London Calling: My First Quirk’s Event Adventure as Gen Z
London in May sounds great, especially when you have the chance to attend the vibrant Quirk’s Media Event. Personally, this event has been one of the greatest opportunities in my career as a young salesperson who joined the market research industry five months ago. This two-day event gathers client-side researchers and their vendor partners to exchange ideas and network on all aspects of market research. Yes, I immersed myself among industry leaders and, to be honest, I have a lot of key points and ideas to share with you.
Setting the Stage
Preparation, preparation, and more preparation. Should I have a written elevator pitch and learn it by heart? I’m not going to say no, but personally, I found that it’s not necessary (it may even be a ‘red flag’), especially because the communication flow will always be different and spontaneous. Being prepared in terms of knowing about the business and the event you are going to, and doing research about exhibitors and participants, will indeed be your strength.
For instance, I made a list of potential exhibitors I wanted to visit and connect with – some of them are existing clients of ours but greeting them still helps maintain a positive relationship in your business.
Fun note: At the very least, you can see their promotional material and grab additional notes, pencils, bottles, candy, and more. You could even have a full photoshoot, just like we did at the Fieldwork, Inc booth with Sarah Kotva. Isn’t the picture slaying it?
Pam Cusick, Senior Vice President at Rare Patient Voice
Embracing Growth and Overcoming Fears
Now you’ve arrived, and your feelings and thoughts are mixed. Don’t worry – at least, everyone speaks English, right? So, you’re safe. Speaking about the event, there is no need to be stressed out. As one of the youngest participants, I enjoyed every opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with industry leaders. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a little fear present, but the respect and open-mindedness of everyone helped me feel comfortable speaking. Here’s a shoutout to my colleague Pam Cusick, Senior Vice President at Rare Patient Voice, who mentored me and encouraged me to be actively present and contribute to the team.
Rare Patient Voice Team
Exchanging Ideas
Remember that everyone has the same mindset to talk and listen. So next time, if you overthink about how you will approach someone, there’s no need. You will exchange your contact details and talk while you’re in the queue for your latte – which will keep your energy up. This is how I met Julia Polakova from Q2Q Global after she warmly provided me with support in my new role. I wish there were more people like Julia.
Meeting Julia Polakova from Q2Q Global
Networking Is the Key
One of the main goals of The Quirk’s Event is to create space for networking. Here’s what I learned: be an active listener and ask the right questions. It may be challenging if you’re new, but trust me, no one will judge you for double-checking.
I highly recommend keeping in mind Aristotle’s quote:
“When you ask a dumb question, you get a smart answer.”
It will encourage you to ask anything you need to clarify and confirm. Especially during the Quirk’s Event, where you will meet leaders from different sectors of market research. We are focused on healthcare, but I also learned about Virtual Reality in MR, different Consulting Agencies, Customer Relationship Management, and so on
Quirk’s Happy Hour
The Year of AI and Technology:
It’s not surprising that most of the topic sessions were interconnected with AI and its utilization in business. As I said, AI is a catchy topic, and I learned – or perhaps better to say I confirmed – that many technological advancements in market research have positively shaped the industry. AI increases efficiency for sure and is a good assistant, but I believe it will never replace the work, inspiration, creativity, and uniqueness of highly skilled professionals.
However, you will also have opportunities to attend sessions on different topics such as Data Privacy, Innovation, Sales, and many others. I attended the session: “How to Market Market Research: The Art of Selling Insights to Marketers,” provided by Samsung and their research partner Redblue. I learned about the importance of engaging with stakeholders and others.
Session: “How to Market Market Research: The Art of Selling Insights to Marketers”
Speaking of technology, what I liked about Quirk’s was that the organizers implemented smart badges, which allowed attendees to instantly transfer digital business cards to each other. Gen Z liked this. Well, Quirk’s, you nailed it.
Continuing the Journey with Rare Patient Voice:
As I wrap up my reflections on the Quirk’s Event in London, I’d like to share more about my team at Rare Patient Voice and our exciting plans. While attending The Quirk’s event, we had the opportunity to reconnect with some of our existing clients and partners, as well as to connect with new ones. However, we also recognized the need to emphasize our presence outside the USA.
For those reading this, if your team needs to connect with patients, please let us know how we can assist you. Our community includes over 140,000 patients and caregivers across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Speaking as the contact point for the EU market, I am pleased to share that you will see our team in September when Rare Patient Voice attends the ESOMAR Congress 2024 in Athens, Greece. There, you will have the opportunity to speak with our representatives and learn about our community who may fulfill your needs for future projects.
Mirza Mujdžić – Jojić, Business Development Associate – EU
Company: MR Tech Ops
Author: Mirza Mujdžić – Jojić