Having found a compromise or full agreement of both parties on the goals and scope of the study, you can focus on the technique of conducting the study. At the same time, a formal research plan is drawn up and the manager is informed of all steps being taken. A brief formal marketing research plan roughly includes:
1. Project name.
2. Description of the marketing problem.
3. Purpose and scope of the project.
4. Structure.
5. Sources of information and methodology.
6. Timing of the study and requirements for personnel.
7. Expenses for conducting the study. Marketing research often leads to a situation
when the conclusions play a positive role, in which case the situation can be indicated by the following range of additional questions and problems:
- there is not enough information to make a marketing decision;
- after evaluating alternatives, it is not known which side to take;
- there is a conflict situation within the organization, for example regarding production policy, strategy or goals;
- something new is undertaken, for example in relation to production policy, strategy or goals;
- the symptoms of the problem are determined;
- something new is undertaken, for example, the price changes, new distribution channels are found, new packaging is invented, a new market segment is conquered.
A general view of the marketing research planning flowchart is shown in Fig. 3.3.
Until now, in the Russian market, most companies turn to the services of specialists in the field of marketing research mainly at the market penetration phase, that is, at the stage of creating a company. In this case, as a rule, the following goals are set:
- identify a promising and profitable sales market;
- get a comparative analysis of competitors' prices. This can probably be explained by insufficient saturation
Russian market with goods, thanks to which almost any product finds its buyer here.
However, this cannot continue for long. Buyers will become more discerning, companies will have to focus not on the faceless mass of consumers, but on certain groups of the population. This will primarily affect those areas of the market where companies face real competition. In such conditions, any company sooner or later finds itself in one of the listed situations, which, of course, does not exhaust the entire range of issues. Therefore, a timely decision to conduct marketing research allows the company to avoid unnecessary costs of independently searching for an effective strategy.
The marketing research plan determines the course of work necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the research. The plan specifies methods for collecting information, sample characteristics, specific research instruments, and schedules.
A distinctive feature of a good marketing research plan is the maximum validity of each move indicated in it. Before describing specific steps, we always ask ourselves a few questions:
What is the main problem addressed by this study?
What is the best way to measure the characteristics being studied?
Which sample will allow us to obtain the most reliable data?
Depending on the answers to these questions, we select the most adequate type of research (exploratory, descriptive, cause-and-effect), a suitable scaling method (comparative, non-comparative), and also draw up a sample that represents the properties of the general population.
Accuracy of formulations, validity of each chosen method, adherence to a strict sequence of work - these are necessary requirements, which Research SM specialists put forward to the marketing research plan.
Marketing research covers a large number of a variety of actions, including:
- * study of business activity trends;
- * study of sales strategy options;
- * analysis of movements and sales results;
- * study of competitors' offers;
- * short-term forecasting of sales and business activity;
- * long-term forecasting of sales and business activity;
- * research of reaction to new products;
Conducting marketing research is preceded by drawing up a plan, which includes the following sections corresponding to the stages of the research.
- 1. Formulation of the task of marketing research: the formulation involves identifying potential consumers (customers), goods (objects) in various regions within the country, clarifying the prospects for bidding for the issuance of an order, identifying the main competitors, the parameters of the objects they offer and the production processes used, as well as their pricing policy.
- 2. Collection of internal secondary information: reporting documents, business correspondence and computer databases provided by the organization entrusted with carrying out this marketing research in its own interests are studied. Requests and proposals on the subject of the object and the circle of interested organizations are highlighted. The available financial information is analyzed based on the results of work on objects similar to the one under consideration, on the timing and cost of the main stages, the conditions and results of attracting subcontractors and co-contractors, and on the prices of materials and components. Surveys and informal conversations with employees are conducted, the results of which are organized and documented.
- 3. Collection and analysis of external secondary information: external information is collected from sources such as commercial databases, periodical specialized information publications of various government and commercial structures, advertising collections, catalogs and price lists, materials of exhibitions and symposiums, etc. The accuracy of the information is checked for the sake of whereby direct contacts are established, commercial requests and proposals are made, during which information is also generated on the possible limits of the pricing policy.
- 4. Obtaining primary information: begins the decision on the need to generate data specifically designed for the tasks of a particular study, which can be carried out by survey or observation methods.
Standard design research consists of 8 stages:
Determining the objectives of the study.
Collection of existing information.
Selecting methods and developing research questions, hypotheses, and sampling.
Development of research questions and instrument.
Pre-test of the tool.
Conducting research.
Selection of analysis methods.
Description of the results and shortcomings of the study.
Compliance with all stages of the study allows you to increase the reliability of the results and minimize errors in conclusions and calculations.
Case study
Let's consider an example when a company plans to hold a promotion in Moscow to stimulate sales. In order to properly plan the action, we need to have some information. To simplify the example, we will consider only the main aspects.
Who should the promotion be aimed at?
Where should the promotion be held, at points of sale or in other places?
What motivates buyers the most?
So, in order to answer these questions, we just need to do a little research. Let's develop a research structure:
Setting goals:
1. Who should the promotion be aimed at:
We determine the demographic profile of the buyer by age, gender and family income;
We determine the share of buyer groups in the total volume.
2. Where the promotion should be held, at the point of sale or in other places:
We determine the behavioral characteristics of buyers, namely, where (in the store or before coming to the store) the buyer makes a purchase decision.
3. What stimulates buyers most:
We determine the orientation of buyers towards price, quality or additional value.
Existing Information
There is no information available for this product.
Research method, sample and research questions
The research method is a survey with a sample of 500 people in Moscow using Convenient Sampling Technique (sampling method). The survey is conducted in 10 priority sales locations with the help of in-house consultants.
Research Questions:
RQ1: There is a relationship between demographic variables.
RQ2: As demographic variables change, the purchasing decision process of consumers changes.
RQ3: As demographic variables change, consumer orientation changes.
Development of research questions and instrument
The research tool is a questionnaire that identifies the following parameters: age, gender, family income, making a decision to purchase a given product before coming to a store or in a store, customer orientation towards price, quality or additional value. All questions are developed on the basis of a nominal scale (Nominal Scale).
Tool pre-test
After compiling the questionnaire, a pre-test is conducted with a sample of 20 respondents to identify shortcomings of the instrument. To do this, respondents who are part of the target audience are asked to fill out a questionnaire and, if questions arise, enter these comments in special fields. Based on these comments, a subsequent instrument is compiled, taking into account all the shortcomings of the previous questionnaire. This is a necessary process to minimize errors when respondents fill out the questionnaire.
Conducting research
Instructions, plans and methods for monitoring the survey are being developed.
Selection of analysis methods
The obtained data are analyzed using SPSS 10 computer software. This study is not comprehensive, and to obtain the results, a cross tabs is used for all study variables and significance testing is carried out (Significance Testing).
Description of the results and limitations of the study
A report on the study is prepared describing the results obtained, answers to the research questions and indicating the difficulties in conducting this study. Knowing the limitations of a study allows you to plan more effective studies in the future.
After conducting the research, we get approximately the following picture:
Target audience of the product. Let us assume that, as a result of the study, the largest share (70%) belongs to the group of buyers aged 21 to 30 years with a monthly income of 500 USD. These are mostly men (85%). The second most important group is men (60%) aged 31-40 years (25%) with an income of 1000 USD. per month.
Making a purchasing decision. In the first group, 60% of buyers decide to purchase a product in a store, and in the second group - 90%. We also found that as income increases, the percentage of shoppers making in-store purchasing decisions increases significantly.
Customer targeting. The results of the study show that in the first group of buyers 50% are focused on price, 20% on quality and 30% on the additional value of the product, and in the second group 60% are focused on quality, 35% on additional value and only 5% - on the price.
The data from this study shows that it is necessary to carry out promotions at the point of sale of the product. The most effective promotion is one aimed at the first group of buyers. In this example, the most effective action there will be one that encourages buyers to make a subsequent purchase by providing price discounts. In addition, the results of the study will be sufficient to draw up a financial forecast of the return on the campaign.
The considered example allows us to verify the feasibility of conducting the study and the comparative simplicity and accessibility of the analysis itself. In this case, any company can conduct such research on its own without the involvement of third-party experts.
When deciding more complex tasks, such as forecasting and calculating advertising effectiveness, choosing a competitive strategy, branding, etc., the process of collecting information becomes more complicated. In this case, expert help is needed. However, it is always worth remembering that in order to save money and time, it is necessary to clearly understand the goals of the research and be sure that the experts also understand these goals.
Marketing Research Document Outline
The relevance of this topic of work is due to the fact that the development of market relations and the objective need to integrate the Ukrainian economy into the world economy require fundamental changes in the system of organizing the activities of business entities. The market activity of any enterprise cannot be effective without it being clearly balanced. marketing strategy as the main factor in ensuring effective management. An important direction in solving this problem is clear and targeted marketing research.
On given time many manufacturing enterprises have many problems on the way to development and survival. The most important of these problems is ensuring sales, the competitiveness of the goods that are produced, the search for new markets and market segments in which the enterprise has the opportunity to expand sales volumes and receive high profits, and improving management in general. The difficulty of achieving these goals for the domestic manufacturing enterprise is increasing due to the fact that foreign manufacturers, powerful international corporations are entering the Ukrainian market, they have large financial resources, many years of experience in developing and improving their products, production technologies and equipment, and most importantly, they have experience in marketing activities for decades different markets and different countries, established marketing methods and qualified marketing personnel, knowledge regarding the market reaction to a variety of marketing techniques. The second obstacle that an enterprise faces when solving this problem is main problem- this is the low purchasing power of the population of Ukraine, which causes limited capacity domestic markets and low profitability of most of them; This obstacle makes the search for solvent segments in the Russian market with the help of marketing and making management decisions based on marketing information the most important activity of a modern enterprise.
One of the potentially attractive ways to expand sales markets and the range of products that are produced is the export of goods, both to developed countries and to countries that are developing. The importance of marketing in this case increases many times over, since foreign markets have long been divided and have their own specifics.
The only way to overcome these obstacles to achieve the main goal of Ukrainian enterprises is to expand sales markets, improve management, subordinate all enterprise activities to the principles of marketing and make all management decisions based on marketing information and marketing research.
The degree of development of this topic in domestic and foreign literature by researchers is quite significant. In foreign research - since the basis of the economy of foreign countries is the market and the main guarantee of the successful operation of an enterprise is the satisfaction of consumer needs, which is provided by such a science as marketing.
IN Russian literature behind last years A fairly wide selection of marketing research has emerged, but most of it has been translated from foreign literature and reflect the market experience of foreign economies. The economy of Ukraine has its own specifics and the development of marketing methodology for enterprises requires significant further research.
The period of transition to market relations, that is, its inclusion as a subsystem in the market, necessitates the creation of a marketing system in the appropriate production and economic structures. Due to this, modern concept management of an enterprise is that all its activities (scientific and technical, production, sales, maintenance etc.) is based on knowledge of consumer demand and its changes in the future. In other words, the marketing system assumes the production of products and types of services in the volume of full sales and thereby makes the production of products (services) functionally dependent on demand. It follows that, of course, it will find sales, and not try to impose on the buyer products that have not previously been agreed with the market. Therefore, the marketing service created in enterprises should be a think tank, a source of information and recommendations not only for market, but also for production, scientific, technical, and financial policies of the enterprise.
Marketing, as F. Kotler writes, is both a business philosophy and an action-oriented process. Marketing identifies and satisfies human and social needs. Marketing as an active process performs a number of tasks necessary for the normal functioning of a market economy. Marketing is a historically specific phenomenon that originated at a certain stage in the development of market relations. Moreover, it is marketing that fundamentally changes traditional business activity, directing it towards satisfying customer needs that is profitable for the company.
Marketing is based on the coordination of activities and needs of producing and consuming market entities.
The term “marketing” (from the English “market” - market) appeared in the economic literature of the United States at the beginning of the 19th century. The term “marketing” is used not only in English, but also in many other languages. The diversity of marketing activities and differences in approaches to marketing research have given rise to a multiplicity of definitions of this concept. There are currently about 200 definitions of marketing in the world literature. One of the shortest definitions of marketing is satisfying people's needs in a profitable way for a company. However, behind this short definition are hidden various types of activities, skills, technologies, which in different periods of development of marketing became decisive for revealing its essence.
“Marketing,” says the American economist T. Levitt, “is something more than just pushing goods and services onto the market. With the help of sales, they try to make the buyer want what the company can offer him. This is a direct sales task.
Marketing activities are more diverse. With the help of marketing, they force the company to do what the buyer wants. Thus, sales in in a broad sense there is a one-way process - its goal is to offer a product that, in the opinion of the company, the buyer should purchase. Marketing is a two-way process that provides the company with information about the desires of the buyer so that the company can develop and offer him the necessary goods and services. At the same time, the company must, of course, perform its other functions: setting prices, packaging, servicing, advertising and delivering goods.”
A number of researchers see marketing as a social process. F. Kotler expresses the essence of marketing as a social process in the following definition: “Marketing is a social process aimed at satisfying the needs and requirements of individuals and groups through the creation and offering of valuable goods and services and the exchange of them with other people.”
The starting premises of the supporters of this approach are that not only the seller and the buyer enter into interactions, but also large and small social groups. Therefore, marketing is a system that allows you to build communications with the environment. Proponents of this approach see marketing as a social process, noting that its functions are to ensure high living standards.
Also, marketing is a market, which is a system of organizing and managing all aspects of the active activity of an enterprise, which is based on the principle of organizing the production of such goods that can be sold profitably on the market, influencing the consumer, arousing his interest in the product and stimulating the desire to make a purchase . Customer focus is the essence of modern marketing. The most important goals of marketing are active control over the market and prices, maintaining an active pricing policy, identifying consumer demand and focusing production on it, developing, producing and selling products for which the buyer is in demand.
Marketing, as a management function, is aimed at solving the following management tasks:
Justification of the feasibility and necessity of producing this or other products (goods, services) by identifying existing or potential demand;
Organization of research and development activities to create and provide services that meet the needs of consumers;
Coordination and planning of production and financial activities of the enterprise;
Organization and improvement of the system and methods of marketing and sales of products;
Regulation and direction of all activities of the enterprise, including the current operational management of production, transportation, packaging, sales, advertising, technical and service maintenance, to expand and stimulate sales of products.
The use of marketing radically changes the concept of management in enterprises, where the fundamental principle is not general management production, but management of the production and economic activities of the enterprise for the development, production and sale of products (services) in accordance with market demand for it as a whole.
As a result of this, for example, in the field of determining the goals and objectives of the enterprise’s activities, its market, rather than production capabilities, become decisive, when general enterprises aimed at producing any product are linked to specific market requirements in order to extract into the process its implementation maximum profit. In these conditions, the role of the marketing service increases sharply, whose specialists should be at the beginning, and not at the end, of the production cycle.
First of all, an enterprise must form at least four services: marketing, which ensures market activities; production, ensuring the production of products or provision of services according to the recommendations of the marketing service; legal, which is responsible for legal support of relations with customers, suppliers, contractors, and the enterprise’s own personnel; headquarters, ensuring the normal functioning of the three main services and their interaction. Moreover, each enterprise must have its own structure, which is determined by the type of product (service), the scale of production and sales activities, the markets in which the enterprise operates, etc.
The practical application of marketing by enterprises contributes to the implementation of the most important socio-economic process to most fully satisfy the needs and demands of consumers. One of the most authoritative American marketers, D. McCattrick, expressed this feature of modern marketing as follows: “Marketing is the process of studying and forming consumer needs and assessments, and using all the resources and means of the company to satisfy them in order to make a profit and for special benefit consumer".
To establish real connections between the manufacturer and the market, it is first of all necessary to ensure that the organizational and managerial structure of the enterprise, each of its economic units, is focused on marketing rather than sales activities, which involves the creation of a marketing service and the organization of its work.
The marketing service of an enterprise is a division that operates on the basis of marketing principles and methods. The main tasks of the marketing service are a comprehensive study of the market, analysis of the situation, production, raw materials and commodity resources of the enterprise; market selection; development and implementation of marketing strategy and tactics; development marketing programs and ensuring their implementation; justification of recommendations for product quality management; development of a marketing mix (product, pricing, sales policy and demand generation and sales promotion policies) and ensuring its rational functioning.
The successful functioning of an enterprise's marketing service involves complex activities of an economic, monetary, financial, planning, technical, production, sales and research nature, which predetermines high requirements for the level of theoretical training of the personnel of this service.
In developed market economy There are many types of businesses, but none of them can do without a marketing service. Although economists highlight various ways to increase the efficiency of a company, the author focuses specifically on the marketing service, on how specialists in this department help the entrepreneur increase the efficiency, and therefore the profitability of the company.
First of all, marketers are engaged research work: research of the market, consumers, products, competitors. Some business directors underestimate and even ignore marketing research, which subsequently directly affects the financial well-being of the company. Although research is expensive, its role cannot be underestimated, because in the future it will only bring profit: an enterprise, especially a young one, will feel more confident in the new soil of an untapped market. With the help of research, you can choose the most optimal and profitable market, consumers, advertising method, etc., and thus marketing research increases the profitability of the enterprise.
The marketing policy of an enterprise is a logical continuation of research. Marketing accompanies a product throughout the process of creation, pricing, sales strategy and promotion.
Product marketing policy determines the optimal tools for influencing a new product, life cycle product, predicts obsolescence, which contributes to cost savings and increased efficiency.
Pricing policy helps determine true price goods, identify factors influencing price changes, develop a strategy for changing pricing. This tactic prevents the entrepreneur from making mistakes in determining the price, as well as from inflating it, which in both cases could lead to bankruptcy.
The product sales strategy influences the determination of the optimal distribution channel, its width and length, the choice of intermediary and supplier, the choice of sales method, the possibility of creating your own trading network, which has the best impact on cost savings, in market conditions when even the slightest mistake is punished by a competitor.
Without product promotion tactics (advertising, fairs, direct marketing, etc.) not a single company would survive. Now that the planet's population is growing, the number of both sellers and buyers is increasing, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for producers and consumers to find each other. It is to facilitate this task that promotion tactics serve.
Thus, by studying the various aspects that a company has to deal with, marketing helps save money on trial runs of products in previously ineffective areas. Although the company spends certain amounts on research, it then fully pays for itself. This reveals the role of marketing in an enterprise.
In modern conditions, making any marketing decision is possible only on the basis of collecting and analyzing information.
The company can collect some information constantly. For example, any enterprise has an internal reporting system, which receives information from internal sources of the enterprise: the production department prepares reports describing the goods, the time of their production and delivery; the sales department prepares reports on the work of sellers and consumer reactions to the product and other components of the marketing mix; accounting prepares financial statements and keeps records of sales, prices, costs and cash flows, etc. All this information is collected regularly and is always available to the head of the enterprise and managers, access to it is usually quite simple.
In modern supermarkets, with the help of modern computer systems, in a few seconds a manager can obtain information about the availability, price, packaging form, and shelf life of any of the goods sold. In addition, this data is available not only as of today, but also for any past period. With this information, supermarket employees can order new quantities of various items before they run out.
Enterprises can also collect external current information (about events occurring in the external environment of the enterprise) from newspapers, trade magazines, specialized publications, conversations with consumers, suppliers and colleagues.
Sometimes businesses need detailed information about a specific problem. Such data may not appear either in the internal reporting system or in the external current information system.
For example, a juice manufacturer wants to have information about how consumers will react to its new juice (carrot juice), which is planned to be released on sale next year.
Or a manufacturing plant confectionery wants to know which of the three new TV commercials in to a greater extent influenced the increase in demand for chocolate bars.
A women's clothing store may be interested in learning whether high school girls are aware of the store's annual Christmas specials.
In such situations, systems for regularly collecting information cannot provide the necessary information, and business leaders ask marketers to conduct special research.
The process of marketing research is not simple and includes several stages: defining the problem and purpose of the research, developing a research plan, collecting information, analyzing information and presenting the results.
Stage 1. Definition of the problem and purpose of the study.
This most important stage is often the most difficult in the entire research process. If a business manager simply tells a marketer, “Go and research the market,” he will likely be disappointed with the results later. After all, the market can be studied using hundreds of different parameters. If marketing research is expected to be useful, it must be directly related to the problem facing the enterprise and requiring a solution.
Unfortunately, very often managers cannot pinpoint the problem; They understand that something is wrong in the company's activities, but they do not know what exactly.
For example, the director of a large store mistakenly decides that a drop in sales is caused by bad advertising and orders a study of advertising policy. If research shows that advertising affects people in the right way and conveys the right message, the director will be puzzled. The real problem is that the store doesn't always deliver what it advertises.
Careful identification of the problem in this case would have avoided the unnecessary costs and wasted time caused by advertising research. It would lead to a study of the real problem - the reaction of consumers to the goods, service and prices of a given store.
Once the problem is precisely defined, it is necessary to formulate the purpose of the study. In general, the purpose of marketing research should be to solve the identified problem. Typical objectives of marketing research may be, for example: studying the characteristics of the market; measurements of market potential; finding out the reasons for poor sales of goods; studying competitors' products; determining how knowledgeable consumers are about a product; identifying consumer needs; analysis of the goods distribution system; evaluation of advertising effectiveness, etc.
Stage 2. Development of a research plan.
The second step in the marketing research procedure is to develop a plan for effectively collecting and analyzing information and presenting the results obtained. At this stage, the type of information required, sources and methods of obtaining it, research tools, as well as the method of sampling are determined.
Type of information collected. All marketing information can be divided into secondary and primary. Secondary information is data that has been collected and organized by someone before for something other than the purpose of a specific study, while primary information is data collected specifically for the research being conducted.
Researchers usually begin by collecting secondary data; they can usually be obtained faster and cheaper than primary ones.
A visit to the library and work with statistical collections published by the State Committee of Ukraine on Statistics can completely satisfy the enterprise’s need for some data, and for free.
Secondary data serves as the starting point of the study. Any marketing research should begin with the collection of secondary information. However, it often turns out that the necessary information may simply not be available, or that existing data may be out of date, inaccurate, incomplete or unreliable. In this case, the research will require much more money and time to search for primary data.
Research methods. The main methods of obtaining primary information are: observation, experiment, survey.
One of the simplest and cheapest research methods is observation. It provides information about actual consumer behavior obtained through personal observations and observations using various mechanical devices.
For example, researchers from an enterprise offering porridge to the market instant cooking Bystrov monitors in stores whether consumers read the instructions for preparing porridge when purchasing. The purpose of such observation is to determine whether consumers correctly understand the instructions placed on the packaging. A researcher can record observation data, or this can be done using a video camera.
Observation as a research method can be used to obtain information that people are unwilling or unable to provide. In some cases, observation may be the only possible way to collect the necessary information. However, there are things that cannot be determined by observation: feelings, attitudes, motives or behavior. Events that occur over a long period of time or, conversely, occur rarely, are difficult to observe. Therefore, marketers often use observation in combination with other information-gathering methods.
The experiment allows us to identify the reaction of potential consumers or other groups of people to certain factors or their changes. The purpose of the experiment is to find out whether a change in one of the factors (cause) will entail changes in the behavior of the object of study (effect).
So, to determine which of the three new commercials will have a greater impact on increasing the demand for chocolate bars, their manufacturer can broadcast different commercials with the same intensity in different cities on local television channels and study how demand will change in different cities.
And finally, the most universal and frequently used method of obtaining primary information is a survey. The main advantage of surveys is their flexibility. They can be used in a wide variety of situations to obtain different types of data. Surveys make it possible to obtain information faster and cheaper than in the case of observation and experiment.
However, there are also problems when conducting surveys. Sometimes people are unable to answer certain questions because they either do not remember how they did it or why, or they have never thought about it. In some cases, wanting to appear smarter or more knowledgeable, respondents answer questions to which they do not know the exact answers, or try to “help” the researcher by giving answers that they think he would like to hear. Finally, busy people do not always have time to take surveys or consider surveys to be an intrusion into their personal lives. A carefully planned survey can reduce these problems to a minimum.
The main ways of communicating with people when conducting surveys are: individual interview, group interview, mail survey, telephone interview.
An individual interview is a personal contact with the interviewee; When conducting it, the researcher can supplement the survey results with personal observations.
A group interview involves inviting 6-10 people for an informal conversation during which the researcher conducts a survey. The relaxed atmosphere and free communication between participants in a group discussion allow respondents to express their true thoughts and feelings, which are sometimes difficult to reveal during an individual interview.
A mail survey is a fairly simple and inexpensive means of establishing contact. The disadvantage is that the response rate from respondents is extremely low.
Telephone interview - the best way rapid collection of information. This method is cheap and convenient. The researcher has the opportunity to clarify questions that are unclear to the respondent. The response rate is usually higher than for a mail survey.
Another developing means of communication with people is the Internet. The list of questions in this case is located on websites. Due to the fact that most of the population of Ukraine does not use the Internet, this method of communication has not yet become widespread in our country.
Research tools. Having decided on research methods, it is necessary to select appropriate research tools. Marketers use two main types of research tools: mechanical devices (recording devices) and questionnaires.
Recording devices include voice recorders, photo and video cameras, and many others. When studying the impact of advertising messages on consumers, galvanometers are used (you've probably seen them in American films called “lie detectors”), which respond to the slightest amount of sweat, which indicates a change in emotional state. To determine the most profitable advertising location in printed publications They use a special device that records human eye movements. To compile the rating television programs use electronic devices that record programs watched on TV.
But the most common and at the same time very effective research tool is a questionnaire - a set of questions for the consumer. When developing a questionnaire, certain requirements are placed on the researcher; he must decide which questions need to be asked and in what order. And, of course, each question must be thoughtful and useful for the purpose of the study.
Marketing researchers distinguish two types of questions: closed and open.
Closed-ended questions already contain all possible answers, and respondents choose one or more of them. Replying to open question, a person must formulate the answer independently.
Sampling. Sampling plays an important role at the research design stage. The fact is that when conducting research it is very difficult to study all the people who are interested in the enterprise. In such cases, market research specialists usually draw conclusions about the entire population by studying a small part of it, which is called a sample. Such people are asked questions and then consider the answers received as typical for the entire population.
When selecting a sample, two questions need to be answered. The first is how many people need to be surveyed (sample size). The second is how the sample members should be selected. To do this, you can use the random sampling method. You can also select according to a certain criterion: place of residence, age, gender, etc. Selection can be based on the intuition of the researcher, who feels that these people will be good sources of information.
For example, a car salesman wants to know how satisfied his customers are with the cars they bought last year. There were 1,000 buyers, and interviewing them all is quite expensive, so the seller decides to interview only 50 people. He can select them at random or select only those 50 customers from last year who live closest to his car dealership.
Stage 3. Collection of information
The data collection stage is the most expensive stage of the entire market research process. The researcher must carefully ensure that everything happens in accordance with the research plan and solve problems that arise in a timely manner.
Stage 4. Analysis of information and presentation of the results obtained.
The researcher's goal is last stage marketing research - competently analyze the collected information and develop recommendations for making effective management decisions. The results of the analysis and recommendations are presented to the management of the enterprise.
IN modern development production marketing is considered as a leading management function, determining not only the market, but also the production policy of the enterprise. The goal of an integrated management system based on marketing principles is to ensure the solution of the tasks set by the enterprise (scientific, technical, production, commercial and sales) taking into account available resources (material, financial, human, etc.). Marketing, as a management system, and as a special activity in particular, should ensure:
· reliable, reliable information about the market, the structure and dynamics of needs and demand, tastes and desires of consumers, that is, information about the external conditions of the enterprise's functioning; · the creation of a product, a product range that meets market requirements, better than a competitor's product satisfies demand, solves the consumer's problem; · the necessary impact on the consumer, on demand, on the market, ensuring the maximum possible control over the scope of sales. Marketing, as a tool for increasing the validity of business decisions on various issues of production, scientific, technical, financial and sales policy, should occupy leading place in the enterprise management system. The basis for managing marketing activities at an enterprise includes: planning of marketing activities, organizational structure of the enterprise's marketing services and control of marketing activities. The current economic situation is forcing enterprises to start using marketing information when formulating production plans. Consistent implementation of the marketing planning methodology sets the conditions for the transition to marketing management principles. Thus, the marketing concept provides a new basis for in-house planning and forces us to rethink its existing practice, which was previously based on taking into account, mainly, the internal conditions of enterprise development. In a competitive, rapidly changing external environment, manufacturers are forced to formulate a production plan based on market conditions.
Marketing research is one of the most important aspects of marketing. Marketing research is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination and use of information to improve effectiveness and solve marketing problems. Systematic marketing research allows you to obtain information about controllable and uncontrollable environmental factors and interests various groups, which increases the efficiency of decisions made by marketers. Marketing research connects an enterprise with the external environment, allowing the enterprise, and especially marketing specialists, to navigate the market and develop effective marketing programs.
Marketing research can be classified depending on the nature of the research problem, i.e., to identify marketing problems and to solve them. Research to identify marketing problems focuses on market potential, image, market share, sales, business trends, market characteristics. Research to solve the problem is aimed at researching the product, price, promotion, distribution, consumer.
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Getting an example of marketing research is extremely important for beginners who are taking their first steps in this field. At the same time, it is worth understanding that marketing today is necessary in all areas of business; without conducting in-depth research, not a single self-respecting entrepreneur will open a new retail outlet or begin to engage in a new direction of entrepreneurial activity. Therefore, a marketer is one of the most in-demand professions today.
Why is marketing research carried out?
An example of marketing research will help you clearly understand how to successfully implement such projects. By and large, this is a special business research that helps to determine the current desires and preferences of consumers and predict their behavior in relation to a particular product. Marketing itself is one of the areas of applied sociology. This is a young branch of science that appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century.
First of all, such research is necessary for companies that want to enter the market with their product or service. Some leaders today neglect it. Because for all its effectiveness, this is a rather expensive method. But it’s better to pay in the beginning than to incur much greater losses over time due to the fact that the strategy you have defined for promoting your product turns out to be a losing one.
An example of marketing research allows you to get a complete and, most importantly, real situation on the market. This information is especially important for companies that are trying to start selling a new product or offering a service that no one else had before. This research will help you determine whether your business plan will be successful.
Marketing research using the example of an enterprise allows owners to clearly define the goals and objectives that need to be implemented. The study will answer the question of how effective the promotion of a product or service is; otherwise, you can always make adjustments and correct the situation if it develops in an undesirable direction.
If, for unknown reasons, your sales volume drops sharply, then it is necessary to conduct market research. You will get an example of how to get out of this situation when you read the results. You also cannot do without this method if you are new to the market. And also if you are going to offer the consumer a new, unique product.
Problem Definition
Marketing research consists of six main stages. All sociological companies and services that engage in similar activities have ready-made examples.
The first stage is defining the problem to be solved. After all, the correct answer you receive in the end largely depends on the correct question.
So, to accurately define the problem, you need to pay attention to the purpose of your research, the background information available, and how you will apply it.
Next, to define the problem and the assigned tasks, it is necessary to discuss it with specific managers, on whom the decisions made based on the results of the study will depend. Discuss this issue with experts in this field, conduct a secondary analysis of the data they provide. Qualitative research from focus groups familiar with the topic would also help.
Only after the final formulation of the problem can we begin to develop a detailed work plan.
Developing a plan
An example of marketing research involves detailed and step by step plan your actions throughout the work. First you need to formulate theoretical framework research, each participant must clearly understand his role, and what result they want to get from him specifically.
You cannot do without detailed analytical models, precise search questions and hypotheses, as well as factors that can have a significant impact on the final results.
An example of product marketing research at this stage involves discussion further actions with the management of the company that ordered your work, as well as with experts in this field. You should study the situation in detail, analyze secondary data, and prepare for qualitative research.
Let's start work
To begin productive work, you need to create a plan according to which your marketing research will be conducted. Ready-made examples will help guide novice marketers and will also be useful for experienced employees, as they will help save time. With their help, you will describe in detail the entire course of work that will be necessary to obtain information on the issue under study.
This plan will allow you to develop a step-by-step test of all emerging hypotheses, select optimal answers to control questions that will need to be asked during the survey process, and also decide what data will be needed to find the right solutions to the questions posed.
Also, the plan according to which marketing market research will be conducted (there is an example in this article) should include exploratory research, the definition of variables and the corresponding scales on which measurements will be carried out.
You should also indicate in your plan the ways in which you will collect information from respondents. This could be a survey or an experiment. Already at this stage it is necessary to start drawing up questions that will be included in the questionnaire, or details of the upcoming experiment.
To summarize all of the above, then marketing research using an enterprise as an example consists of the following phases - analysis of secondary information, then the research itself, collection of quantitative data (this includes surveys, experiments and third-party observations). This is followed by their careful processing, determination of scaling methods, and preparation of a question-by-question questionnaire. It is important to establish what the representative sample will be. Ultimately, data analysis needs to be done.
Working in the field
Data collection is one of essential components in order for the marketing research to be carried out successfully. Using the example given in this article, you can see that there is nothing overly complicated about this.
Work in the field is carried out by specially trained people. Their tasks include a personal interview with the interviewee. To do this, sociologists go door to door, call potential respondents by phone, and look for them in specialized places (for example, if this is a study of the book market, then in bookstores and used bookstores). A variant of computer-assisted interviewing is also common, when survey participants are asked to take a test on a website that interests them. Such tests are also sent by email.
In order to avoid errors and inaccuracies in the final results, it is important to conduct thorough training and preparation of employees who will be involved in the most important part - collecting information. Their main tool is a marketing research questionnaire. Every employee should have an example of a questionnaire.
Analysis of the information received
All successful businessmen use marketing research. Examples of companies that pay great attention sociology in entrepreneurship is countless. If you see a successful player on the market, you can be sure that he orders more than one study per year. Especially if he wants to develop.
So, after all the information has been collected from questionnaires or observations, you need to move on to editing them. And also encoding, decoding and, of course, checking field workers. To do this, a telephone survey is most often carried out with 5-10% of respondents who took part in a survey or experiment. Each questionnaire is checked, edited and corrected, if necessary. With no exceptions.
The test results are summarized and entered into the computer. In order to conduct an effective analysis and obtain accurate data, the method of statistical analysis is used. It is especially effective if there is only one indicator for measurement, or there are several of them, but in this case each of the variables is analyzed separately.
Otherwise, multivariate data analysis techniques are required.
Report and final presentation
In order to gather all the information together, you need a market research program. An example of such a product will help you get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Ultimately, a report is prepared for the customer. Typically in written and electronic form. The final report identifies answers to the questions posed at the beginning of the study, describes the work plan and the methods by which data were collected. The results are summed up and valuable conclusions are formed that should help businessmen in implementing their projects.
The conclusions you draw should be presented in a form that is easy to understand; it is recommended to use tables and graphs. All this contributes to the assimilation of the material.
Marketing Research Example
For clarity, let’s look at specific marketing research. Course work on the example of the feasibility of opening a store of original gifts in the city. First, let's formulate goals and objectives.
Based on the results of the study, we must inform the customer about the preferences of his potential buyers, as well as create a base on the basis of which it will be possible to make specific management decisions, thereby minimizing the level of uncertainty and errors at the project implementation stage.
In this case, it is necessary to include the following tasks in the marketing research plan. Example: Determining methods to carry out your research, collecting data in the field by everyone possible ways(personal interviewing, telephone survey, Internet survey), analysis of consumer motivations according to typologies, generalization of the information received, its presentation in the form of text, tables and graphs.
Now we determine the hypothesis of our research. IN modern world a large number of different holidays. It is customary to come to each of them with a gift. Often, guests simply give money instead, but increasingly this is considered a sign of vulgarity and bad taste. Encouraged only at weddings. If you are going to a birthday party, New Year, name day, baptism, Valentine's Day, International Women's Day or one of several dozen professional holidays, then you need an original gift. Therefore, we can assume that the trend towards finding useful and original things for family and friends will only continue.
However, in order for goods to sell out quickly and efficiently, it is necessary to understand which categories of people most often have difficulty choosing gifts for the holidays. And what holidays do people most often attend with original surprises? This will require market research. Services, an example of which potential buyers would like to see in such a store (after all, you can sell not only specific things, but also surfing, visiting a sauna, etc.).
As a result of the research, we will have specific scientific data that will help us draw up a correct and effective business plan.
Work plan
The main problem of our research is that the customer who wants to open an original gift shop in the city does not know which social groups, and, accordingly, categories of goods to target.
Now you need to decide on the target audience who will participate in surveys and come to focus groups. We will include the widest possible group of respondents in our work, limiting ourselves only to the lower age limit (16 years), because at this age, as a rule, free pocket money already appears that can be spent on gifts. After all, the store plans to specialize in surprises.
The number of respondents will be around 100 people. Moreover, half of them should be men, the second - women.
We will conduct a survey using the field research method. This is the most effective and easy-to-use way to get what you want in a strictly limited time frame and with the least financial losses. During the survey, all participants will receive a questionnaire consisting of 15 questions. You will only be able to select one answer option. This will allow you to obtain the most accurate and specific information about the problem being studied.
Now we need to decide on the financial and time costs that it will take us to implement this plan. This is necessary to orient the customer on the time of completion of the study and to plan their own work and the dates for which they can take on the next projects.
So, the supplies you will need are sheets of paper, pens and printer ink. Naturally, it is assumed that you already have all the necessary office equipment (computer, printer, etc. and are using it in the long term).
Now let's decide on the time. It will take about 3 hours to develop basic documentation, and at least 20 hours to conduct field research. Data analysis will require 2 hours. The final presentation of the received information in the form of graphs, tables and texts will take 4 hours. Thus, you will need 29 hours of working time or 4 working days to complete this project.
Main parameters of the study
In higher educational institutions Marketing research is one of the most in-demand jobs. A coursework, an example of which can be compiled based on the research described above, will help any student or marketer figure out how to conduct the first sociological survey in their life.
So, what parameters do we set in the questionnaire? First, we find out the gender and age of the interviewees. Among our respondents, 55% were women and 45% were men. By age, the most popular category is from 18 to 30 years. This means that we can expect that the overwhelming number of visitors will be young and sociable people who are actively making new acquaintances, if only due to insurmountable circumstances - entering a university, receiving new job, changing of the living place. Therefore they should be interested Original gifts- they need to prove themselves, make friends and acquaintances, perhaps romantic relationship. The assortment of this store should help in solving precisely these issues.
Now we find out about the marital status of the respondents. By and large, this data will not greatly affect the final results, because potential buyers for our store can be found in any of these categories.
Single men and women are looking for new relationships and a non-standard gift is one of the best ways to surprise and amaze a partner in order to leave the most positive impression of yourself.
Married couples have additional reasons to give gifts. This is the date of wedding, acquaintance, first kiss, declaration of love. All these small but important events do not imply any global gifts, but small pleasant and unexpected surprises, which the owners of this business should bet on.
And finally, married couples with children also come to our attention. After all, you want to please a child with a gift, sometimes without any reason. Again, this will not be some thing that a son or daughter dreams of all year (for this there will be a birthday or New Year), but a small but pleasant and unexpected present.
It is also important in our study to find out the occupation of the respondents, their average monthly earnings, and the amount they are willing to regularly spend on gifts. And also what holidays are customary to celebrate among them, to which ones they usually come with gifts.
All this will help to get a complete picture, which will allow you to choose the right store development strategy.
“Tools” in this case can be both people who are involved in conducting the research, and real tools - questionnaires, CCTV cameras, special programs, etc.
Sample
She, in turn, must answer three main questions: who (or what?) how? and why? For example, if we are talking about conducting a survey, then we need, based on a scientific approach, to determine who needs to be interviewed, what kind of respondents should be (there must be a clear set of characteristics) and, finally, why we use them at all. If an intelligible and reasoned answer is given to all these questions, then, in general, the sample will be correct. Of course, in addition to this, you need to decide how many people will participate in the survey, why this particular number and, finally, decide on a clear set of criteria by which respondents will be selected in general. And finally, you need to understand how to work with people - through personal communication, questionnaires, telephone surveys or other methods.
Event budget and timing
Strictly speaking, it is this stage that will determine the right to life of all previous
Some researchers divide this stage into several subsections:
- Data analysis
- Preparation of report and conclusions
- Making decisions
However, by and large, they are all the implementation of the plan. But let’s look at each of them in more detail:
- To the information collection stage are suitable even when all the previous points are clearly defined, and it is known for certain what type of information is generally needed. This point is extremely important, because the information must be as complete as possible, collected on the basis of all scientific requirements and algorithms, and, of course, be reliable.
- Data Analysis Stage in general, it also cannot be called secondary, because how competently specialists approach the systematization of information, how they work with it, what methods they use, depends on the result of the study. Even the best information can be analyzed incorrectly. There must be a systematic, scientifically based approach.
- Preparation of report and conclusions. Needless to say, a full account of how the research took place should be provided here. Mainly, this stage should answer all the questions that were asked at the very beginning of the study, and in addition, each stage of the study and the conclusions that can be drawn from it are described in detail.
- Decision stage- this is, as a rule, a set of recommendations, conclusions and proposals, a guide to action, these are the conclusions that follow from the study, the key to the problem that was posed at the beginning.