My dad worked in radio while I grew up, and in those days, they sent actual paper surveys to listeners to record what they were listening to and when.
And when a more digital solution arrived, what did they learn?
People had no idea what they were talking about.
What they recorded didn’t line up with what digital records say.
People don’t do what they say they will, or they remember their experiences inaccurately.
For marketers, this means being persistent and consistent with messaging, looking at behaviours, and not necessarily verbal or written feedback.
If 100 people say they will come to your event, expect 30 to arrive. If no one says they bought your product because of a massive billboard, they probably don’t attribute it as a strong reminder.
It’s not necessarily bad; it means you must use your intuition more than direct feedback.