How market analysis is done. Marketing research. Marketing research process

We live in a market economy. Whether we like it or not, the strategy of any enterprise is based on the correct understanding and practical application of the laws of the market. Whether you are just starting your business or have been in business for many years, market research is an essential part of your job. After all, products manufactured but not sold on the market, no matter how good they are, do not bring benefit (profit), neither to you nor to society.

The study, analysis and processing of information about the state of the market in a particular area is called marketing research. Such research is carried out by specialized companies, marketing services of large organizations and holdings, or they are done by “amateur specialists”. The fate of a small boutique in mall and the effectiveness of multi-billion dollar investments. Not a single serious company in the world makes even tactical (let alone strategic) decisions without analyzing the market, selling prospects for a new product or improving technology.

Marketing Research Objectives

Market research, depending on the tasks set, can have a different focus. This includes searching for new areas of activity, expanding the range of goods and services, tracking competitors, and so on. If we talk about a global goal, then it is one - to expand sales and increase profits. But there are a lot of directions aimed at achieving this ultimate goal. There are several main directions:

search and analysis of problems in a specific market segment;
description of the market situation, which has the character of current information;
forecast of market trends in the future;
market testing in order to choose between different strategies of action;
analysis of new scientific and technical trends that can significantly affect the market;
analysis of related areas of activity in order to identify the possibility of the emergence of new products (services) that affect the market.

There are significant differences between studies of an internal and external nature.

Marketing research plays a huge role in determining the directions of investments in the scientific and technical sphere. These investments are costly, long-term and, if successful, can lead to revolutionary breakthroughs. As an example that is understandable to everyone today, we can cite the situation in the mid-80s of the last century in the image fixation market. Simply put, photographs.

In the mid-1980s, there were opportunities for a significant improvement in the quality of images in traditional (film) photography, and digital technologies were still “in diapers” and could not compete in the market by any technical and economic indicators. As you know, forecast errors of a number of companies in this area led to their collapse over the next 20-25 years.

What marketers are researching (objects)

Consumers of products / services have different requirements for the offered product. These are not only quantitative and qualitative technical and economic indicators that can be expressed in numbers. Tastes, traditions (religious and cultural), climate or age groups of consumers play a huge role. Identifying the motives that guide buyers when choosing a product is also an important subject of study.

For example, one of the well-known European manufacturers of facing tiles has managed to significantly expand sales in Iran and Pakistan, focusing on a range of colors that tend to green. The reason is simple - green color belongs to the favorite color scheme of Islam.

It should not be forgotten that manufacturers themselves can directly influence and shape tastes and preferences. target audience... This goal is served by direct and indirect advertising, PR campaigns, the formation of new needs. The word "imposition" has a negative connotation, but, nevertheless, it is the most important element of the struggle for the consumer, the stimulation of consumption.

Object marketing research maybe, for example, a competitor's logistics system, which helps to reduce costs in the supply of goods and services. And what truly tectonic shifts in the beverage market have resulted from the creation of new types of packaging, it is not necessary to say.

The most important, if not the main, object of research is the end consumers, that is, you and me. This is the most "difficult" object. To study it, the entire arsenal of sociology and consumer psychology is involved. Most often, the most important element of such a study is a questionnaire survey of target (focus) consumer groups. A well-formed questionnaire and the conscientiousness of the interviewers play a very important role here.

Marketing research is carried out by both future entrepreneurs and actual businessmen in order to collect and analyze useful information about the market of the type of activity in which they are engaged. Marketing research is used to find effective strategies, weigh the pros and cons of development paths, determine future business moves, and more. You will have competitive advantage if you have good marketing research skills. To get started, start at step number 1.

Steps

Part 1

Plan your marketing research

In your mind, state the purpose of your research. Marketing research is done to help you and your business become more competitive and more profitable. If your marketing research ultimately does not provide any benefits, it will simply be wasted time, and you, in that case, would be better off doing something else. Before you start marketing research, it is important to determine what you want to get from them. Your marketing research can lead you in unexpected directions - and that's okay. However, it is best not to start marketing research without at least one or more goals in mind. Below are some questions you may want to consider when designing your marketing research:

Is there a market need for my product? Explore customer priorities and spending habits. This will help you assess whether placing your product in a specific market is justified.
Are my products and services satisfying customer requirements? Researching customer satisfaction with your products can increase your competitiveness.
Is my pricing for goods and services effective? Researching your competitiveness and market trends will help you determine the maximum available profit without compromising your business.

Create a plan for efficient collection of information. Not only is it important what you want to end up with, but it is important to understand how you can gather the information you need. Again, planning will help you succeed in your research. Don't set goals without knowing how to get there. The following are the questions you should consider when planning your marketing research:
- Do I need to find comprehensive market data? Analyzing existing data can help you make decisions about the future of your business, but finding meaningful and accurate information can be difficult.
- Do I need independent research? Building your own database through surveys, target audience research, interviews and other methods can provide a lot of information for a company about the market in which you operate. To get them, you will need resources, time, which can also be used differently.
Be prepared to submit your research and, with reference to it, move on to action. Marketing research ultimately influences the actual decisions in the company. When you are doing market research, unless you are a sole proprietor, you usually need to share your research with colleagues and have a plan of action in your mind. If you have a boss, he may or may not agree with the course of action. As long as you do not make mistakes in the way data is collected and processed, you will most likely agree with the market trend that your data is displaying. Ask yourself the following:
- What is my research predicted to show? Try to hypothesize before starting your research. It will be easier for you to come to a conclusion if you have already considered a similar outcome and does not come as a complete surprise.
- What if the assumptions come true? If your market research ultimately confirms your assumptions, what implications will it have for your company?
- What if the assumptions don't come true? If the result of the research catches you by surprise, how should the company proceed? Do you have backup paths of development in case of unforeseen results?
Part 2
Getting useful information
1. Use government sources of industry information. With the advent of the information age, it has become much easier for businessmen to access a huge amount of data. Another question is how reliable these data are. In order to reach a conclusion based on market research, it is very important to start research from reliable sources. One of the main reliable sources is government (sources). Market research conducted by the government is usually accurate, well-proven, and available freely or for low price, which is very important for a business that is just in its infancy.
  
  Use data from industry publications. Many industries have one or more journals, publications to keep industry members up to date with current news, market trends, government policy goals, and more. Many publications conduct and publish their own research, which benefits members of the industry. Raw marketing research data can often be made available to non-industry members. Nearly all trade publishers have some articles publicly available online to learn about strategic advice and marketing trends. These articles often include the results of market research.
  
  Use data educational institutions. Since the market is very important to society, it is often the subject of science and educational research... Many colleges, universities and other educational institutions (in particular, economics schools) often publish research results based on the market as a whole, or on some of its sectors. Research results are available in educational publishers or directly at the institution. It should be noted that this data is often available for a fee. Therefore, in order to access them, a one-time payment or subscription to certain publications is often required.
  
  Use third party resources. Since a good understanding of the market can lead to starting or closing a business, entrepreneurs and companies often rely on analysts and services from companies that do not directly work in the industry to be researched. This type of company offers its market research services to companies and business people who need an accurate, highly specialized report. However, since these companies are profitable, you need to pay for them.
  
  Don't fall prey to marketing services. Keep in mind that marketing research can seem complicated and confusing, which is something that companies that provide these services take advantage of, significantly inflating prices for inexperienced entrepreneurs. So, they can significantly inflate the price of information that is in the public domain or costs very little. In general, you shouldn't sacrifice large resources for information that is publicly available or inexpensive.
Part 3
Doing your own research
1. Use the available data to assess the supply and demand situation in the market. In general terms, your business has a good chance of being successful if it can meet market needs that are still unmet - so you need to focus on delivering products and services that are in demand. Economic data from governments, educational institutions, and industry publishers (described above) can help you identify whether or not these needs exist. In general, you need to identify the market niche where there is a customer willing to pay for your company's products.
  - For example, we would like to engage in landscaping services. If we investigate market welfare and local government data, then we can see that people in a certain area of the city have a fairly high income. We can dig deeper and find regions with high water consumption, which may indicate a large number of houses with lawns.
  - This information may be the main reason for opening a store in a wealthy, abundant area of the city where people's homes have large gardens, rather than in an area where the gardens are small and people do not have funds for landscaping. Using market research, we come to informed decisions about where (and where not) to start our business.
2. Conduct a survey. One of the most basic, time-tested ways to find out how customers feel about your business is through a survey! Surveys offer market researchers the chance to reach out to a large sample of people for data that can be used to make big strategic decisions. However, since surveys are impersonal in nature, it is important to make sure that your survey can be easily quantified.
  - For example, if a questionnaire asks how people feel about your business, it may not be effective because you need to read and analyze each answer individually to get the point. Better to ask customers to rate certain aspects of your business in terms of points: customer service, prices, and so on. This will allow you to quickly and easily identify your strengths and weaknesses, giving you the ability to quantify and graph data.
  - In the case of our landscaping company, we could interview our first 20 clients, asking them to fill out a survey card at the time of payment. On this card, you can ask your customers to rate you from 1 to 5 in terms of quality, price, speed of service and quality of the customer service department. If the first two are mostly rated 4 and 5 by customers, and the latter at 2 and 3, then you might want to consider how to improve customer needs and provide training for your staff.
3. Conducting research with focus groups. One way to determine how your customers might be responding to your strategy is to invite them to participate in a focus group. In focus groups, small groups of customers gather in a neutral place to try a product or service and discuss it with a representative. Often, focus sessions are reviewed, captured, and analyzed later.
  - If a landscaping company decides to consider selling high-priced lawn care products as part of their services, you can invite regular customers take part in a focus group. Focus group offers new products for lawn care. They are then asked questions about which product, if any, they are most likely to buy. You can also ask them what has changed from the use of new products - has something changed for the better?
4. Testing. Companies considering introducing new products or services often allow potential customers to try their product or service for free in order to iron out any problems before launching it on the market. Conducting customer selection testing can help you determine if further changes are needed.
  - If you take a landscaping company, for example, it decided to offer a new service - planting plants in the client's garden after the landscaping work. We can allow several clients to use this service for free, provided that they then appreciate the work done. If customers like this service but would never pay for it, you should reconsider your program for launching such a service.
Part 4
Analysis of results
1. Answer the main question that faced your research. Before starting your research, you have set goals for yourself. These are questions about your business strategy that you would like to apply - for example, to invest or not to invest. additional investment whether a certain marketing decision is correct. The main goal of your marketing research is to get answers to these questions. As the goals of marketing research differ, the information that needs to be obtained to answer the questions will differ. Usually, you choose the path of development that will be most effective.
  - Let's go back to our landscaping company, where we were trying to get an opinion on a new planting service. Suppose a study of government publications showed that the population in the region is wealthy enough to pay for additional landing services, but your survey shows that a very small percentage of the population would pay for this service. In this case, we will most likely decide to postpone the launch of such a service. We may change the idea or discard it entirely.
2. Conduct a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths ( Strengths), Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Marketing research combines the application of this method. If SWOT analysis is used in research, you can assess the economic health of the company by identifying the overall strengths and weaknesses.
  - Suppose that when we tried to determine if our planting service was a smart idea, we found that a significant number of respondents said they liked flowers but didn’t have enough resources to care for them after planting. We could classify this as an opportunity for our business - if we end up selling a flower planting service, then we could start selling gardening tools as a standard or premium service.
  - Is the planting of the flowers itself unattractive to the customers, or is there a problem with the colors offered for planting? This can be explored by offering customers variations of floral arrangements.
  - Perhaps a certain market sector is more susceptible to flower planting than others? We could investigate this by cross-checking the results of previous studies, breaking down the correspondents' responses by demographic characteristics (age, income, marital status, gender, etc.)
  - Perhaps there were people in the study who were more enthusiastic about a flower planting service that complements basic services with a slight price increase, rather than being offered as a standalone service? We could investigate this by conducting two separate product studies (one with an add-on service included in the overall package of services, the other as a separate service).

If making a decision you risk losing a lot of money, use the services of professional marketing companies. Carry out a tender for the execution of these works.
If you are on a tight budget, look first at the reports that are available for free online. Also look for reports that have been published by an association in your market or specialized magazines (magazines for professional hairdressers, plumbers, plastic toy manufacturers, etc.)
You can ask local university students to participate in your research. Contact a professor who teaches the discipline of marketing research and inquire about the possibility of such a program. You may have to pay a small amount, but it will not be as significant compared to professional marketing research.
Sometimes there may be multiple target markets. Finding new markets is a great way to expand your business.

Hello dear colleague! Today's article will focus on marketing analysis. After all, such an analysis determines the success of absolutely any organization or individual entrepreneur. Marketing defines the relationship of an enterprise or individual entrepreneur with the external environment by studying and conducting marketing analysis aimed at identifying the competitive position of the enterprise (IP) and its potential in the relevant market. Therefore, in this article, we will take a closer look at what marketing analysis is and how it is carried out.

7. Selection of the most effective methods and forms of product sales, development of the marketing strategy of the enterprise

Thus, we have identified 7 main tasks of marketing analysis, having solved which, it will be possible to see a complete picture of the enterprise's activities, both its internal and external sides.

3. Types of marketing analysis

Marketing analysis can be of several types, differ both in the methods and forms of conducting, and in the breadth of the analyzed information.

Market analysis of the market - the most common type of marketing analysis. Study of market trends and processes. Analysis of economic, geographic, legislative, demographic and other market factors makes it possible to forecast market development, develop a competitive strategy and implement market segmentation, and identify the most acceptable market niche.

Competitor marketing analysis allows you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise. Develop competent marketing strategy.

Analysis of the marketing strategy of the enterprise ... Analysis of the existing marketing activities of the enterprise allows you to make adjustments, direct the activities of the organization in a profitable direction. Often, an ineffective marketing strategy of an enterprise is one of the factors of its unprofitableness.

Research of the internal environment of the enterprise sets as its task the comparison of internal and external processes in order to bring their work to a single well-coordinated mechanism.

Research of the target audience and target consumer ... This type of marketing analysis allows you to see a clear and understandable portrait of the consumer of your goods or services, and, therefore, competently think over the marketing strategy of the enterprise, select possible bonuses and think over an approach. If there are many types of consumers or the group is large enough, then they are divided into segments that unite features.

Marketing analysis of intermediaries will allow you to see potential partners of your company and calculate an affiliate program for further expansion.

Analysis of the internal marketing environment of the enterprise - this type is aimed at studying the real competitiveness of the enterprise.

So, we have reviewed the main types of marketing analysis, let's move on to the methods.

4. Methods of marketing analysis

Method of analysis of marketing activities of the organization Is a way of studying, measuring and generalizing processes, phenomena and influences of external and internal factors on the activities of an organization in a market economy.

The choice of the method of marketing analysis is a very serious moment, which depends directly on the goal and objectives of the research as a whole.

In this paragraph of the article, we will consider the methods of marketing analysis, based on its types.

So, we examined the main types of marketing analysis and the methods attached to them.

Since this article is more informational in nature than practical, we will not consider each method in detail.

5. Conclusions

At the end of this topic, I would like to say that such science as marketing and marketing analysis tools play a key role in building a long-term and profitable business.

Marketing analysis is applicable both at the stage of business planning and at any other stage of an existing one.

And finally, I suggest you watch a short video about marketing research:

This concludes my article. I hope that the material presented in it was useful to you. I wish you good luck and see you in the following articles.

The market economy is based on freedom of supply and demand. But this is theoretically.

In practice, such factors as the constant dynamics of supply and demand, increasing competition, the rapid development of technologies and technology, unpredictable inflation, volatility legislative framework and much more.

All these conventions create uncertainty in the economy and the impossibility of obtaining the expected result. But the business must grow, and one of the main components of this process is market analysis, as it determines the strategy of the enterprise.

In fact, this is a collection of information about a specific industry market and its consumers, which is further comprehensively researched. Sales market analysis includes several stages. This study:

How to do the research

Analysis sectoral markets means as its object a set of enterprises with interests in one sector of the economy. The so-called economic branch. It covers the production, distribution and consumption of specific services or goods.

And the purpose of this study is to identify industry risks. The analysis of the sales market should calculate the possibility and parameters of the deviation of the results of the activity of a certain entity, associated with the unstable situation of a particular industry market.

Main criteria table:

How to make a comprehensive market analysis - this question is necessary for a clear idea of what will happen with the goods or services of a particular industry entity. The answer will consist of the following positions:

what is (the relationship that is formed in the market in a certain period of time and existing trends);
forecasting the dynamics of development and growth (for short-term forecasting, inertial processes are important, for long-term forecasting - the probability of changes in market activity);
what is (since it is impossible to sell more goods than they can buy in a certain territory, as a rule, the period of time is taken equal to one year);
competitor research (understanding how much will be spent Money to fight against them, or to resist their struggle);
what is the volume of expected sales of goods or services (vital information for planning and organizing the functioning of a particular enterprise).

Methods used

Market analysis methods are systems that allow you to comprehensively research the market in the aggregate of all indicators. There are the following methods by which market research is carried out:

Which of the methods to prefer in this or that case is determined by the circumstances and. But the most objective indicators will be given by a combination of several methods, since their indicators mutually complement each other.

If the consumer group is the population, then additional research methods are used that will take into account the improvement in serviceability and the ability of buyers to be loyal to a particular product brand.

As a rule, the methods are based on game theory. A superficial analysis may not be carried out by a specialist, but obtaining a serious forecast requires the participation of professionals who are able to use all methods of study.

Research process

Marketing analysis of the market is the assessment, definition, modeling and forecasting of all aspects of the processes occurring in the market and the functioning of a particular industry entity using various research methods. It can be carried out only taking into account a number of factors that are established using a variety of classifications that contribute to a clear structuring and classification of work. The first is the marketing analysis framework. these are analyzes:

specific industry market;
enterprises;
potential and real competitors;
implementation plan for a single project;
goods or services, their competitiveness.

The main goal of marketing research is to identify potential opportunities and risks, as well as create forecasts for possible options development of situations in the industry. Based on the results of the analysis, a management resume is created and a marketing strategy is determined.

The tasks of marketing analysis are determined by the following factors: topics of the studied phenomena, urgency and openness of data. Most popular programs research data are:

PESTLE analysis. This is an advanced version of PEST analysis. It also takes into account natural, geographical and legal factors.
"Porter's Five Forces"... The most powerful marketing analysis toolkit. This methodology identifies five main factors that determine competition, and, therefore, determine the tactics and strategy of the enterprise. The most popular technique among professionals. But its disadvantage is that it does not consider all the particulars and exceptions. And also this technique should be developed for each separate line of business.

Estimate the value

It is difficult to overestimate the need for market research for enterprise viability. The analysis provides not only a clear idea of the current situation in the industry and the place of a particular company on it, but also shows the likelihood of developments in the future.

The results of research in conjunction with planned and reporting information allow the enterprise to develop strategic measures in advance (development of beneficial processes, elimination of identified imbalances and tracking possible ones). Market analysis allows us to carry out the most effective measures - organizational and economic.

The market is economic system relations between producers and.

It has the following indicators required for analysis:

Capacity is the volume of goods or services offered by a particular market segment.

The final result.

The purpose of market research is to identify the company's capabilities and assess the competitive environment.

To know what exactly needs to be investigated, you should divide the market into types.

Market types

Consumer market - consists of everyone who purchases goods for personal use.

Manufacturers market - this includes legal entities who purchase goods and services for use in production.

Market government agencies is a collection of state-owned enterprises that buy goods and services for use in their work.

The middleman market is the people and companies who buy products and then resell them.

International market - includes all intermediaries, as well as legal and individuals who are abroad.

Why market research is needed

Here are the tasks it performs:

Analyze consumer behavior to understand what products people are currently interested in. This will help to find out if the goods or services offered by the company are in demand.

Assess the level of competition, find the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. This is necessary in order to understand in which direction the business should move.

Determine a profitable distribution channel.

Find unoccupied market niches.

Determine the size of the market and the company's share in it.

Assess the prospects of the market and the current distribution channel.

To form the basis for further company and products on the market.

Various types of research are used to analyze the market. Each of them has its own methods of collecting and processing information, but they are all divided into two main types.

Qualitative

These are hypotheses that are based on the opinions of analysts and, as well as data on and consumers. The results of such studies are subjective, they do not have a clear structure.

With the help of qualitative research, the motives of consumer behavior, their perception of the company and specific products are determined. This allows you to find non-standard and creative solutions for the company's tasks.

Quantitative

These include statistical data: numbers, indicators, calculations. They are visual and can be compared with each other.

Such information is considered more reliable. It allows you to track the performance of a company over different periods of time.

Also, market research will be subdivided into subtypes. Before you start looking for information, decide which of them the company needs to avoid unnecessary work.

Take a look at this list, the types of research are indicated here by subject and purpose.

Market structure research. The analysis of market trends, capacity and market conditions is carried out.

Product research. The share of the company's products in a certain segment is studied.

Research of the target segment. To select the most suitable market segment for the enterprise, a general analysis is carried out.

Research on consumer behavior. It is required to learn pains and interests, to understand how people relate to the company and its products.

Market price research. Comparison of company prices and.

Researching free niches. Search and selection of possible niches, selection of the most suitable and profitable ones.

Research of competitors. The goal is to find out the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.

To understand what type of analysis a company needs, ask a simple question: "What exactly do you need to find out?" Take a piece of paper and column on the areas where you feel a lack of information. Then, under each one, write the questions you want answers to. Based on these data, a further research plan is drawn up.

It also happens that a firm requires a complete analysis of the market on all points. This is a very voluminous work, but quite feasible if you use proven methods and proceed in stages.

The overall plan will consist of just the types of research that the firm needs. For some, this list will be short, for others it will be long.

The primary collection of information for analysis is carried out using several methods.

Observation

This method helps to gather information by observing the object. There is no need to influence it.

Observation takes place in the field or laboratory. Field is a natural environment. For example, observing the behavior of buyers and sellers in a store.

And laboratory ones are artificially created situations.

The efficiency of this method is quite high, although it is costly and can strongly depend on the opinion of the observer.

Interview

This is the name of obtaining information from specific respondents. This is a popular method used by up to 90% of marketers.

Surveys can be conducted orally (interviews) or in writing (questionnaires), depending on the situation.

This method allows you to find out the opinion of consumers about goods and services, a company and its service.

Experiment

With the help of it, you can track some factors in order to understand how they affect the activities of the company. The experiment requires the active participation of the organizer. It can be carried out in laboratory and field conditions.

Panel

4. Market segmentation

The market is divided into segments - groups of people according to certain criteria. When we segment the market, we find that part of the consumers who are most interested in the company's products.

This stage of the research will determine:

Most effective methods promotion.

The company's marketing tactics in the market.

Profitable points of sale.

The properties of the products that need to be changed in order to interest the buyers.

Now is the time to find out the wishes of the segments that are most loyal to the company. At the same stage, a portrait of a potential buyer emerges. The analysis will include: the attitude of buyers to specific products, market behavior, habits, inclinations, preferences.

Surveys - interviews and questionnaires will help to conduct research.

This will help to identify the weak points of the company and products, to predict the reaction of consumers.

6. Study of distribution channels

For the start of sales of goods or services to be successful, promotion is imperative. Without it, the process will stall. This point needs to be given special attention, it largely affects the sales and profit of the company, as well as the image.

The result of the work will be the definition:

The best promotion tools and methods.

10. Sales forecasting

To plan further production and marketing work of the enterprise, you need a sales forecast. This is the total potential sales of a company's goods or services.

The forecast gives an understanding of what resources the company needs, what distribution channels need to be used, how to expand production and what innovations will be needed.

Of course, the forecast does not give accurate results, only an approximate picture. However, the company cannot do without it.

Now let's look at where and how you can get the data of interest to us for research.

Here are the sources of information:
There are 3 ways to do market analysis.

On one's own

You can do it on your own, if it is small and there is simply no money for professional research. Well, or if you only need one type of analysis.

This option will cost less, but it will take a lot of time and effort. Doing everything yourself is energy-intensive, it is better to delegate such tasks if possible. Especially if you are not well versed in market research. There is a high probability of being wrong.

With the help of the marketing department

If a company has its own marketing department, it would be logical to entrust it with collecting information and conducting research. Just remember to agree on a plan in advance, this will help you avoid unnecessary work.

With the help of a marketing agency

Perhaps this is the best option. Especially if a comprehensive study is required. Yes, you have to set aside a budget to hire specialists. But in return, you will get quality work and unload your own schedule. It is rather difficult to carry out such a voluminous work on your own, and in the agency several employees will work on the analysis at once, who will be able to assess the problem from all sides.
conclusions

Now let's summarize, briefly outline the most important things to remember.
If you have any questions on the topic, write in the comments! Good luck!