Marketing Basics: Marketing Research

“Research is what you do to obtain knowledge. Marketing Research is what you do to understand your consumer”

Research: the base of most important decisions involving a brand. The investigations are usually made through an external agency that reports either to a research manager or to the brand manager that demands the info.

.

The company needs information about the consumer, the clients and the competitive environment. The information gathered may be quantitative or qualitative.

.

Quantitative Research: Involves the application of research techniques to estimate the consumer, client or market behaviour on the selected region. It usually uses questionnaires, scales, or automatic readings.

Typical examples:

• Share of market.
• Share of shelf.
• Sell outs.
• Consumer Attitudes and Usage
• Product Evaluation

Benefits and Difficulties

• + Great estimate of behaviour.
• - Expensive
• - Requires a lot of time

Qualitative Research: Involves the application of research techniques to understand the consumer or client on a more personal level. It’s usually and open interview or observation that enables the interviewee to act or say anything and everything he (or she) wants. Brand managers use this type of research as a first step to understand the consumer behaviour to an Idea.

Typical examples:

• Focus Groups
• Depth Interviews
• Projective Techniques
• Observational Research
• Ethnographic Studies

Benefits and Difficulties

• +  Short time
• +  Less expensive
• -   Not good for projection

Related Articles

• Qualitative Research Vs Quantitative Research (slideshare.net)