Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Research is a process, not an event. If you continue to research in a consistent manner, the information does not become obsolete by definition, because you keep adding to it. And research is not just information gathering. It's observing, concluding, making recommendations, and testing those recommendations. In doing this, the research doesn't become obsolete.

The best tool to protect you from doing research and it becoming obsolete is a research strategy and plan. This consists of deciding who conducts the research, where and how to research, how often to conduct the research, who analyzes the data and drives to conclusions and recommendations, and how to test the recommendations and conclusions. It's not a "tool," but more establishing a process.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

Not necessary the tools, but developing a process in which market changes can be adapted to quickly and acted upon.

I think of it as a marketing cycle ....

1. Prospects identified, how can you interact with them and make them aware of your businss and your solutions!
(PR, Ads, Events etc)

2. How can you engage with them?
DM, email, internet, scripts for telesales!

3. How can marketing support the sales effort?
POP, presentations, promotions, discounts, roadmaps etc

4. How do you retain customers?
News, hospitality, promotions etc

So the cycle is constant, as internal or external factors change, the deliverables within the cycle change, but everyone knows whats needed and whats expected!

No sure, this has worked for me in the past.

Good Luck

If you're chasing the competition you are already in a bad situation. Big picture, the goal is not even to lead the market, but to create the market. Southwest Airlines CREATED the lowfare model for airlines. Guess who's making money?

Not sure what industry you're in but let's say for the sake of argument that you're in the automotive parts industry. Instead of being AutoZone or NAPA and opening a million stores, you create a program whereby car owners register their car info with you and you send them a monthly update on suggested maintanance that includes:
1) Pricing for parts including a link to purchase online
2) A PDF file that shows exactly how to do it
3) A list of AAA-Approved (or BBB) repair shops in their area and average price to perform the work
4) NADA value of their car

Now you've become the knowledge leader vs someone standing in line at AutoZone to talk to some high school kid who knows more about cars than you and thinks you're stupid for not being a gearhead.

The point is that your research needs to be longer term. YOU need to create the trends.

Michael