Karen Burris founded Consumer Directions in 1997 and has over 25 years of experience in marketing, product development, innovation, and market research. She provides qualitative market research services through focus groups, interviews, and panels to help companies develop new products and services, understand customer satisfaction, refine branding and messaging, and more. Her experience spans industries including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, retail, and media. She has conducted numerous projects for clients to develop strategies, brands, and marketing campaigns.
2. Background and Qualifications
Karen Burris, Founder and Principal
25+ years of experience in marketing management, product
development, innovation acceleration, and market research to
drive business forward and fortify brand equity
Received MBA from Texas Christian University in 1983 on a
Dean’s Merit Scholarship
Founded Consumer Directions in 1997, after training at the
RIVA Market Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and
conducting market research for Baylor Health Care System
Published author in Pharma; “Reading the Market So the
Market Will Read You”
Guest lecturer at TCU Neeley School of Business; Invited to
speak in October 2015, in Washington, DC to SHSMD of The
American Hospital Association on Brainstorming Tactics
Extensive research experience in Healthcare,
Pharmaceuticals, CPG, Retail, Food and Beverage, Sports and
Entertainment, Telecommunications, Publishing and
Broadcasting
3. Specific Qualitative Services
Consumer need states, attitudes and motivations
Preferences for products and services
New product and service line development
Customer and patient satisfaction
Concept and positioning exploratory
Consumer product concept and prototype evaluation
Brand identity and imagery
Naming for products, services and organizations
Creative design exploration (POS, online, entertainment media)
Advertising copy and creative development
New packaging design/functionality and packaging re-launches
Healthcare facility and hospital environmental design
We leverage our experience exploring a variety of insightful
market research methodologies enabling clients to execute
successful corporate marketing strategies. A partial list of topics
we have studied for clients include:
4. Qualitative Research Capabilities
Traditional and online focus groups, (mini groups,
quads, triads, dyads)
In-depth interviews (on-site, at research facilities,
by phone and online)
Ethnographic research (online and in-person)
with, and without journaling and homework
assignments
Online panels and communities
Syndicated studies
Ideation and Brainstorming Facilitation
5. Partial List: Projects Accomplished
Involve and Engage Internal Teams to Ideate With
Innovation and Brainstorming Sessions
Conduct Market Research with Consumers,
Employers, C-Suites, Physicians, Nurses
Payers, and Others
Use Market Insights and Stakeholder Intelligence
to Develop Effective Strategy
Create, Enhance, Manage and Bolster Brands that
are Meaningfully Different
Position Client Messages in Ways That Resonate,
Pique Healthcare Consumer and Physician
Interest, and Call People to Action
8. “Karen is a highly skilled marketing professional who
helped me jump start two organizations' marketing
programs[Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital and Spaulding
Rehabilitation Hospital], yielding increased patient volume
and customer satisfaction.
Karen is professional, creative and relates very well to
people. I could not have been more satisfied.”
-Judith Waterston
President and CEO
New England Sinai Hospital
9. “Karen is an engaging, talented marketing professional with
an ability to transform challenging marketing research
projects into valuable results that help move business
forward. Karen is fully committed to and delivers
excellence.”
-Anne Block
Director of Marketing
Community Hospital Corp.
10. “Healthcare Direction has provided market research for us
in the ad business, mining insights on client projects in the
fields of healthcare.
Karen Burris does what it says in her company’s name: She
obtains the kind of valuable direction from healthcare
consumers and physicians that lead to successful product
positioning and enlightened ad campaigns. Our clients are
consistently satisfied customers whenever Karen oversees
the research process, as are we.”
-Pete Northway, CEO
Core Advertising Group
11. To obtain additional information regarding
services offered by Healthcare Direction, or
to submit a request for a proposal, contact:
kburris@healthcaredirection.com
(214) 924-0927 (cell)
(972) 490-3521 (office)
(972) 490-3523 (fax)
Linkedin.com/profile.KarenBurris