Marketing research is an exceptionally powerful applied tool. Proper conduct of such a study can radically improve the current situation of any business by providing a full information and analytical base necessary for making effective management decisions.
The key value of marketing research lies in reducing the level of uncertainty in the process of making important strategic decisions . Below is a detailed discussion of the essence, classification and main objectives of marketing research.
What is marketing research? Definition
According to the generally accepted definition of the American Marketing Association, this term implies the following definition:
Marketing research is a systematic systematic search, collection, processing and subsequent interpretation of data related to all problems marketing activities organizations.
In fact, any marketing research is a process of extracting information. Information relevant to the research topic that is extracted, collected, and then analyzed. What kind of this information will be, how it will be collected, how it will be analyzed and interpreted - the answers to all these questions must be clearly formulated before the allocation of the budget and its direct development. Obviously, the economic effect of such a study should exceed the costs associated with its implementation. Otherwise, marketing research will be economically unprofitable for its initiator.
Marketing Research- this is a kind of function, the parameters of which are consumers, competitors, the market as a whole . These parameters determine the behavior of our function (company activity). The more accurately the dependence on the parameters under consideration is established, the clearer the management will be able to get to implement an effective marketing strategy and development in general.
In order to organize a competent marketing research, one should find, collect and analyze huge amounts of information . Achieving the unity of many disparate processes is achieved through the interdisciplinary nature of marketing research. When implementing marketing research, apparatuses and tools of many scientific disciplines are involved:
- statistics,
- psychology,
- mathematics,
- economy, etc.
The use of the above disciplines is aimed at a comprehensive and objective analysis of the issues under study. Accordingly, the main requirement for competent marketing research is the complex and systematic application of the technologies and tools used.
In the process of conducting marketing research of any type, after defining the problem, it is necessary to designate object and subject of research . For a simple understanding of the two basic concepts, it is enough to understand that the subject of any study is determined by the properties of the object. For example, a company may initiate market research to analyze the causes of a drop in demand for a product. Consumers can be considered as the object of research, and their behavior as the subject. The subject, thus, acts as a refinement of the object under study, providing a more detailed description of the data relevant to the previously defined research problem.
Why do you need to conduct marketing research?
Various hypotheses, ideas and intentions generated by managers, as well as problematic aspects of the organization's activities can act as reasons that encourage companies to conduct marketing research. The most powerful motivator is the emergence of a problem that requires an immediate solution.. For example, a sharp decline in sales, the emergence of a major competitor, a decrease in interest in the brand's products - all this can cause funds to be allocated for marketing research. In this case, marketing research is seen as a life-saving pill that can eliminate the problem and allow the business to develop further in a turbulent-free space.
Classification of marketing research
In general, all ongoing research can be divided into 3 large groups:
- reconnaissance,
- descriptive,
- casual.
Intelligence research . main goal conducting this kind of research is the search for information necessary for a more specific formulation of the problem in the case of a high level of uncertainty. The data collected from this intelligence is then used by managers to make better management decisions.
Descriptive studies aimed at describing the marketing situation in the studied niche, segment, market. The information obtained in this study can serve as a guide for further development or to identify problematic aspects of the marketing strategy being implemented.
Casual research reflect the substantiation of hypotheses and assumptions formulated before the start of the study. Simply put, casual research is a kind of practical test of theoretical assumptions.
- research method,
- purpose of the study,
- the nature of the information being collected.
According to the method of conducting marketing research, they are divided into field and office. Logic dictates this division: desk research analyzes secondary information. That is, it is kind of "desk studies" when information already collected by someone in advance is studied. In this case, work is performed with documents with a full range of methods of work used in this case (informative-targeted analysis, content analysis, etc.).
In the event that the information available to the researchers is not enough, it becomes necessary to collect new information and the researchers are sent "in field" looking for relevant information. The primary information obtained in this way is characterized by a high degree compliance with the original objectives.
The objectives of the study are closely intertwined with the general objectives of the use of marketing information. If earlier it was about exploratory, descriptive and casual studies, then in the case of categorization by the purpose of the study, they are all divided into:
- search,
- descriptive,
- analytical.
The essence and logic of the concepts remain the same as in the case of a more global categorization.
The nature of the information collected is the last sign by which it is customary to characterize all marketing research. With this approach, the key feature of separation is the description of the collected data. When it comes to research that should answer questions “how much?”, “to what extent?”, “to what extent?”, it is about quantitative indicators and, as a result, about quantitative research . If questions are at the forefront how?”, “why?”, “what?”, appropriate to talk about qualitative research.
Whatever method of collecting information for the implementation of the study is chosen, the main conditions necessary for the high quality of the results obtained are the following:
- the complexity of working with information,
- application of interdisciplinary tools and various technologies,
- objectivity of information
- the relevance of the analyzed information to the problems under consideration,
- professionalism of specialists carrying out research.
Every resident of Russia can be called a consumer. And the one who does not speak Russian is also a consumer, only then he is called spozhivach (Ukrainian), consumer (“consumer”, English), or verbraucher (Austrian German), or konsument (German), or something else. Every time we consume something, we make an impact on the socio-economic environment that is imperceptible to us.
By consuming, we influence sellers. Sellers, having made an act of sale, thereby influence distributors, who, in turn, influence producers, and those - on suppliers of raw materials. Each time such an imperceptible act of consumption leads to growing waves of influence that involve an increasing number of economic entities in continuous process…
Under conditions of totalitarian socialism or a monarchy, this process is strictly regulated from above. In a liberal (or, in our case, rather “slightly more liberal”) economy, this process is “driven by the market.”
Each participant in the process has an alternative - what to consume. When choosing from at least two proposals, we must be guided by some criteria. Often these are quite specific criteria, for example, price. Sometimes they are harder to catch (for example, preference trademarks), in other cases it may be the need to satisfy some deep needs (for example, the unmet need to feel power over other people may result in the purchase of a sports car).
Just in order to feel good in the market, rules of conduct were invented, which were named in the American manner marketing. Such rules (which, upon closer examination, turn out to be not so simple) allow any Russian company compete with global giants such as Procter & Gamble. Yes, they brought together leading specialists in the marketing department. Yes they pay good wages. But not everything is so sad, because there is such a word as "marketing".
Marketing is your guide to the market game. Anyone who has mastered marketing can, if not defeat the international monsters, then at least grab a piece of his pie.
Nevertheless, our goal is not to teach you marketing techniques, but to help you in such an important matter as market research, the results of which are the information base for marketing activities. You can learn more about this service by going now to the services section of our call center -.
Market Research
For any company striving for success, marketing research acts as the beginning and logical conclusion of any cycle of its marketing activities. Market research greatly reduces the uncertainty in making important decisions. marketing solutions, which allows you to effectively distribute the economic potential to achieve new heights in business!
Marketing research, the study of the external and internal environment and its regular monitoring for any enterprise is an important element of the strategy for successful development in the conditions market economy. The role of research increases many times in the conditions of the unformed market segment or with the uncertainty of a new business.
Whether you decide to introduce a completely new product to the market or enter a new market with an existing one, you will face the problem of a lack of information about market conditions and other necessary ingredients for a successful market entry. Does the market need your product, and if so, in what volume?
Most likely, you have a certain vision of the market. But perhaps this is not enough to choose the right strategy. It is in this situation that our specialists will help you to study the market in detail and develop a competitive marketing concept.
As a first step, it is necessary, which will allow you to solve, both in combination and separately, the following tasks:
- Determine the real and potential market capacity. Studying the market capacity will help you correctly assess your chances and prospects in this market and avoid unjustified risks and losses;
- Calculate or predict your market share. The share is already a reality, and it is quite possible to build on it, forming future plans, and then increase it in the future. Market share is an important indicator of your company's success;
- Analyze the behavior of your customers (demand analysis). This analysis will assess the degree of consumer loyalty to the product and the company, answer the question: “Who buys and why?” And, therefore, it will help to set competitive prices for products, make changes to the product itself, optimize promotion channels and advertising strategy, organize effective sales, that is, adjust all components of the marketing mix;
- Conduct an analysis of the main competitors (offer analysis). Knowledge of competitors' products and marketing policies is necessary to better target the market and adjust your individual pricing and promotion policies to ensure your competitive success;
- Analyze distribution channels. That will allow you to determine the most effective of them and form a ready-made chain of optimal movement of the product to the end consumer.
Carrying out marketing research
- this is the collection, processing and analysis of data on the market, competitors, consumers, prices, the internal potential of the enterprise in order to reduce the uncertainty associated with making marketing decisions. The result of marketing research are specific developments that are used in the selection and implementation of the strategy, as well as the marketing activities of the enterprise.
As practice shows, without market research it is impossible to systematically collect, analyze, and compare all the information necessary for making important decisions related to market activity, market selection, determining sales volumes, forecasting and planning market activities.
The objects of market research are the trend and process of market development, including an analysis of changes in economic, scientific, technical, legislative and other factors, as well as the structure and geography of the market, its capacity, sales dynamics, market barriers, the state of competition, the current situation, opportunities and risks. .
The main results of the market research are:
- Forecasts of its development, assessment of market trends, identification of key success factors;
- Determination of the most effective ways of conducting a competitive policy in the market and the possibility of entering new markets;
- Implementation of market segmentation.
Marketing research can be directed to various objects and pursue different goals. Let's look into this in more detail.
Tasks of marketing research
Qualitative research is carried out to solve the following problems:
- Market analysis;
- Consumer analysis;
- Analysis of competitors;
- Promotion analysis;
- Testing advertising concepts;
- Testing advertising materials (layouts);
- Testing the marketing complex of the brand (packaging, name, price, quality).
Marketing research of consumers
Consumer research allows you to identify and explore the full range of incentive factors that guide consumers when choosing goods (income, education, social positions etc.) The subject of the study is the motivation of consumer behavior and the factors determining it, the structure of consumption, the provision of goods, and trends in consumer demand are being studied.
The purpose of consumer research is consumer segmentation, selection of target segments.
Competitor Research
The main task of competitor research is to obtain the necessary data to provide a specific advantage in the market, as well as to find ways of cooperation and cooperation with possible competitors.
For this purpose, strengths and weak sides competitors, the market share occupied by them, the reaction of consumers to the marketing means of competitors, and the organization of business management are studied.
Exploring Potential Intermediaries
In order to obtain information about possible intermediaries through which the company will be able to be present in the selected markets, a study of the company's market structure is carried out.
In addition to intermediaries, the enterprise must have an idea about transport, forwarding, advertising, insurance, financial and other organizations, creating a set of marketing infrastructure for the market.
Research of the product and its values
The main purpose of product research is to determine whether the technical economic indicators and the quality of goods by the requests and requirements of consumers, as well as an analysis of their competitiveness.
Product research allows you to get the most complete and valuable information from the point of view of consumers about the consumer parameters of the product, as well as data for the formation of the most successful arguments for an advertising campaign, the choice of the most suitable intermediaries.
Objects of product research: properties of analogue products and competitors' products, consumer reaction to new products, product range, level of service, prospective requirements of consumers
The results of the research enable the company to develop its own range of products in accordance with the requirements of customers, increase their competitiveness, develop new products, develop form style, determine the ability of patent protection.
Marketing price analysis
Price research is aimed at determining such a level and price ratio that allows you to get highest profit at the lowest cost.
The objects of study are the costs of development, production and marketing of goods, the degree of influence of competition, the behavior and reaction of consumers to prices. As a result of the conducted studies of the goods on prices, the most effective ratios of "cost-price" and "price-profit" are selected.
Merchandising and sales research
The study of product distribution and sales aims to determine the most effective ways, methods and means of quickly bringing the product to the consumer and its implementation. The objects of study are trading channels, intermediaries, sellers, forms and methods of sale, distribution costs.
It also analyzes the forms and features of the activities of various types of wholesale and retail strengths and weaknesses are identified. This allows you to determine the possibility of increasing the turnover of the enterprise, optimize inventory, develop criteria for choosing effective channels of product distribution.
Study of sales promotion systems
The study of the sales promotion system is one of the important areas of marketing research. The objects of research are: the behavior of suppliers, intermediaries, buyers, the effectiveness of advertising, the attitude of the consumer community, contacts with buyers. The result of the study makes it possible to develop a policy of "public relations", to determine the methods of forming the demand of the population, to increase the efficiency of commutative communications, including advertising.
Research of advertising activity
Stimulating the promotion of goods on the market concerns not only advertising, but also other aspects of the company's sales policy, in particular, research on the effectiveness of competitions, discounts, premiums and other benefits that can be applied by the company in their interaction with buyers, suppliers, intermediaries.
Research of the internal environment of enterprises
Studies of the internal environment of the enterprise aim to determine the real level of competitiveness of the enterprise as a result of comparing the relevant factors of the external and internal environment.
Marketing research can also be defined as the systematic collection, recording and analysis of data on marketing and marketing issues in order to improve the quality of decision-making and control procedures in the marketing environment.
Goals of marketing research
The objectives of marketing research can be divided as follows
- Search targets- collection of information for a preliminary assessment of the problem and its structuring;
- Descriptive purposes- description of the selected phenomena, objects of study and factors influencing their state;
- Causal goals- testing the hypothesis about the presence of some causal relationship;
- Test Goals- selection of promising options or assessment of the correctness of the decisions made;
- Forecast goals- predicting the state of the object in the future.
The principal feature of marketing research, which distinguishes it from the collection and analysis of internal and external current information, is its targeted focus on solving a specific problem or a set of marketing problems.
Each company independently determines the subject and scope of marketing research based on its capabilities and needs for marketing information, so the types of marketing research conducted by different companies may be different.
Basic concepts and directions, experience in conducting marketing research
Previously, it was emphasized that marketing research- this is scientific analysis all factors influencing the marketing of goods and services. It follows that the scope of this function is practically unlimited, and therefore we will consider only those types of research that are most often encountered in practice.
Essentially, the goal of marketing research is to answer five basic questions: who? what? when? where? and as? Related question: why?- expands the study to contact with the field of social psychology and sometimes stands out in an independent area known as motivational analysis (motivation research), i.e., the study of the motives of consumer behavior.
Ways to organize marketing research
Marketing research can be organized and conducted either through a specialized research agency or through the firm's own research department.
Organization of research with the help of our own research department
Own research department is engaged in marketing research in accordance with the information needs of the company.
Organization of research with the help of a specialized research agency
Specialized research agencies carry out a variety of studies, the results of which can help the company solve existing problems.
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Marketing Research Department
Judging by how often one hears the statement that competition in business is becoming more and more intense, one would assume that most firms probably have marketing research departments. In fact, very few firms have such departments. The most recent data is hard to come by, but it is known that in a survey conducted by the British Institute of Management, only 40% of the responses were received from 265 companies surveyed (in all likelihood, because most firms did not have research departments).
However, it would be a mistake to assume that this fact means the same low level of use of the research results, since a significant part of the work on marketing research is carried out by specialized organizations. In addition, in many companies, marketing research departments often go by different names, such as “Department economic information" etc.
The decision to create your own marketing research department depends on an assessment of the role that it can play further in the activities of the company as a whole. Such an assessment is mainly qualitative and varies from firm to firm, which makes it difficult to establish precise criteria. For our purposes, it suffices to assume that the decision to create such structural unit accepted and attention is focused on those issues that should be taken into account in this case.
They can be grouped as follows:
- The role and functions of the marketing research department;
- Position in the organizational structure of the company;
- The role and functions of the department manager.
Role and Functions of the Marketing Research Department
Considering the above list of types of research related to marketing, it is obvious that a very large department would be required to cover all the areas mentioned.
When a firm undertakes this kind of work for the first time, it is strongly advised to create a list of tasks, ranking them in order of importance, and limit yourself to trying to achieve the most important ones first. This does not mean that other studies should not be carried out at all, since setting too rigid demarcation lines between tasks can only lead to an inflexible approach and to the fact that auxiliary studies that complement the main ones are abandoned.
Too often, firms make the mistake of making a newly created marketing research department responsible for maintaining the company's accounting records. Transferring this function to him inevitably generates friction and reduces the efficiency of the company, since, on the one hand, this slows down the work of departments that need reporting data for their current activities, for example, the sales department, and on the other hand, it distracts the marketing research department from its main function - research.
In cases where the creation of a specialized research department is preceded by extensive data collection and reporting, it is better if other departments retain this function, providing information they have as needed. To avoid both duplication and dissipation of effort, the responsibilities of each department should be clearly defined, and only those reports that are essential to in-house research activities should be required from the marketing research department.
Place for marketing research in the organizational structure of the firm
The location of the marketing research department within a firm largely depends on its organizational structure. As a rule, he should have a direct relationship with the managing director, since this department performs an advisory function and in many cases provides the chief administrator with the initial data on which the general policy of the company is based (as opposed to operational decisions).
AT large organizations where executive directors head functional divisions, the chief marketing officer may be given responsibility for setting the direction of the research department and for deciding what reports should be presented to the head of the firm.
Even in this case, it is advisable to provide a direct link between the managing director and the research department, in order, on the one hand, to ensure that reports that criticize this or that aspect of the company's activities will be heard by the head of the company in order to avoid deterioration of relations between the director of marketing and directors responsible for other divisions.
In addition, it is the managing director who deals with the effectiveness of the company as a whole and. therefore, it is better than other managers to assess the significance of research results for a particular department.
Some authors believe that the manager of the marketing research department should have the same status as the heads of the main operational structural units, but this is not true in view of the usually existing differences in the size of departments and the level of responsibility. Provided that the manager has access to the board of directors, his status should be directly determined by the importance that the department has within the organization as a whole.
Role and Functions of the Marketing Research Manager
The nature of the job of the manager of the marketing research department depends on the size and function of the department, as well as on the degree of control and leadership from above. At the same time, in any case, the manager must be a person competent in his field and have personal integrity and honesty.
Competence implies not only experience and knowledge in the field of marketing and methods of its analysis, but also the ability to turn management problems into real ones. research projects carried out taking into account time and financial constraints.
The requirement of personal integrity and honesty means that the manager of the marketing research department must interpret the results of the analyzes carried out objectively, in accordance with generally accepted principles of scientific research. “Statistics in the service of lies” - such a situation can only exist when unscrupulous people use facts fabricated through subjective selection, manipulation and deliberate presentation to prove baseless conclusions, i.e., as the researchers say, “looking for data” .
The manager must meet not only the basic requirements mentioned above, but, in addition, have the qualities that are necessary for all leadership positions, namely: to have the ability to administrative work, to be able to understand the behavior of people and be able to effectively influence them.
Planning and conducting marketing research
Marketing Research Process
Marketing research can be divided into two main categories: permanent and episodic. Marketing is a continuous process taking place in constantly changing conditions. Therefore, systematic research is essential if a firm is to remain aware of changes in the underlying determinants of demand and be able to modify its policies accordingly. Extensive information of this type is collected by specialized organizations and government departments, but this information is often too generalized and may not meet the specific requirements of an individual firm. As a result, it has to be supplemented by research conducted by the firm itself.
In addition, many marketing situations are so peculiar (for example, launching a new product on the market) that they require special studies.
Such studies are carried out certain scheme, consisting of the following steps:
- Justification of the need for the study;
- Analysis of the factors that determine this need, i.e. the formulation of the problem;
- Exact formulation of the purpose of the study;
- Drawing up a plan for an experiment or survey based on the analysis provided for in paragraph 2;
- Data collection;
- Systematization and analysis of data;
- Interpretation of results, formulation of conclusions, recommendations;
- Preparation and submission of a report containing the results of the study;
- Evaluation of the results of actions taken based on the findings of the researchers, i.e.
- Establishing feedback.
It is obvious that constant research is built according to the same scheme as at the beginning, however, in the future, the first four stages disappear.
Marketing research methods
The first task of choosing methods for conducting marketing research is to familiarize yourself with the individual methods that can be used in the collection and analysis of marketing information.
Then, taking into account the resource capabilities of the organization, the most appropriate set of these methods is selected. The most widely used methods of conducting marketing research are the methods of document analysis, sociological, expert, experimental and economic-mathematical methods.
The goals of marketing research can be exploratory in nature, i.e. be aimed at collecting preliminary information designed to more accurately identify problems and test hypotheses, descriptive, i.e. consist in a simple description of certain aspects of a real marketing situation and casual, i.e. be aimed at substantiating hypotheses that determine the content of the identified cause-and-effect relationships.
Each such direction includes certain methods of collecting and analyzing marketing information.
Exploratory study is carried out in order to collect preliminary information necessary to better determine the problems and assumptions (hypotheses) put forward within which marketing activities are expected to be implemented, as well as to clarify terminology and set priorities among research tasks.
For example, it has been suggested that low sales are due to poor advertising, but exploratory research has shown that the main cause of undersales is poor distribution system, which should be studied in more detail in the subsequent stages of the marketing research process.
Among the methods of conducting exploratory research, the following can be distinguished: analysis of secondary data, study of previous experience, analysis of specific situations, work of focus groups, projection method.
Descriptive research aimed at describing marketing problems, situations, markets, for example, demographics, consumer attitudes towards the organization's products.
When conducting this type of research, answers are usually sought for answers to questions that begin with the words: who, what, where, when and how. As a rule, such information is contained in secondary data or collected through observations and surveys, and experiments.
For example, it is investigated, "who" is the consumer of the organization's products? "What" is considered as the products supplied by the organization to the market? "Where" is considered as the places where consumers purchase these products? "When" characterizes the time when consumers are most actively buying these products. "How" characterizes the way the purchased product is used.
Note that these studies do not answer questions that begin with the word “why”. "Why" increased sales after the advertising campaign? Answers to such questions are obtained by conducting casual research.
casual research conducted to test hypotheses regarding causal relationships. At the heart of this study is the desire to understand some phenomenon based on the use of logic such as: "If X, then Y."
For example, the hypothesis being tested is: Will a 10% reduction in the fee for a given organization's service result in an increase in the number of customers sufficient to compensate for the loss from the fee reduction?
If we consider the methods of marketing research in terms of the nature of the information received, then they can be divided into two groups: quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative Marketing Research aimed at studying consumer behavior, purchase motivation, consumer preferences, attractiveness and consumer qualities of the product, price / consumer qualities ratio, assessment of the capacity and characteristics of the real and potential markets (various segments) of the product or service.
Quantitative methods make it possible to characterize the socio-demographic, economic, psychological portrait target group.
Characteristic features of such studies are: a well-defined format of the collected data and sources of their receipt, the processing of the collected data is carried out using streamlined procedures, mostly quantitative in nature.
Data collection in marketing research
Methods for collecting primary data in quantitative research include polls, questioning, personal and telephone interviews based on the use of structured closed-ended questions that are answered by a large number of respondents.
The survey is conducted at points of sale or by address/route sampling at the place of residence (place of work) of the respondent. The reliability of the results is ensured by the use of a representative sample of respondents (respondents), the use of qualified interviewers, control at all stages of the study, professionally compiled questionnaires and questionnaires, the use of professional psychologists, sociologists, marketing specialists in the analysis, the use of modern computer tools for statistical analysis of the results, constant contact with the customer at all stages of work.
Qualitative research involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Observations and conclusions are of a qualitative nature and are carried out in a standardized form. Qualitative data can be quantified, but this is preceded by special procedures.
The basis of qualitative research is observational methods, which involve observation rather than communication with respondents. Most of these methods are based on approaches developed by psychologists.
Methods qualitative analysis allow you to describe the psychographic characteristics of the studied audience, behavior patterns and reasons for choosing certain brands when buying, as well as receive from consumers the most in-depth information that gives an idea of \u200b\u200bhidden motives and basic needs of consumers.
Qualitative methods are indispensable at the stages of development and evaluation of effectiveness advertising campaigns, studying the image of brands. The results are not numeric, i.e. presented solely in the form of opinions, judgments, assessments, statements.
Types of marketing research
Enterprise in modern world can succeed only if it does not ignore the demands of consumers. Efficiency requires research and satisfaction maximum number buyer's requirements. Marketing research contributes to the solution of such problems.
Marketing deals with the study of consumer behavior, which includes its needs and requirements.
The principal feature of marketing research, which distinguishes it from the collection and analysis of internal and external current information, is its targeted focus on solving a specific problem or a set of marketing problems. This purposefulness turns the collection and analysis of information into marketing research. Thus, marketing research should be understood as a targeted solution to the marketing problem (set of problems) facing the company, the process of setting goals, obtaining marketing information, planning and organizing its collection, analysis and reporting on the results.
The main principles of conducting marketing research include objectivity, accuracy and thoroughness. The principle of objectivity means the need to take into account all factors and the inadmissibility of accepting a certain point of view until the analysis of all the information collected is completed.
The principle of accuracy means the clarity of setting research objectives, the unambiguity of their understanding and interpretation, as well as the choice of research tools that provide the necessary reliability of the research results.
The principle of thoroughness means detailed planning of each stage of the study, high quality of all research operations, achieved through a high level of professionalism and responsibility of the research team, as well as an affective system for monitoring its work.
Summary
In a competitive environment and constantly changing market conditions, a lot of attention is paid to marketing research. The results of these studies in the future are the basis for the formation of sales estimates, and based on this, the planned levels of revenue and profit from product sales.
The most frequent problems arise in the process of selling goods. Therefore, the main tasks of marketing research are the study of:
- market;
- buyers;
- competitors;
- suggestions;
- goods;
- prices;
- effectiveness of the product promotion policy, etc.
Marketing research helps the company to solve the following tasks:
- Determine the possibility of mass production of goods or services;
- Establish a hierarchy of characteristics of goods or services that can ensure their success in the market;
- Conduct an analysis of the typologies and motivations of existing and potential clients;
- Determine prices and optimal conditions for the sale of goods and services.
The purpose of marketing research is to resolve the following problems of the enterprise:
- Studying and establishing the potential of the market or product on the possible volume of its sales, terms of sale, price levels, the ability of potential clients;
- Study of the behavior of competitors, the direction of their actions, potential opportunities, pricing strategies;
- Sales research to determine the best territory in terms of sales, sales volume in the market, which is the most effective.
Companies develop a general marketing research plan, which is drawn up in the context of marketing of individual goods or services, by type of buyer, by region.
Thus, we can say that marketing research is a comprehensive system for studying the organization of production and marketing of goods and services, which is focused on meeting the needs of specific consumers and making a profit based on market research and forecasting.
Most challenging tasks marketing research are analysis and decision making on pricing and sales promotion.
The result of marketing research is the development of the company's marketing strategy, the purpose of which is to select the target market and marketing mix, the compliance of which will help ensure the maximum effect of product and service sales.
When choosing a target market, it is necessary to justify the answer to the question: what product does the consumer need? To do this, it is necessary to establish rational segments of a concentrated, differentiated or undifferentiated market that the organization will serve.
The choice of a marketing mix is associated with the establishment optimal combination its elements: the name of the product, its price, place of distribution and sales promotion. On the basis of the adopted marketing strategy, the main management decisions are developed that orient the company's activities towards resolving problems that arise or may arise in potential consumer goods, works and services.
This principle may be feasible if the basis for making decisions on organizational, technological, social and production issues is the result of an analysis of the needs and requests of potential buyers.
Marketing research is the search, collection, systematization and analysis of information about the situation on the market for the purpose of adoption in the production and marketing of products. It should be clearly understood that effective work is impossible without these measures. In a commercial environment, one cannot act at random, but must be guided by verified and accurate information.
The essence of marketing research
Marketing research is an activity that involves the analysis of the market situation based on scientific methods. Only those factors that can affect the goods or the provision of services matter. These activities have the following main objectives:
- search - consist in the preliminary collection of information, as well as its filtering and sorting for further research;
- descriptive - the essence of the problem is determined, its structuring, as well as the identification of acting factors;
- casual - the presence of a connection between the selected problem and previously identified factors is checked;
- test - a preliminary testing of the found mechanisms or ways to solve a particular marketing problem is carried out;
- forward-looking - suggest the foreseeing of the future situation in the market environment.
Marketing research is an activity that has a specific goal, which is to solve a particular problem. At the same time, there are no clear schemes and standards that an organization should follow when solving such problems. These moments are determined independently, based on the needs and capabilities of the enterprise.
Types of marketing research
The following main marketing researches can be distinguished:
- market research (implies the determination of its scale, geographical characteristics, the structure of supply and demand, as well as factors that affect the internal situation);
- study of sales (the ways and channels of sales of products are determined, the change in indicators depending on the geographical feature, as well as the main factors of influence);
- marketing research of goods (study of the properties of products both separately and in comparison with similar products of competing organizations, as well as determining the reaction of consumers to certain characteristics);
- study of advertising policy (analysis of your own promotional activities, as well as comparing them with the main actions of competitors, determining the latest tools positioning of goods present on the market);
- analysis of economic indicators (study of the dynamics of sales volumes and net profit, as well as determining their interdependence and finding ways to improve performance);
- marketing research of consumers - imply their quantitative and qualitative composition (gender, age, profession, marital status and other characteristics).
How to organize marketing research
The organization of marketing research is a rather important moment on which the success of the entire enterprise may depend. Many firms prefer to deal with this issue on their own. In this case, practically no additional costs are required. In addition, there is no risk of confidential data leakage. However, there are downsides to this approach as well. Not always in the state there are employees who have sufficient experience and knowledge to conduct high-quality marketing research. In addition, the personnel of the organization can not always approach this issue objectively.
Given the shortcomings of the previous option, it is legitimate to say that it is better to involve third-party specialists in the organization of marketing research. As a rule, they have extensive experience in this field and relevant qualifications. In addition, not being associated with this organization, they are absolutely objective look at the situation. However, when hiring outside experts, you must be prepared for the fact that high-quality research is quite expensive. In addition, the marketer does not always know the specifics of the industry in which the manufacturer operates. The most serious risk is that there may be leakage confidential information and resale to competitors.
Principles of conducting marketing research
Qualitative marketing researches are a guarantee of successful and profitable work of any enterprise. They are carried out on the basis of the following principles:
- regularity (a study of the market situation should be carried out in each reporting period, as well as in the event that an important management decision regarding the production or marketing activities of the organization);
- consistency (before starting research work, you need to break the whole process into components that will be performed in a clear sequence and inextricably interacting with each other);
- complexity (qualitative marketing research should provide answers to the entire wide range of questions that relate to a particular problem that is the subject of analysis);
- cost-effectiveness (it is necessary to plan research activities in such a way that the costs of their implementation are minimal);
- efficiency (measures to conduct research should be taken in a timely manner, immediately after a controversial issue arose);
- thoroughness (since market research activities are quite laborious and lengthy, it is worth carrying them out very scrupulously and carefully so that there is no need to repeat them after identifying inaccuracies and shortcomings);
- accuracy (all calculations and conclusions must be made on the basis of reliable information by applying proven methods);
- objectivity (if an organization conducts marketing research on its own, then it should try to do it impartially, honestly recognizing all its shortcomings, oversights and shortcomings).
Stages of marketing research
Studying the situation on the market is a rather complicated and lengthy process. The stages of marketing research can be described as follows:
- formulating a problem (raising a question that needs to be solved in the course of carrying out these activities);
- preliminary planning (indication of the stages of the study, as well as preliminary deadlines for reporting for each of the individual items);
- coordination (all heads of departments, as well as CEO should familiarize themselves with the plan, make their own adjustments, if necessary, and then approve the document by a common decision);
- collection of information (the study and search for data that relate to both internal and external environment enterprises);
- information analysis (careful study of the data received, their structuring and processing in accordance with the needs of the organization and;
- economic calculations(assessed financial indicators both in real time and in the future);
- debriefing (formulation of answers to the questions posed, as well as the preparation of a report and its transfer to senior management).
The role of the marketing research department in the enterprise
The success of an enterprise is largely determined by the quality and timeliness of marketing research. Large companies often organize special departments for these purposes. The decision on the advisability of creating such a structural unit is made by management based on the needs of the enterprise.
It is worth noting that the marketing research department requires a lot of information for its activities. But it would be economically inexpedient to create too large a structure within one enterprise. That is why it is extremely important to establish links between various departments to provide complete and accurate information. At the same time, the marketing department should be completely exempt from maintaining any reporting, except for that which directly relates to research. Otherwise, too much time and effort will be spent on side work to the detriment of the main purpose.
The marketing research department most often refers to the top management of the company. It is necessary to ensure direct links with the general management. But interaction with subdivisions of a lower level is no less important, since it is required to receive timely and reliable information about their activities.
Speaking about the person who will manage this department, it is worth noting that he must have fundamental knowledge of such an issue as marketing research of the organization's activities. In addition, the specialist must know organizational structure and features of the enterprise. According to its status, the head of the marketing department should be equated with top management, because the overall success largely depends on the effectiveness of the work of his unit.
Objects of marketing research
The marketing research system is aimed at the following main objects:
- consumers of goods and services (their behavior, attitude to the offers available on the market, as well as the reaction to the measures taken by the producers);
- marketing research of services and goods for their compliance with the needs of customers, as well as identifying similarities and differences with similar products of competing companies;
- competition (implies the study of the numerical composition, as well as the geographical spread of organizations with similar production areas).
It should be noted that it is not necessary to conduct separate studies for each subject. Within one analysis, several questions can be combined at once.
Research data
Market research data is divided into two main types - primary and secondary. Speaking about the first category, it is worth noting that we are talking about the information that will be directly used in the course of analytical work. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that in some cases marketing research is limited to just collecting primary data, which can be:
- quantitative - figures reflecting the results of activities;
- qualitative - explain the mechanisms and causes of the occurrence of certain phenomena in economic activity.
Secondary data is not directly related to the subject of marketing research. Most often, this information has already been collected and processed for some other purpose, but in the course of the current study it can also be very useful. The main advantage of this type of information is its cheapness, because you do not need to make efforts and invest money to get these facts. Well-known managers recommend that the first thing to do is to turn to secondary information. And only after identifying the lack of certain data, you can start collecting primary information.
In order to start working with secondary information, the following conditions must be met:
- the first step is to identify data sources, which can be both inside the organization and outside it;
- further, the analysis and sorting of information is carried out in order to select relevant information;
- at the last stage, a report is prepared, which indicates the conclusions made during the analysis of the information.
Marketing research: an example
In order to work successfully and withstand competition, any enterprise must conduct market analysis. It is important that not only in the process of functioning, but also before starting a business, it is necessary to conduct a marketing research. An example is the opening of a pizzeria.
Let's say you decide to start your own business. First, you must decide on the objectives of the study. This may be the study and analysis of the competitive environment. Further, the goals should be detailed, during which a number of tasks are defined (for example, data collection and analysis, selection, etc.). It should be noted that at the initial stage, the study can be exclusively descriptive. But, if you deem it appropriate, additional economic calculations can be made.
Now you must put forward a hypothesis, which will be confirmed or refuted during the analysis of primary and secondary information. For example, do you think that in your locality this institution will be very popular, as the rest have already become obsolete. The wording can be any, based on the current situation, but it should describe all the factors (both external and internal) that will attract people to your pizzeria.
The research plan will look like this:
- definition of a problem situation (in this case, it consists in the fact that there is some uncertainty in terms of the advisability of opening a pizzeria);
- further, the researcher must clearly identify the target audience, which will consist of potential customers of the institution;
- one of the most popular marketing research methods is a survey, and therefore it is necessary to create a sample that will clearly reflect the target audience;
- additional mathematical research, which includes comparing the costs of starting a business with income determined on the basis of a preliminary survey.
The results of the marketing research should be a clear answer to the question of whether it is worth opening a new pizzeria in this locality. If it was not possible to achieve an unambiguous judgment, it is worth resorting to the use of other well-known methods of information analysis.
conclusions
Marketing research is a comprehensive study of the market situation in order to determine the feasibility of making a particular decision or to adjust your work according to the current situation. During this process, it is necessary to collect and analyze information, and then draw certain conclusions.
The subjects of marketing research can be very different. This is directly a product or service, and the market, and the consumer sector, and the competitive situation, and other factors. Also, several issues may be raised within a single analysis.
When starting a market research, you need to clearly articulate the problem that should be solved as a result of it. Next, an action plan is drawn up with an approximate indication of the time frame allotted for its implementation. After the document is approved, you can start collecting and analyzing information. Based on the results of the activities carried out, reporting documentation is submitted to the top management.
The main point of the study is the collection and analysis of information. Experts recommend starting work by studying the data available in secondary sources. Only in the event that any facts will be missing, it is advisable to carry out work on their independent search. This will provide significant time and cost savings.
It is aimed at identifying the characteristics of representatives target audience some commercial offer. This type of research may have much in common with marketing analysis or be different from it. This depends on whether the market research needs to address the marketing processes already applied to it or to predict the reaction of market representatives to the possible use of a particular marketing strategy.
Main tasks and methods for their solution
The main objective of the study is to identify the characteristics of consumers. It should answer questions about what they want and trust, what they need and what they can do without. Today, the most important criterion has also become the solvency of representatives of those groups of the population that can become consumers.
During practical work first of all, prices for goods that fully or partially correspond to the customer's product range are examined. Various periods are analyzed, their characteristic features are revealed. For example, the very fact that people bought something at a certain price during the year may not make any sense if a new round of the economic crisis led to the bankruptcy of a number of city-forming enterprises. Market representatives will certainly be segmented. Groups are distinguished, united by common characteristics - gender, age, estimated income, geolocation, or attitude to some risk group.
The most difficult process is identifying market trends. It is for this reason that market analysis can use some marketing tools. They can be trial sales or sociological surveys.
Stages of the study
Specific methods of work are directly related to the original goal. In the event of a new business for the region, they are guided by the search for answers to the main questions.
- will it offer be in steady demand;
- what price range is acceptable;
- what business development strategy can be the most promising;
- what risks should be taken into account.
When looking for answers to these questions, you need to understand that any useful goods or services will sooner or later find their consumer. The problem is what profitability will the company offer them to the public.
If the study is conducted for an existing business
Not always the need for the work of market analysts arises at the time of opening a new enterprise. Sometimes companies that have been operating for more than a year also face situations related to the need to re-examine the characteristics of their market. Most often this is due to the fact that some obvious problems have arisen. They may be:
- demand for a product that turned out to be lower than predicted;
- lack of certainty in the competitive position of the company;
- insufficiently clear understanding of the social portrait of their consumers;
- search for a method to reduce costs.
In some cases, market analysis may be included in the structure of anti-crisis measures. In any case, it's complicated research work, which should be completely transparent for customers and culminate in the preparation of a package of proposals for the formation of the most effective business development strategy.
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