BBR10 Thought Leader Q&A: Doug Schorr from Beachbody “Using Consumer Research to Refine a Brand”

What better way to know what your consumer thinks than to ask them directly?

Beauty Biz Roundtable 10 attendees learned first-hand about the positive impacts of consumer research from Beachbody Head of Consumer Research, Doug Schorr, during his roundtable presentation on “Using Consumer Research to Refine a Brand.”

Consumer Insights executive, Doug Schorr, is currently the head of consumer research for Beachbody and Team Beachbody, the leader in the health and fitness space with global brands such as P90X, Insanity, and Brazil Butt Lift. Beachbody is also the company behind the rapidly growing beauty line of Derm Exclusive. Doug uses his 15 years of research and strategy expertise to help Beachbody refine infomercials and messaging, improve product efficacy, enhance customer up-sell offer options, and better meet the consumer wants, needs, and expectations.

Doug joined Beachbody 3 years ago after a successful 12 year run at Schorr Creative Solutions, Inc., a boutique research consultancy that he and his wife Romy created. Prior to this, Doug worked for management consulting firms handling project management, strategic development, and change management.

Please share 3 key points from your roundtable topic on ““Using Consumer Research to Refine a Brand.”

1.   Don’t just listen to your customer – truly hear what they are saying, and how they are saying it.

2. Use research as a data source along with other information and experience that you have collected, meaning, don’t use consumer research as a crutch to make your decision for you.  Research can be invaluable and very powerful in the right  hands. However, it needs to be balanced with other knowledge you have from actual market sales or projections, competitive landscape, and your expertise or gut feeling.

3. If it suits your projects, use multiple methodologies to round out your insights. Quantitative research (surveys, polls, etc.) give you projectable stats to create profiles and segments to measure your audience – the “WHAT”.  Qualitative research (focus groups, individual interviews, ethnographics, etc.) gives you the warm “fuzzy” side of what people think, feel, and believe – the “WHY”.

Please tell us about your career path/progression. The road to where you are now? How did you get started?

I always wanted to be a business consultant and worked toward that goal from after college.  I have a BS degree in Organizational Psychology and Management, and also an MBA with a focus on Marketing and Operations Management.  I did a short stint in a sales/marketing role, in which I realized that I want to help and not just sell.  I then went on to become an Operations Manager at a medical device manufacturer until migrating into management and IT consulting. How did I end up as a Consumer Research Exec? I literally married into the business one short year after meeting my wife on a blind date.  She grew up in the market research industry, and I was intrigued by the constant variety of clients. I saw a business opportunity – a marriage between the love I had for my wife, and the love I had for consulting with my psychology, and marketing background.

Why did you choose this career? Why the beauty industry?

I love research and truly understanding what the consumer or target market (B2B/B2C) thinks.  It’s an exhausting business, but it’s exciting to be able to help shape marketing campaigns and business decisions, to better meet customer needs and wants.  At Beachbody, I focus extremely heavily in the fitness, nutrition, and beauty space – people love talking about these topics because everyone wants to feel, be, or look healthier in one way or another.  Before Beachbody, I researched every topic out there – technology, mobile everything, gaming, music, television shows, wine/spirits, kids and toys, insurance, business services, international travel, politics, and social issues such as racism.

Who is today’s beauty consumer? How are they changing?

Everyone is today’s beauty customer, and they are all changing yet staying still.  Everyone, including men, wants to look good and extend their youthful appearance as long as possible – this is the static part.  On the changing front side of things, new ingredients, active products/serums, technological delivery systems, and natural safe exotic products are all in demand.  Today’s customer is picky, savvy, wants simplicity, wants variety and choice, and demands results.  Every product claims success, however, the customer today has much more choice than existed in the past, and these consumers are savvier.  They like to sample/test out different products and find the handful of things that they feel works best for their specific issue or problem area.  The “average” customer doesn’t want complicated multi-step applications of integrated product lines – they are busy, stressed, and insist upon ease of use effectiveness.  I married a beauty junkie, so my house looks like a spa exploded!

What do beauty professionals need to do to continue to connect/attract with today’s beauty consumer?

This sounds like a predictable response from a Consumer Researcher, but today’s beauty professionals need to listen to their customers – not just listen, but really hear what they are actually trying to tell you.

What do you see as the latest trends in your industry?

In the research space – everyone is talking about “big data” and social media research.  The basics remain the basics – surveys and focus groups.  I’ve been hearing for 15 years now that the focus group is dying – it’s just as alive today as it was back then. Big Data (databases and strategic analysis departments) has always been around, but with so much more data being collected from sales and social media tools, everyone is trying to dig through it and see if it yields greater insights.

What attributes make a great leader? Tell us about your leadership style.

A great leader inspires work and creativity.  Working under the thumb of “the man” is just a job, and people who “do” just their job will eventually lose interest and find another job.  A leader motivates, supports, and advocates for his/her staff and helps them become the best they can be, while achieving the results the company requires.  I’ve worked for some great bosses, and I’ve worked for “the man.”  I hope that I am never seen as being “the man,” and am happy that my current team calls me out on things when I am too deep in the “weeds” to be the kind of boss they need.

What kinds of qualities do you look for in an employee/when hiring a candidate/someone to join your team?

I want a hard worker, and a devoted learner.  If someone works hard and is willing to learn, I can teach them what they need to succeed in the research space. Clearly, strong quantitative analysis skills help on the quantitative research side of things, just as strong interpersonal and communication skills are critical on the qualitative side.

What is the best way/strategy for someone interested in your company to employ to get a foot in the door? What makes a candidate stand out?

Best way into Beachbody is to check their career website (www.beachbodycareers.com) regularly as things change here often.  Once you find a gig you’re interested in, reach out to me and let’s talk.  You have to apply through the website in order to get into the applicant tracking system, but if we talk, and I think you’re a fit, I can also help push you through to the right people, which just might be the little edge you need.

 Any other advice/words of wisdom?

Whatever you do, do it with integrity and keep your moral and ethical compass in line.  There are short cuts all over the place and everyone is looking for the quick way out.  To be successful, stay true to who you are, stay focused on your goal, don’t be afraid of hard work, and try to be nice to the little people on the way – there’s an excellent chance they will be your boss, partner, or customer in the future.

Doug and his family live in Sherman Oaks and are big fans of all things food and wine. Check out Beachbody and Derm Exclusive for more information.

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About the Beauty Biz Roundtable Series

Hosted by Mazur Group, the Beauty Biz Roundtable (BBR) series brings together 100 Mid to Senior Level Beauty Executives in a roundtable format that fosters networking and idea sharing. This is not a lecture or panel discussion. Attendees are given the opportunity to sit down in small group settings with industry peers. Past BBR attendees and Thought Leaders have come from every major beauty company here in the West including Stila, Dermalogica, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Neutrogena, Murad, Urban Decay, CND,  P&G, Josie Maran, Intelligent Beauty, Sexy Hair Concepts, boscia, MOR Cosmetics, OPI, Smashbox, Sexy Hair Concepts, Orly International, beautylish.com, and more. To see exclusive coverage of BBR events, visit Mazur Group’s YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/mazurgroupla