1. target determination

The first step in market research is to determine the goal, that is, to clarify the purpose, scope and object of market research. The purpose of market research is to identify gaps in demand, not just to describe the current state of the market. Therefore, market research questions should be exploratory rather than descriptive or evaluative. For example, don't ask "Are consumers satisfied with our products?" and ask, "What are the unmet needs of consumers?" don't ask, "What are the advantages of our competitors?" instead, ask, "What are the weaknesses or vulnerabilities of our competitors?" the scope of market research refers to the field, direction and depth of market research, which should be consistent with the purpose of market research, neither too broad nor too narrow. For example, if the purpose of market research is to find out the demand gap in the automobile market, then the scope of market research should not be limited to a certain brand or model of car, nor should it only focus on the appearance or performance of the car, but should cover all aspects of the car, such as safety, comfort, environmental protection, intelligence, etc. The object of market research refers to the participants of market research, including consumers, competitors, suppliers, distributors, industry experts, etc. The object of market research should be representative and influential, reflecting the diversity and dynamics of the market, while also providing valuable information and insights.

2. design scheme

The second step of market research is to design the plan, that is, to select the appropriate market research methods, tools and indicators. The methods of market research can be divided into quantitative and qualitative methods, quantitative methods are used to describe and analyze market information through numerical and statistical methods, such as questionnaires, experiments, observations, etc., and qualitative methods are used to understand and explain market information through language and images, such as interviews, focus groups, case studies, etc. The method of market research should be selected according to the objectives and scope of market research, and in general, qualitative methods are more advantageous than quantitative methods in order to identify gaps in demand, as qualitative methods can dig deeper into consumer motivations, attitudes and feelings, as well as competitors' strategies and behaviors. Market research tools refer to the carriers and media of market research, such as questionnaires, interview guides, audio recordings, videos, photos, etc. The tools of market research should be selected according to the methods and objects of market research. Generally speaking, in order to find out the gaps in demand, the tools of market research should be open, allowing market research participants to express and display their ideas and experiences freely, rather than being limited to fixed options and ranges. The indicators of market research refer to the evaluation and measurement criteria of market research, such as satisfaction, loyalty, market share, profit margin, etc. The indicators of market research should be determined according to the purpose and scope of market research. Generally speaking, in order to find out the gaps in demand, the indicators of market research should be innovative and can reflect the new trends, new opportunities and new challenges in the market, rather than just following the traditional or regular indicators.

3. data collection

The third step of market research is to collect data, that is, to obtain market information through market research methods, tools and indicators. Market research data can be divided into first-hand data and second-hand data. First-hand data refers to data obtained directly by market researchers from market research objects, such as questionnaire recovery, interview records, experimental results, etc. Second-hand data refers to data obtained indirectly by market researchers from other sources, such as reports, articles, databases, etc. Market research data should be collected according to the objectives and scope of market research. Generally speaking, in order to find out the gaps in demand, first-hand data is more valuable than second-hand data, because first-hand data can more truly reflect the current situation and changes in the market, while second-hand data may be distorted, outdated or biased. The data collection of market research should follow the following principles: validity, reliability, objectivity and legitimacy. Effectiveness means that market research data can effectively answer market research questions, rather than irrelevant or meaningless data; reliability means that market research data can be stably repeated and copied, rather than random or accidental data; objectivity means that market research data can objectively reflect market facts, rather than subjective or biased data; legitimacy means that market research data can be obtained and used legally, rather than data that infringes or violates the rights and interests of market research objects.

4. analysis results

The fourth step of market research is to analyze the results, that is, to find and explain the gaps in market demand through market research data. The result analysis of market research can be divided into descriptive analysis and inferential analysis. Descriptive analysis describes the basic characteristics and laws of the market, such as frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, etc., by sorting, summarizing and summarizing the data of market research. Inferential analysis explains the deep meaning and hidden problems of the market by comparing, correlating and reasoning the data of market research, such as relevance, causality, predictability, etc. The analysis of the results of market research should be based on the objectives and scope of market research, and in general, in order to identify gaps in demand, inferential analysis is more important than descriptive analysis, as inferential analysis can be more effective in identifying market opportunities and threats, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the business. The analysis of the results of market research should follow the following principles: logic, clarity, innovation and practicality. Logic means that the result analysis of market research can be reasonably deduced and demonstrated, rather than random or arbitrary analysis; Clarity means that the result analysis of market research can be clearly expressed and presented, rather than vague or confusing analysis; Innovation means that the result analysis of market research can put forward novel and valuable views and suggestions, rather than old or useless analysis; practicality means that the analysis of the results of market research can provide guidance and support for the decision-making and action of the enterprise, rather than empty or ineffective analysis.

Examples of 5.

In order to better illustrate how to use market research to identify gaps in demand and seize market opportunities, the following is an example of how Shangpu Consulting provides effective market research services to its clients. Shangpu consulting company is a professional market research and consulting company, with rich industry experience and professional knowledge, can provide customers with customized market research programs and solutions. Here are two examples of market research conducted by Champ Consulting for its clients:

Case 1: Market research for a coffee chain brand to find out the demand gap in the coffee market

Shangpu Consulting conducted market research for a coffee chain brand to identify gaps in demand in the coffee market and provide them with innovative and differentiated strategies. The following market research steps were used by Champ Consulting:

-Targeting: The purpose of market research is to identify demand gaps in the coffee market, I .e. potential needs that are not being met or are not fully met, thereby providing opportunities for innovation and differentiation for coffee chain brands. The scope of market research is all aspects of the coffee market, such as consumer needs, preferences and behavior, the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, coffee quality, price and service. The object of market research is coffee consumers, competitors, suppliers, distributors, industry experts and so on.

-Design: The method of market research is a combination of qualitative and quantitative, mainly using interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, experiments and other methods to collect and analyze market information. Market research tools are open, allowing market research participants to freely express and present their ideas and experiences, such as interview guides, questionnaires, audio recordings, videos, photos, etc. The indicators of market research are innovative and can reflect new trends, new opportunities and new challenges in the market, such as consumer satisfaction, loyalty, willingness, participation, etc.

-Data collection: The data of market research is mainly first-hand data, that is, data obtained directly from the objects of market research, such as interview records, focus group records, questionnaire recovery, experimental results, etc. The data collection of market research follows the principles of validity, reliability, objectivity and legality to ensure the quality and compliance of the data.

-Analysis results: The analysis of the results of market research is mainly inferential analysis, that is, through the comparison, correlation and reasoning of market research data, to find and explain the gaps in market demand. The analysis of the results of market research follows the principles of logic, clarity, innovation and practicality, and puts forward valuable ideas and suggestions.

The results of market research show that there are the following demand gaps in the coffee market:

-Consumers have higher requirements for the quality of coffee. They not only pay attention to the taste and aroma of coffee, but also pay attention to the source, production and nutrition of coffee, hoping to enjoy more pure, healthier and more story coffee.

-Consumers have more choices about the price of coffee. They no longer only pursue low-priced or high-priced coffee, but choose the right coffee according to their needs and budget, hoping to get more reasonable, more transparent and more flexible Coffee prices.

-Consumers have more expectations for coffee services, not only paying attention to the speed and quality of coffee, but also paying attention to the environment and experience of coffee, hoping to enjoy more comfortable, more personalized and more interactive coffee services.

-Competitors are making more efforts to innovate coffee, providing not only traditional or popular coffee, but also novel or characteristic coffee, such as cold extract coffee, milk tea coffee, fruit coffee, etc., hoping to attract more consumers and market share.

Based on the results of market research, Champu Consulting has put forward the following strategic suggestions for coffee chain brands:

-Improve the quality of coffee, by selecting high-quality coffee beans, using professional coffee machines and training qualified baristas, to ensure the taste and aroma of coffee, at the same time, by showing the source of coffee, production and nutrition information, to increase the purity of coffee, health and story.

-Adjust the price of coffee, by adopting different pricing strategies, such as cost-plus, competitive benchmarking, value positioning, etc., to adapt to different consumers and markets, and at the same time, by providing different discounts and rewards, such as membership cards, points Exchange, discount coupons, etc., to increase the rationality, transparency and flexibility of coffee.

-Improve the service of coffee, improve the speed and quality of coffee by optimizing the delivery and pick-up methods of coffee, such as take-out, self-service, code scanning, etc. At the same time, improve the environment and experience of coffee, such as music, lighting, decoration, Activities, etc., to enhance the comfort, personality and interactivity of coffee.

-Innovative coffee products, through the development of novel or special coffee, such as cold extraction coffee, milk tea coffee, fruit coffee, etc., to meet the diverse and personalized needs of consumers, at the same time, through cooperation with other brands or fields, Such as bookstores, beauty, tourism, etc., to expand the association and extension of coffee.

Through the market research service of Shangpu Consulting Company, the coffee chain brand successfully found the demand gap in the coffee market and adopted corresponding strategies to improve its market competitiveness and brand influence.

Case 2: Market research for a smartphone brand to identify gaps in demand in the smartphone market

Shangpu Consulting conducted market research for a smartphone brand to identify gaps in demand in the smartphone market and provide it with innovative and differentiated strategies. The following market research steps were used by Champ Consulting:

-Identify objectives: The purpose of market research is to identify gaps in demand in the smartphone market, I .e., potential needs that are not being met or are not being fully met, thereby providing opportunities for smartphone brands to innovate and differentiate. The scope of market research is all aspects of the smartphone market, such as consumer needs, preferences and behaviors, competitors' strengths and weaknesses, and smartphone features, performance and design. The object of market research is the consumers of smart phones, competitors, suppliers, distributors, industry experts, etc.

-Design: The method of market research is a combination of qualitative and quantitative, mainly using interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, experiments and other methods to collect and analyze market information. Market research tools are open, allowing market research participants to freely express and present their ideas and experiences, such as interview guides, questionnaires, audio recordings, videos, photos, etc. The indicators of market research are innovative and can reflect new trends, new opportunities and new challenges in the market, such as consumer satisfaction, loyalty, willingness, participation, etc.

-Data collection: The data of market research is mainly first-hand data, that is, data obtained directly from the objects of market research, such as interview records, focus group records, questionnaire recovery, experimental results, etc. The data collection of market research follows the principles of validity, reliability, objectivity and legality to ensure the quality and compliance of the data.

-Analysis results: The analysis of the results of market research is mainly inferential analysis, that is, through the comparison, correlation and reasoning of market research data, to find and explain the gaps in market demand. The analysis of the results of market research follows the principles of logic, clarity, innovation and practicality, and puts forward valuable ideas and suggestions.

The results of market research show that there are the following demand gaps in the smartphone market:

-Consumers have more demands for the functions of smart phones. They not only pay attention to the basic functions of smart phones such as calls, text messages and Internet access, but also pay attention to the advanced functions of smart phones such as photography, games and entertainment, hoping to enjoy more functions and services.

-Consumers have higher requirements for the performance of smart phones. They not only pay attention to the hardware indicators such as the speed, memory and battery of smart phones, but also pay attention to the software indicators such as the security, stability and compatibility of smart phones, hoping to have more powerful and reliable, Smarter smartphones.

-Consumers have more expectations for the design of smart phones. They not only pay attention to the appearance characteristics of smart phones such as size, weight and color, but also pay attention to the connotation characteristics of smart phones such as shape, material and style, hoping to show more personality, fashion and taste of smart phones.

-Competitors are making more efforts to innovate smartphones, providing not only traditional or popular smartphones, but also novel or distinctive smartphones, such as folding screen phones, transparent screen phones, wearable phones, etc., hoping to attract more Consumers and market share.

Based on the results of market research, Shangpu Consulting has put forward the following strategic suggestions for smartphone brands:

-Increase the functions of smart phones, through the development of more applications, games and entertainment content, to meet the diverse and personalized needs of consumers, at the same time, through cooperation with other brands or fields, such as social, e-commerce, Education, etc., to expand the functions and services of smart phones.

-Improve the performance of smartphones by adopting more advanced technologies and materials to improve hardware indicators such as speed, memory and battery of smartphones, and at the same time, by optimizing the systems and applications of smartphones, to enhance software indicators such as security, stability and compatibility of smartphones.

-Improve the design of smart phones, change the appearance characteristics of smart phones by adopting more flexible shapes, lighter materials and more colorful colors. At the same time, enrich smart phones by giving them more cultural and artistic elements. Connotation characteristics.

-Innovate smart phone products, through the development of novel or characteristic smart phones, such as folding screen phones, transparent screen phones, wearable phones, etc., to meet the novelty and curiosity needs of consumers, and at the same time, through cooperation with other brands or fields Competition and cooperation to enhance the competitiveness and influence of smart phones.

Through the market research service of Shangpu Consulting Company, the smart phone brand successfully found the demand gap in the smart phone market and adopted corresponding strategies to improve its market competitiveness and brand influence.