentHow to build a simple messaging frameworkOne message, three pillars, real proofEveryone in the category sounds the sameHow to audit what your competitors sayFind the claims nobody is making
Questions
Good to know
How many interviews do I need?
Five good ones beat twenty rushed ones. You’re looking for patterns, not statistics.
Is a stat an insight?
Rarely on its own. “61% have left it two years” is a finding. Why they left it is the insight.
Do I need an account?
No. Your worksheet stays in this browser. Leave your email and we’ll send it as a PDF.
Who writes these guides?
ProCopywriters, the UK’s professional body for copywriters, with members who do this work every week.
Strategy, from Studio
Guides get you started. Strategy does the whole job.
Gather evidence, write findings, make decisions and deliver a strategy your client signs off. Coming soon to Studio.