Regular readers will be aware of my interest, if not to say obsession, with my attempts at putting across what I do for a living.  I’ve tried ‘market researcher’ and the images conveyed are of clipboards and streets and of being avoided even by people you know. 

I’ve toyed with the idea of ‘marketing research consultant’ but again I figure that would lose me more friends than I can afford and would still not really convey that I’m doing anything particularly special or interesting.

But now I have it and now I’m wondering about a change in business card and an update to my LinkedIn profile.  Because from now on, if anyone bothers to ask about my occupation, I’m going to stand tall and announce that I am… an artist.  Maybe I should explain.

This revelation came following some groups I was conducting last week.  I have to say that they did go rather well, to the point that the first thing a somewhat cynical observer did at the end of group one was to apologise to me for previously being a ‘non-believer’ in ‘focus groups’.

In fairness, this person had made it fairly clear prior to the group that he was already willing to dismiss anything that the group might say on the basis that this method might be ‘expensive’ but it wasn’t really going to tell us very much about how people really choose and buy certain products.

To say that I was somewhat proud of this person’s conversion following his observation of the first group would be something of an understatement.  But what followed from another observer who has seen my work before (note the artist referring to his ‘work’; I was tempted to use the word ‘canon’ but thought that might be pushing things slightly) led directly to this new reflection on my occupation.

“It’s quite an art, isn’t it?” he said, turning to the newly converted person to his left.  And the cynic agreed, looking down at his feet and wondering what to say next.

This exchange led me to ponder on previous compliments I have been paid over the years when clients have seen groups conducted in a way which has impressed them.  And many of these comments have revolved around the word ‘art’.  So this has included comments like, ‘that’s quite an art you have’, ‘there’s an art to how you did that’, ‘where did you learn that art’ etc.

So that is that, the pieces now fit together and perhaps I’ll stop being so obsessed with what to call myself.

‘Market researcher’ no more, ‘marketing research consultant’, never in a million years.  ‘An artist’, oh yes, bring it on.