Question

Topic: Research/Metrics

Overarching Marketing Research Plan

Posted by Anonymous on 3/29/2010 at 7:32 PM ET 250 Points
I've been put into a new role at my firm doing marketing research, which I know very little about. My very first task is to produce a overarching marketing research plan/outline.

Can someone please help me understand the usual research process? Types of studies and why they are employed?

I wish there were sample research plan or outline out there to reference, but haven't found one yet.

Also any book suggestions would be appreciated as well. Thanks ahead.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 3/29/2010 at 7:44 PM Accepted
    The "usual research process" depends on what you need to know to manage your business and make important decisions.

    Market research is really a misleading name, and it's only a discipline by accident. What it's about is answering questions that are important for decision-making in your organization.

    So start by defining the key issues facing the business. Then ask yourself, "What information would help me make a smarter decision in this case?" Then decide what the VALUE of that information would be. If the cost to get the answer using some form of market research is less than the value, then commission the research.

    Trying to plan market research without knowing what the questions are is like coming up with a punch line without knowing what the joke set-up is.

    If your issue is brand image vis a vis competition, then a brand audit study might be the solution. If the issue is advertising awareness, then an awareness and attitude study might be appropriate. But to simply come up with research for its own sake is really a useless exercise.

    Hope this helps some. I know it's not a direct answer, but it may help put this in perspective.
  • Posted on 3/29/2010 at 7:52 PM Moderator
    There is an online seminar in the MarketingProfs archive that gives an excellent overview of market research, and there's a how-to guide that comes with it that covers just about every kind of market research you can imagine. (There are several dozen kinds of research discussed in the how-to guide, including when to use them, pros and cons, costs, etc.)

    It's called "Do-It-Yourself Market Research," and it can be found at:

    https://www.marketingprofs.com/marketing/online-seminars/115
  • Posted on 3/29/2010 at 7:59 PM Author
    @mgoodman thanks for your response. I do realize my question is a little broad and vague due to lack of knowledge in the discipline. Your answer helps a lot in perspective.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 3/29/2010 at 8:06 PM Accepted
    Just to amplify mgoodman's first response a little - I would meet with the key players around the firm to find out what information they wish they had but don't, and ask them to put a value on that information.
  • Posted by koen.h.pauwels on 4/3/2010 at 9:22 AM Accepted
    Fully agreed with Michael and Chris - the marketing research plan should address the specific objectives and preferences of the key players in your organization. Once you get the specific content, you can look at the following for organization:

    1) https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=20841
    This is basically the same question as you have, and the first answer is very helpful in terms of layout/organization

    2) https://www.docstoc.com/docs/9692955/Marketing-Research-Plan-Outline/

    Good luck

    Koen
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