Market research refers to the collection, collation, analysis and interpretation of market-related information through scientific methods to help companies understand the current situation and trends of the market, assess market opportunities and risks, and formulate and implement effective marketing strategies. Market research is not only an important basis for enterprises to make strategic decisions and marketing strategies, but also an effective way for enterprises to understand market demand, competitors and consumer behavior. The quality and effect of market research directly affect the business effectiveness and competitiveness of enterprises.

Market research is a professional work, need to follow certain principles and steps, the use of appropriate methods and techniques, in order to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of research. From a professional point of view, this paper summarizes the "ten key points" of market research, and combines the actual case of Shangpu Consulting Company to show the application and value of market research, which provides reference and reference for enterprises.

1. clear research purpose

The purpose of the survey refers to the goal and significance of the survey, the starting point and destination of the survey, and the basis for guiding the direction and scope of the survey. Clarifying the purpose of the survey can help companies determine the focus and difficulty of the survey, avoid ineffective information collection and wasteful resource investment, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the survey.

The purpose of the survey should have the following characteristics:

Consistent with the strategic objectives and marketing objectives of the enterprise, reflecting the development needs and market opportunities of the enterprise;

Have clear problems and assumptions, reflect the current situation and problems of the market, and put forward verifiable assumptions and expectations;

It is operable and measurable, can guide the selection of research methods and techniques, and can be verified and evaluated through data and analysis.

For example, Shangpu Consulting provides market research services for a new energy vehicle company. The purpose of the research is:

Understand the scale, structure, trends and competitive landscape of China's new energy vehicle market, and assess market opportunities and risks;

Understand the needs, preferences, purchasing behavior and satisfaction of target consumers, and analyze the value and motivation of consumers;

Understand competitors' products, prices, channels, promotions and brand strategies, analyze competitors' strengths and weaknesses;

Propose product positioning, market segmentation, target market, market entry and marketing strategy recommendations for the Chinese market.

2. selection research method

Research methods refer to the ways and means of collecting and analyzing market information, and are the tools and techniques for implementing research. Choosing appropriate research methods can help enterprises obtain effective and reliable market information and improve the quality and level of research.

Research methods are divided into two main categories:

Second-hand data research, that is, the use of existing, by other institutions or individuals to collect and organize the data, analysis and interpretation, in order to obtain market information. The advantages of second-hand data research are low cost, fast speed and wide range, but the disadvantages are poor timeliness, low reliability and weak pertinence. The sources of second-hand data include government departments, industry associations, media institutions, research institutions, network platforms, etc.

First-hand data research, that is, according to the purpose and content of the research, self-designed and implemented research activities, directly from the market and consumers to collect and analyze data to obtain market information. The advantages of first-hand data research are good timeliness, high reliability and strong pertinence, but the disadvantages are high cost, slow speed and narrow scope. The methods of first-hand data include questionnaire survey, interview survey, observation survey, experimental survey and so on.

The selection of research methods should be based on the purpose of the research, content, scope, time, cost and other factors, in general, second-hand data research and first-hand data research should be used in combination to achieve complementary and verification of the effect.

For example, Shangpu Consulting Company provides market research services for a new energy vehicle company and has selected the following research methods:

Through questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, etc., collect and analyze first-hand information about the needs, preferences, purchasing behavior and satisfaction of target consumers;

Collect and analyze first-hand information about competitors' products, prices, channels, promotions and brand strategies through interviews, mystery customers, and competition analysis.

3. Design Research Scheme

The research plan refers to the planning and design of the specific arrangement and implementation details of the research activities. It is the operation guide of the research and an important guarantee to ensure the smooth progress of the research. Designing a research plan can help companies clarify the steps and processes of research, allocate research resources and responsibilities, and control the quality and risk of research.

The research plan should include the following:

The purpose and content of the survey, I .e., an overview of the objectives and significance of the survey, as well as the main issues and assumptions of the survey;

Research methods and techniques, I .e., methods and techniques that describe the second-hand and first-hand data used in the research;

Research samples and sampling, that is, to determine the object and quantity of research, as well as the method and standard of sampling;

Research tools and materials, I .e. questionnaires, interview guides, observation tables, laboratory equipment, etc. required for the production and testing of research;

Investigator and training, I .e., recruiting and training research implementers and facilitators to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to conduct research;

Research time and progress, that is, arrange the start and end time of the research, and the time nodes of each stage of the research;

Research budget and cost, that is, to estimate and control the overall and sub-cost of research, including manpower, material resources, funds, etc;

Research quality and risk, that is, the development and implementation of research quality standards and control measures, as well as the identification and response to possible research risks and problems.

For example, Shangpu Consulting provides market research services for a new energy vehicle company and has designed the following research plan:

Research samples and sampling: according to the geographical, income, age, gender and other characteristics of China's new energy vehicle market, 1000 target consumers and 100 competitors' representatives were selected as research samples by stratified random sampling method;

Research tools and materials: according to the research contents and methods, the research tools such as online questionnaire, telephone interview guide, focus group guide, mysterious customer table, competition analysis table, etc. were produced, and pre-tested and revised;

Researchers and training: from the professional team of Shangpu Consulting Company, 10 consultants with market research experience and knowledge of the new energy vehicle industry were selected as research executors, and 20 part-time personnel were hired as research assistants. A two-day research training was conducted;

Research time and progress: it is planned to complete the research activities within one month from February 1, 2024 to February 28, 2024, including 5 days for second-hand data research, 20 days for first-hand data research, and 5 days for data analysis and report writing;

Research budget and expenses: the total cost of budget research is 500000 yuan, of which labor costs account for 30%, material costs account for 20%, and capital costs account for 50%;

Research quality and risk: the quality standards and control measures of research are formulated, including the effectiveness of research tools, the accuracy of research data, the rationality of research analysis, the standardization of research reports, etc., and the possible risks and problems of research are identified, such as sample failure, data leakage, competitor interference, etc., and corresponding coping strategies are formulated.

4. implementation of research activities

The implementation of research activities refers to the specific operation of the research in accordance with the arrangement of the research plan, including the collection of second-hand data, the research of first-hand data, recording and sorting of research data, etc. The implementation of research activities is the core of research and the key step to obtain market information.

The implementation of research activities should pay attention to the following matters:

Follow the requirements of the research plan, complete the research tasks on time and according to quantity and quality, and do not change the methods and contents of the research at will;

Maintain the objectivity and impartiality of the research, free from personal subjective bias and external interference, and do not tamper with or falsify the research data;

Protect the confidentiality and legality of the research, do not disclose and abuse the information and data of the research, and do not infringe the privacy and rights of the research object;

Maintain the flexibility and innovation of research, adjust and optimize the methods and means of research according to the actual situation of research, and improve the effect and value of research.

For example, Shangpu Consulting provided market research services for a new energy vehicle company and implemented the following research activities:

First-hand information research: through online questionnaires, telephone interviews, focus groups and other ways, 1000 target consumers and 100 representatives of competitors were investigated, a total of 1000 questionnaires, 200 hours of interviews, 10 focus groups;

Record and organize research data: through electronic forms, databases, audio and video recordings, etc., record and organize the second-hand data and first-hand data obtained from the research, totaling 1GB of data.

5. collection and analysis of data

Collecting and analyzing data refers to the cleaning, integration, induction, statistics, analysis and interpretation of second-hand and first-hand data from research activities in order to extract valuable market information and insights. Collecting and analyzing data is a follow-up to research and an important step in presenting market information.

The collection and analysis of data should follow the following principles:

Completeness, I .e. the collection and analysis of all relevant data as far as possible, without missing or omitting any useful information;

Accuracy, that is, to ensure the authenticity and validity of the data, free of errors and deviations;

Consistency, that is, to ensure the comparability and compatibility of data, without contradictions and conflicts;

Orderly, that is, according to the logical and systematic order and method, the classification and organization of data;

Simplicity, I .e. removing redundant and irrelevant parts of the data and highlighting the core and focus of the data;

Clarity, that is, the presentation and interpretation of data in a clear and understandable manner.