Marketing research

Marketing research is a systematic and objective approach directed towards the development of the provision of information applicable to the decision-making process of marketing management.

Marketing research is one that, through the application of the scientific method, gathers, records, analyzes and interprets objective information about the events that take place in the process of marketing goods so that marketing managers can make decisions with a lesser degree of uncertainty.

We use the scientific method to achieve the proposed objectives, the data to be obtained must be objective and representative of a population, the marketing process is structured in the phases of distribution, advertising communication, promotions and consumption.

Marketing research has gained momentum for two reasons:

The development of marketing Due to the increasing uncertainty in decision making

Marketing research is:

It is the systematic collection, registration and analysis of the facts related to marketing, it links the consumer, the client and the public, identifies and defines problems, also opportunities, generates, evaluates and perfects marketing actions, supervises and improves the understanding of the process.Collection, analysis and interpretation of marketing data, discover facts and elaborate Forecasts, carry out the work and interpret the information for the company.

1. The marketing information system

Integrate accounting data, vendor reports, marketing services data, marketing research studies etc. in a continuous flow of information for marketing decisions.

2. Fields of marketing research

Structural and sociometric researchMotivational researchConsumption researchProduct researchTrade conditions researchDistribution researchCommercial dynamics researchLaunch researchTechnical research

2.1 Structural and sociometric research

Definition of market units and the role played by consumers, specifiers, demanders, buyers, sellers and suppliers, location and number of each type of market element in each segment.

Determination of the partner program that establishes mutual interaction and the degree to which each one is influenced by the others in order to attract offers

Structural tensions in the market, evolution of the size, nature, location, habits and mutual influences of the market units

2.2 Motivational research

Obtains information on the motivations of the different market units that contribute to acceptance, supply, and the creation of demand.

Investigation of market behavior, if such behavior is planned, impulsive, habitual, integrated.

Investigation of the intentions related to that behavior such as plans, desires, habits and purposes

Investigation of the opportunities they have to accept the offer originate the demand such as dates, places, knowledge, location, points of sale etc.

Research of needs that satisfy the accepted offers and existing and unsatisfied demands, determining whether they are rational, instinctive or projective.

Research on the image of products, brands and advertising media, determining cost, novelty, satisfaction, aesthetics, trust, safety, comfort Identification, transformation, prestige, etc., Investigation of the guiding mechanisms of market behavior such as the way of thinking, their value judgments and opinions, their feelings, preferences, their instincts and principles, their image of themselves, their attitudes and their roles.

2.3 Consumer research

It collects information on the evolution of demand in the different segments, it is aimed at collecting information on:

Evolution of the number of users of the product

Evolution of the number of units of the product in use, in introduction, development and renewal, the evolution of the conjunctures and seasonal coefficients, It is important to determine the phases of the product, it predicts its future evolution, the characteristics of the competition, participation of each brand, profitability and the evolution of substitute products.

2.4 Product research

Research of all existing products, their characteristics and differences from competing products

Uses and applications to which they are intended and the form of use

Differences between consumers of substitutes and what motivates them

Commercial advantages and disadvantages and variants of each product

Characteristic space of the product, areas of demand, areas of competition and areas of commercial interest

2.5 Investigation of trade conditions

Price image of each product, model and brand

Prices and discounts of each brand in each product, model and market segment

Payment and delivery terms

Concessions of all kinds in terms of payment of transport, installation and supplements offered

Market research regarding each of the commercial conditions

2.6 Investigation of distribution

It collects information on the different phases of distribution, the systems used by the different brands and their relative efficiency and competition.

Customers of each brand and nature of it, Existing distribution channels, importance and choice made by participation in their sales and stock at the point of sale

Purchases made by customers, average volume and buying habits

Sales networks of each brand, arguments used, frequency of visits, routes

Means of storage, transport and services in general. Packaging and containers

After-sales service of each brand

2.7 Investigation of trade dynamics

Collect information regarding advertising, public relations, promotion and offer in relation to the media and the competition's own systems

Investigate the existing advertising media and its audience among the units we want to reach

Pre-test for the messages to be issued through the chosen means, to determine if the desired communications are achieved

Pre-test for the study of communication and the effects achieved after the broadcast

Image given by the means used and by the offer made

Effectiveness of the communications used and the offer presented

Interest of promotional actions and test of their application

Analysis of the actions of the competition and the offers made

2.8 Launch investigation

On the occasion of offering a novelty to the market acceptance of the novelty

Market tests to infer the consequences of a product launch

Speed of acceptance of the novelty once it is launched, initial image achieved, dissemination of that image, percentage of user achievement, percentage of renewal, at each point of sale.

Negative aspects that appear in front of the offer and how to correct them

2.9 Competitor research

Analyze existing competitors, their participation, their evolution, their participation aggressiveness, differentiation of their offer, aggressiveness, characteristics of their products, advertising media, techniques used and actions developed

2.10 Technical investigations

Form of use of commercial means, forms of cost reduction, more appropriate market research techniques, study techniques, planning, decision-making, execution.

3. Types of investigations

3.1 Exploratory research

Appropriate in the early stages of the decision-making process Designed to obtain a preliminary investigation of the situation Minimum time and money invested It is flexible and sensitive to discover previously unrecognized ideas or unexpected situations It is They use versatile methods such as observations, interviews with experts and with people who know the subject. They do not have pre-established parameters, there is creativity and informality to investigate the different subjects.

3.2 Stages

Define the problem General objective Specific objectives Methodology, Exchange opinions, inquire Results of exchanges and opinions.

3.3 Quantitative research

Provides information to evaluate and select lines of action.

The investigation procedure is more formal. Use detailed questionnaires to gather information. You need to calculate the sample size. Includes surveys, experiments, and simulations.

3.4 Stages

Define the problem General objective Specific objectives Methodology Primary information

Secondary information

Structured questionnaires

Sample size Fieldwork Tabulation Statistical report Final report

4. The investigative process

4.1 Problem formulation

It is a process that conditions that a situation requires an inquiry or a decision. A problem exists when there are multiple objectives and it is discovered that they have not been achieved.

Market share less than estimated

Selling expenses greater than budget

A marketing opportunity has not been exploited well

In marketing research a problem consists of:

One objective: profit, participation, increase in sales, select the best advertising.

There are several alternatives to achieve it

Uncertainty regarding the smallest alternative

4.2 Research design

It is a basic plan that serves as a guide for data collection

What information to obtain

From what sources

What procedures to use

Exploratory research is the first to be done in a series of investigations, it gives us new paths, discovers ideas, new concepts, is more flexible in its method, studies secondary data, interviews with experts, analyzes cases, approves or rejects hypotheses.

Conclusive research provides information for rational decision making

Descriptive research applies surveys, analyzes secondary data, studies

Statistics, analyze cause effect.

4.3 Data collection

Determine the required information, whether or not it is available.

The primary data: created for the purpose of the study

The Questionnaires constitute a structured list of oral or written questions, through interviews, telephone survey, survey by mail.

They include identification, instructions, and required information.

Observations is the direct, natural and discrete observation of a phenomenon.

Can be:

Mechanics, with camcorders

structured by checking selected products or not

Structured, just looking.

This method is expensive.

How to prepare questionnaires

Be brief, in a few questions ask a lot, be clear and concise

Determine what information you need

Determine which questionnaire you need

Determine the content of each question is required?

I need several

The respondent has the necessary information

Respondent can recall information

The respondent will make a lot of emphasis to remember

The respondent will give the information.

Determine the type of open questions to use are broad

Dichotomous two alternatives

Multiple choice

scale are multiple alternative

Decide on the terms of the subjective or objective questions

Simple words

avoid ambiguous questions

Avoid leading questions

Avoid generalization questions

Avoid unreasonable questions

Use scales

Decide on the sequence of questions Introduction gains attention

Ask about what was investigated

Sort them according to an order

Blocks don't mix topics

They must be consistent and consistent

They must be clear and complete

Avoid embarrassing questions

Facilitate the respondent's memories

Don't force calculations

Avoid questions that give the answer

Types of Open questions refer to opinions

Closed are default

Battery one is divided into several

Control verifies responses

Create an initial questionnaire, test it to adjust it, AND create the final one.

Make a final review of the questionnaire to be sure before its applicability

4.4 Sample design

The sample allows making deductions about the population, for this we define:

The population. Elements; products

Unit; shop, supermarket, mall

Extension; municipality, neighborhood, department, region, country

Sampling brand directory, industrial directory

Map, plan

Represent the sample

Neighborhood sampling unit

Apple

Supermarket

The sampling method representative fraction of the population that allows to deduce a true state of affairs.

Non-probability sampling depends on the judgment of the sampler

Probability sampling each element of the population has the possibility of being included in the sample.

4.5 Data collection

It is used by the people doing the field work to collect the information by:

Personal interviews

Phone interviews

Interview by mail

Observations

4.6 Analysis and interpretation of data

Review, inspection and correction of the questionnaire (followed by instructions) legible, finished, it is understood that only exact data are used.

Coding categorize the data and assign a number to each question, to each category, to produce the information.

Tabulation counts the categories, simple tabulation is the count of one variable, Cross tabulation deals with two or more variables.

Among them, statistical indicators are: measures of central tendency, such as the mean, the mode, the median. Measures of dispersion, such as variance and standard deviation.

The use of percentages allows establishing relationships

4.7 The investigation report

It is the clear, precise and concise communication of the research findings, it is the part of the project that managers see, it constitutes a tool for decision making, it includes concepts, tables, graphs and conclusions.