Mariah Sells LLC
What I do for my clients as a research & strategy consultant.
What if . . .
I could provide the research, analysis, and guided business strategies necessary for small business owners to succeed with satisfied customers ?
The basics.
Team Size: 1 | Role: Research/Strategy
Tools: Pen & Paper, Google Sheets, Google Forms, Canva, Zoom, ChatGPT, Miro | Time Frame: 1-12 Weeks, Part-Time
The motivation.
I decided to go into consulting when I had difficulties entering the UXR field. The first UX role is rumored to be the most difficult role to obtain, and I’m living proof. Why consulting? To build my own professional experience, I took the leap and decided to put what I learned and continue to learn in the practices of UXR & Business Strategy to the ultimate test: entrepreneurship.
The questions.
I always start my clients with a 1:1 intake call where we determine their business goals & needs. Here are a few key questions my clients usually need help with in their business:
Who are my customers & what do they desire?
How can I fill the gaps in my market?
How do I gain/retain customers?
Which funnels should I be using to best support my customers?
Are there any points in my process where I lose customers? Are there any points in my process where I win trust with my customers?
What can I provide in my programs/products that will aid my customers to meet their goals/desires?
What’s the current situation?
Desktop Research
Why this method?
Use research repositories & competitor reviews to gather both quant & qual data of current & potential users.
How do we do it?
Most of my clients conduct a customer intake questionnaire which reveals their struggles, desires, goals, and needs. This is my first starting point of getting to know my clients’ users & which direction to take the business strategy based on the data collected. I seek competitor analysis to see where others are succeeding and areas where my clients can fill the gap in the market. I utilize AI to synthesize the qualitative information found in the desktop research process.
What is the outcome?
Uncovered themes in datasets from multiple sources gaining clarity in deliverables such as:
SWOT analysis
Proto-personas
Social Media Content Calendar based on current users’ goals/needs.
Screenshot collage of various client repository data & deliverables
Let’s ask for more . . .
Survey
Why this method?
Get deeper insight from multiple perspectives with both quant & qual data to uncover patterns about the “what” in behavior.
How do we do it?
I create surveys for my clients based on the questions that need answers generated from the 1:1 intake call, desktop research, and similarities between my clients in their varied programs. Some surveys focus on general satisfaction, some in detailed insights for future program iterations, and some in A/B testing for content preferences. Each method is conducted with the voice & tone matching my clients’ brand.
What is the outcome?
A range of 5-20 respondents per survey depending on my clients’ reach.
Insights guided iteration for mutual satisfaction from clients & customers
General increase in positive user feedback & improved KPIs as soon as one month after 1:1 strategy calls.
Screenshot of program follow-up satisfaction survey
Let’s dig deeper . . .
User Interviews
Why this method?
Learn from users’ POVs through different mediums to triangulate data & seek out the answers to “why” in the users’ behaviors in moderated setting.
How do we do it?
I develop user interview guides for each client in reference to what we already know, what we’re wanting to discover, and creating a standard of reference for my clients to circle back to in future research processes. I conduct moderated interviews via Zoom, collecting qualitative data to uncover themes & patterns.
What is the outcome?
The patterns discovered aid to develop:
Customer Journey Mapping
Service Design Blueprints & Strategy Sessions
Funneling systems for my clients to gain/retain customers
Screenshot of collaged moderated user* interviews
*featuring my dogs to keep the users anonymous
Presentation
I always create a written report for my clients to keep in their files for reference, recall, and future comparisons with success.
I also make a recorded presentation of the data results & next step suggestions for clients who gain more from listening/visualizing to information than from written forms.
The impact.
My clients use the data from my business reports & presentations to improve their current products and create new products which improve their users experience within 1 month of instructed implementation.
Knowledge from A/B testing, user interviews, and surveys help develop detailed funnels, improve customer experience, and build trusted relationships with users.
The takeaway.
I do not need to explain the gritty details to my stakeholders — they just want to know the outcome & move forward in creation.
My success comes from the depth of relationship I have with my clients. Gaining trust & showcasing skills are a big part of consulting, but nothing compares to connecting to people on a human level to help them overcome challenges to see success together.
Reflection
I was always the girl voted “most likely to become President/CEO” in school. Many people saw my leadership qualities before I did. The bravery it takes to start your own adventure with entrepreneurship has been something I have admired in others for decades. I wanted to step into that bravery myself & help others who also took that brave step into creating, supporting people, and finding our own way to success. I’m grateful for my clients, for the opportunities I’ve created for myself in the ups & downs and learning curves that happen when becoming an entrepreneur, and the mutual respect found in this community.