1. Research Methods
MARKET RESEARCH
(INTRODUCTION)

2. WHY DO WE NEED RESEARCH? Corporate planning Market planning
Size of demand, market share, customers
SWOT’s, competitors
Market planning
Key segments, profitability of segments
Sales forecasting, customer needs
Product planning
Concept and produce testing, packaging tests

3. WHY DO WE NEED RESEARCH? Promotional planning Distribution planning
Sales force, advertising, direct marketing
Exhibitions, internet
Distribution planning
Channel selection, distribution costs
Dealer/agent sales, stock, margins
Price planning
Correct strategy – penetration v skimming
Comparison with competitors, customer perceptions

4. SECONDARY RESEARCH
Research or information that has already been collected or completed, for example; literature, journals, accounts etc
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Research or information that is collected first hand by yourself, for example; surveys, interviews etc

5. TYPES OF RESEARCH DATA Continuous Ad hoc Desk research
Measures trends and performance over time
Ad hoc
One off studies for an opportunity or problem
Desk research
Secondary research, quick, cheap to acquire
Internal desk research e.g. accounting info.
External desk research, existing sources
Field research – off the peg
Syndicated, share costs, omnibus, buys questions
Made to measure

6. INTERNAL SOURCES FOR RESEARCH
Existing (operating) data
Invoices, orders, customer contact details
Personal contact information
Sales people, conferences, complaints
Learning from the past
Why things failed, previous research
Decision report systems
Comparison of forecast v actual
Data mining

7. INTERNAL SOURCES FOR RESEARCH
Sales statistics analysed by
Product/product group, markets
Outlets – what sells where, GEOGRAPHIC AREA
Time period – seasonality, year on year comparisons

8. INTERNAL SOURCES FOR RESEARCH
Expenditure statistics
Relationships between sales and promotion
Advertising and products
Operational statistics
Stock control, JIT – cost savings
Transport – effectiveness and efficiency

9. EXERCISE 1 Secondary research
Identify the problems and issues that have to be taken into account when using secondary data

10. EXTERNAL SOURCES Government published Trade Financial institutions
Press, institutes, regulators
Financial institutions
Bank, stockbrokers
Press
FT, Times, Telegraph
Foreign and international, specialist
DTI
Information brokers

11. SYNDICATED RESEARCH Sharing research costs Common data needs
Continuous research
Owned by the research company (Mintel reports)
Market research society yearbook

12. EXAMPLES OF SYNDICATED RESEARCH
AGB
Advertising, confectionary, drink, food
BMRB
As above and media, technology, sports/leisure
GALLUP
Most sectors, politics
MILLWARD BROWN
Cars, travel, tourism
TAYLOR NELSON
Agriculture, energy, retail

13. OMNIBUS RESEARCH Sharing research costs Pay for own questions
Cheapest form of research
Continuous research
Owned by research company

14. EXAMPLES OF OMNIBUS RESEARCH
PHONEBUS
Questions Friday, results Monday
MORI’S OMNIBUS
Three times a month
CAPIBUS
Face to face, computer assisted
FLEXIBUS
International research

15. EXERCISE 2
You are about to open a new hotel in North West Leicestershire
Identify and explain the types and sources of secondary information that would help you to choose a suitable location
As part of your building plan identify the data and information that will be collected as part of an on-going continuous research programme