Know-How Exchange : Research/Metrics

I want to know why you need this information. It's like asking what keywords people are bidding the most on - so that you can join in the fun and spend a lot of money.

Because the way I look at your problem isn't to look at the competition in any strict manner at all. I don't look at their sales, I'm not interested in how much they're spending. I'm interested in what they AREN'T doing, who they aren't serving and why they can't. The other point is that with a well crafted USP (unique selling proposition) you can break into most markets without needing to know what your opposition is up to. In most cases that is because they are using university trained marketers who do everything to a proscribed pattern. Few if any are dealing with the reasons why their customer chooses them - let alone the impulse. I am speaking here of emotions - and if there is one effective way of breaking into any market it's by "pressing their buttons".

Because just plucking someone else's database or customer list isn't going to start ringing their bells. Doing something fresh and interesting will - what's more you will be able to build up your own custom-tailored database of hot prospects for far less cost. Plus you'll have the advantage of knowing who they are, what they like and why they stay around - all of which will tell you a great deal about your own company, and how to make your advertising even more effective.

I'm sorry if this isn't the answer you were looking for. Only your business is unique, and so are your customers. Make use of that and forget trying to copy everyone else's mistakes. I think you're better than that.

This is one of those "keys to the kingdom" questions, in exchange for 50 cents. One possible solution to the rather complex thing you asked for in your second paragraph could be done through a content scrape and through some kind of Google alerts type bot system BUT, you'd need to create hefty lists of what to scrape and what to tag, then you've got to review the content, which would take lots of time.

I only know of one person who has this kind of software already set up and ready to rock (because he wrote it, he's tested it, and he and I both know it works). The downsides, for you are: 1. he's not for hire and, 2. you can't afford him.

1. This list you can get from any ambassy.
2. google it.
3. Try business yellow pages.
4. Hire an Agent.
Regards,
Rohit

The easiest way to test a market isn't that innovative - it's Google. Pay per click or their display network will show you if a market is even worth bothering with. Just for a few hundred bucks. You don't even have to target the entire country. This will be way more effective than any lists you can purchase to send emails to, for one thing, are they looking for a new contract? If they aren't, all you are going to do is waste their time - or worse, annoy them.

For this you need to know a little about the demographics of your best clients - you have a business so this isn't going to be that hard. Just work out why they chose you, and advertise to the same sort of people. With a technique that Perry Marshall dubbed "right angle marketing" you can easily get under their skin through advertising your wares not directly, but to places they visit when not at work (online magazines etc).

Establish also the reason why they chose you and you have your strategy laid out before you. You have your ad, your landing page and pretty well everything worked out - and the best bit is that you already have it all right now.

So do some thinking, set up a PPC/display account and geo-target Djakarta, Ibadan and Sao Paolo tonight and see what happens. Next week you'll know a lot more about those markets and how interested they are in your product.