I am often asked ‘How can research help my business?’
There are many ways but here’s a few.
1. Finding the right customers – providing information and insight to help divide target/ current customers into distinct segments based on different parameters such as demographics – age, gender etc
2. Getting inside customers heads – providing insight into why consumers behave in a certain way, how they make decisions and what factors influence their purchasing behaviour
3. Checking out the competition – providing information on who really are your competitors (that can often be a surprise for some!), where do they sit in the market in terms of image compared to your own brand, what are your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. This information can help underpin a strategy to help you gain a competitive advantage.
4. Spotting trends/opportunities – through tracking studies, research can identify and create an early warning system for new and emerging trends, helping you take advantage of early buying behaviour changes and making sure your brand doesn’t get left behind.
5. Building strong brands – through conducting a brand audit or health check, looking at and sentiment and loyalty and providing insight to develop strategies to improve brand image
6. Price tag secrets – a favourite subject for many. Are you charging too much or too little for your product or service. Are you seen as good value for money. Research can help figure that out.
7. Expanding horizons – research can help answer what are market entry barriers, where are the gaps in the market and what do you need to offer to fill those gaps, exploit those opportunities