The Challenge

Ray Allen Manufacturing is a US-based manufacturer of professional canine training products sold in the law enforcement, military, and working dog markets. It also owns J&J Dog Supplies, a smaller business that targets dog trainers and AKC sport/agility enthusiasts.​ RA wants to expand beyond its current B2B scope to a B2C commercial base.

Marketing Research & Analytics

Our team first conducted in-home or phone interviews with current customers as well as other dog owners through our own network that may not be aware of the Ray Allen brand. We drafted our interview guide to understand owners relationships with their dog(s), their routines, and purchasing drivers, while also noting customer demographics data.

The qualitative research we conducted led us to a general framework of potential and current customers. The below Venn diagram was drafted to understand where potential in the Ray Allen brand lies:

We used this framework to advise our wide-scale survey to customers. We used Qualtrics to field a survey screened for active dog owners who are open to purchasing dog equipment online, and who have annual household income above $75,000. These screens were based on both our qualitative research and feedback from Ray Allen. Our survey consisted of 26 questions around desirable product features, distribution channel, influences, segmentation, and demographics. We received responses from a wide variety of backgrounds that fit our screeners, below is a map of our responses:

After receiving our response data and performing a thorough clean, we performed a clustering analysis using R to determine segmentation and targeting recommendations. The enabled us to investigate demographics of target segments, features, and purchase influences.

The insights from this analysis were not groundbreaking by any stretch. But it helped us develop a solid go-to-market and guide further decision-making for Ray Allen. Ray Allen has a real opportunity to double down on being the market leader in dog gear used by professional dog trainers and handlers.

Target customers still prefer to purchase in physical stores but find information and referrals via online channels. We suggested videos, easy return & online reviews are must-haves in their go-to market. Online, digital channels are untapped in their space - Facebook and review websites are the best ways to find their targets.

The Takeaway

All in all, the potential B2C market still values the Ray Allen brand (and subbrands) for what they currently stand for. As a B2B company, the don't need to pivot their brand, mission, or values in order to build a digital presence. Rather, they need to lean into it more, their current and target customers are already online, it's just a matter of finding and meeting them where they are.

On a personal/professional level, practicing leveraging a limited number of qualitative interviews to inform quantitative surveys is extremely important to any brand or product. We may be tempted to just automate a survey away, but talking to customers/users first can make your research much more impactful.