A recent article in the b-to-b space bemoaned the dizzying pace of change in the Web 2.0 world. Just as marketers try (let alone get comfortable with) a new technology, technique or tool, another one comes out and catches fire. Among the mind-boggling technologies are micro-blogging tools, personal aggregation sites, do-it-yourself social network site builders, niche video distribution vehicles, vote-for-content sites and virtual 3D worlds. It is an unsettling time for mapping strategy or making long-term decisions. A fad mentality seems to be taking over, and nobody can say which tool, toy or technique is going to win…or survive. The key, the article says, is putting the customer first. What a novel idea! But seriously, thanks to the revolution in digital marketing, media and Web 2.0, market and customer research are making a comeback. Some would say it has always been important, and it has. But B-to-B marketers that once could get away with saying, “We know who are customers are, what they want and where to find them,” are discovering that things have changed. You have to dig deeper…into demographic data, emotional drivers, lifestyle choices and more. The old assumptions will only get you so far. In order to build marketing success, you must have a level of knowledge that only comes through research.