1. clear research objectives

The first skill of market research is to clarify the research objectives, that is, the questions to be solved or answered by market research, which determines the direction and scope of market research. When defining research objectives, the SMART principles should be followed, I .e. specific (Specific), measurable (Measurable), achievable (Achievable), relevant (Relevant) and time-bound (Time-bound). For example, a reasonable research goal could be: "By the end of 2023, evaluate the potential demand and competitive advantages of our company's new products in the target market, as well as consumers' willingness and preferences to buy, and provide a basis for product launch and promotion." This research objective has the following characteristics:

Specific: the object of research (new products), content (needs, advantages, wishes and preferences) and use (listing and promotion);

Measurable: The results of the survey can be measured through data and indicators, such as market size, market share, consumer satisfaction, etc;

Can be achieved: in line with the actual situation of the market and enterprises, but not too idealistic or unrealistic;

Related: Consistent with the strategic objectives and market environment of the enterprise, contributing to the development and competition of the enterprise;

Time limit: set a clear time node, which is conducive to the planning and implementation of the research.

2. selection research method

The second skill of market research is to choose the research method, that is, the method, tools, samples, time and budget to be used in market research, which determines the efficiency and effectiveness of market research. When selecting research methods, appropriate and effective research methods and tools should be selected based on research objectives and market conditions, reasonable and representative sample sizes and sampling methods should be determined, and detailed and feasible timetables and budget plans should be developed. Commonly used market research methods are the following:

Questionnaire survey. Questionnaire is a way to obtain quantitative or qualitative data by designing a series of questions, distributing them to target respondents and collecting answers. The questionnaire survey can be conducted in the form of offline or online, such as home visits, street interception, telephone visits, network visits, etc. The advantage of the questionnaire is that a large amount of data can be collected quickly and widely, which is convenient for statistical analysis; the disadvantage is that there may be sampling bias, untrue answers, unreasonable question design and so on.

In-depth interviews. In-depth interview is a way to obtain qualitative data through in-depth communication between professional interviewers and interviewees on a certain topic. In-depth interviews can be conducted in face-to-face or remotely, such as video calls, phone calls, etc. The advantage of in-depth interviews is that they can gain an in-depth understanding of the interviewee's thoughts, feelings, motivations, and other emotions and behaviors; the disadvantage is that they require high interview skills, time and labor costs, and are difficult to quantify.

Group talks. A panel discussion is a way of leading a group of target respondents to a discussion on a topic through a trained moderator to obtain qualitative data. Group discussions can be conducted offline or online, such as in laboratories, conference rooms, video conferences, etc. The advantage of group discussion is that it can stimulate the interaction and thinking collision between the interviewees, and produce more opinions and ideas; the disadvantage is that there may be problems such as group pressure, host bias, and discussion deviation from the topic.

Field observation. Field observation is a way to observe and record the behavior and environment of the target interviewee by personally integrating into the life or work scene of the target interviewee to obtain qualitative data. Field observation can be conducted in covert or overt forms, such as unannounced visits, escorts, participation, etc. The advantage of field observation is that it can directly obtain first-hand data and avoid the subjective influence of the interviewees; the disadvantage is that it takes a long time and higher skills, and there may be problems such as observer effect and privacy invasion.

Mystery customer. Mysterious customers are a way to obtain quantitative or qualitative data by anonymously evaluating a company's services, business operations, employee integrity, product promotion, and product quality through specially trained shoppers. Mysterious customers can be carried out in the form of offline or online, such as physical stores, online stores, telephones, etc. The advantage of the mystery customer is that it can objectively evaluate the performance of the business and provide suggestions for improvement; the disadvantage is that there may be issues such as shopper preferences, evaluation criteria, and data validity.

3. implementation of research activities

The third skill of market research is to perform research activities, that is, specific operations to be performed in market research, such as issuing questionnaires, conducting interviews, arranging seminars, and conducting observations. When carrying out research activities, we should operate in accordance with the research plan, pay attention to control the quality and progress, and deal with possible problems and difficulties in a timely manner. When carrying out research activities, the following points should be noted:

Training and mentoring of researchers. Researchers are the important executors of market research, and their quality and ability directly affect the quality and effect of research. Therefore, researchers should be fully trained and guided to let them understand the purpose, methods, processes and precautions of the research, master the skills and norms of the research, and improve the professionalism and effectiveness of the research.

Maintain the objectivity and impartiality of the research. The objectivity and impartiality of the survey are the basis for ensuring the effectiveness and credibility of the survey. Therefore, subjective bias, preset positions, guiding questions, data tampering and other behaviors that affect the objectivity and impartiality of the survey should be avoided in the process of the survey. At the same time, the wishes and privacy of the interviewees should be respected, the interviewees should not be forced or induced to participate in the survey, and the personal information of the interviewees should not be disclosed or abused.

Collect and organize survey data. Research data is an important result of market research and the basis for analysis and reporting, therefore, research data should be collected and collated in a timely, complete and accurate manner to ensure the quality and integrity of the data. When collecting and organizing research data, the following points should be noted:

Select appropriate data collection tools, such as paper or electronic questionnaires, audio or video recording equipment, notebooks or tablet computers, etc., to ensure the readability and storability of the data;

Designing appropriate data storage methods, such as databases or spreadsheets, folders or clouds, to ensure data security and retrievability;

Necessary data cleaning and conversion, such as removing invalid or duplicate data, filling missing data, unifying data formats and units, etc., to ensure data consistency and comparability;

Make the necessary data classification and labeling, such as grouping according to the characteristics of the interviewee or the subject of the survey, adding labels or codes to the data, etc., to ensure that the data is orderly and analyzable.

4. analysis and reporting of findings

The fourth skill of market research is to analyze and report the results of the research, I .e.Conclusionand recommendations, as well as the manner and content of presentation to those involved. When analyzing and reporting research results, you should use appropriate analytical methods and tools to extract valuable information and insights based on the research objectives and data to form a clear and convincing report. When analyzing and reporting research results, the following points should be noted:

Select the appropriate analytical methods and tools. Analytical methods and tools are the means to transform data into information and knowledge, and appropriate and effective analytical methods and tools should be selected according to the type and characteristics of the data, such as descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, causal analysis, cluster analysis, regression analysis, hypothesis testing, etc. Analysis methods and tools can be performed manually or in software, such as Excel, SPSS, R, Python, etc.

Distill valuable information and insights. Information and insight is the purpose and result of analysis. Valuable information and insight should be extracted according to research objectives and problems, such as market scale, growth, trend, structure, opportunity, threat, consumer demand, behavior, preference, satisfaction, loyalty, segmentation, etc., competitors' advantages, disadvantages, strategies, dynamics, reactions, etc. Information and insights should have the following characteristics:

Well-founded: Information and insights should be based on data and analysis, not assumptions or guesswork;

Have depth: information and insights should reveal the reasons, mechanisms, logic and laws behind the data, rather than superficial phenomena or descriptions;

Meaningful: Information and insights should guide or inspire strategic decisions and actions, not irrelevant or useless information.

Form a clear and convincing report. The report is the vehicle for presenting and transmitting the results of the analysis, and should form a clear and convincing report, such as a written report, an oral report, a slide report, etc., according to the audience and purpose of the report. The report should have the following characteristics:

Structured: The report should organize and present the content of the analysis according to a certain logical sequence and hierarchy, such as introduction, method, results, discussion,Conclusionrecommendations, etc;

Visual: The report should use visual elements such as charts, pictures, and diagrams to enhance the readability and visibility of the analysis, such as bar charts, pie charts, line charts, scatter charts, radar charts, heat maps, funnel charts, tree charts, maps, etc;

Having a story: The report should enhance the appeal and appeal of the analysis by telling an interesting and enlightening story, such as background, problem, process, result, enlightenment, etc.

actual combat case

In order to better demonstrate the practicality and value of market research, let's take Shangpu Consulting as an example of how they use the above-mentioned "four skills" when conducting market research for an automobile manufacturer.

Shangpu Consulting is a professional market research and consulting company with rich industry experience and expertise to provide high-quality market research and consulting services to customers in all walks of life. Among them, a car manufacturer is one of the important customers of Shangpu Consulting. They plan to launch a new electric car in 2024. They hope that Shangpu Consulting will conduct market research for them and provide a basis for product positioning and marketing.

Champ Consulting followed the following steps in conducting market research for the automaker:

Clear research objectives. Shangpu consulting company has fully communicated with automobile manufacturers, understood their product characteristics, market environment, competitors, strategic objectives, etc., and finally determined the research goal as follows: "by the end of 2024, evaluate the potential demand and competitive advantage of new electric vehicles in the Chinese market, as well as the purchase willingness and preference of target consumers, so as to provide a basis for product positioning and marketing."

Select the research method. Based on the research objectives and market conditions, Champu Consulting has selected the following research methods:

Questionnaire survey. Shangpu Consulting Company designed a questionnaire including product awareness, purchase intention, purchase factors, purchase channels, purchase frequency, purchase budget and other questions, which was distributed to automobile consumers nationwide through the network platform, and collected 1000 valid answers.

In-depth interviews. Shangpu Consulting Company selected 100 of the respondents, conducted in-depth interviews according to their geographical location, age, gender, income, education and other characteristics, and conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on their cognition, attitude, expectation and doubts about the new electric vehicle by means of video call.

Group talks. Shangpu Consulting Company organized four group discussions composed of 8 to 10 car consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. Through the laboratory, they were asked to watch the introduction video of the new electric vehicle. Then they discussed and shared their feelings, evaluations, and suggestions on the new electric vehicle.

Field observation. Shangpu Consulting sent a team of 10 researchers to car sales stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu to observe and record consumers' behavior and environment when buying cars as ordinary consumers, such as inquiry, test drive, comparison, decision-making, etc.

Mystery customer. Shangpu Consulting commissioned a professional mystery customer company to conduct a mystery customer evaluation of 20 direct stores and 20 agency stores of the automaker. Through purchase or consultation, it evaluated the image of the store and the quality of service., Product knowledge, sales skills, etc.

Perform research activities. Shangpu Consulting Company operated in accordance with the research plan, paid attention to controlling the quality and progress, and dealt with possible problems and difficulties in a timely manner. In carrying out the research activities, Champu Consulting took note of the following points:

Training and mentoring of researchers. Shangpu Consulting Company has provided sufficient training and guidance to the personnel involved in the research, so that they can understand the purpose, methods, processes and precautions of the research, master the skills and norms of the research, and improve the professionalism and effectiveness of the research.

Maintain the objectivity and impartiality of the research. Shangpu Consulting avoids subjective bias, preconceived positions, guiding questions, data tampering and other behaviors that affect the objectivity and impartiality of the research. At the same time, Shangpu Consulting respects the wishes and privacy of the interviewees, does not force or induce the interviewees to participate in the survey, and does not disclose or abuse the personal information of the interviewees.

Collect and organize survey data. Shangpu Consulting Company collected and collated the research data in a timely, complete and accurate manner to ensure the quality and integrity of the data. When collecting and organizing research data, Champu Consulting paid attention to the following points:

Select the appropriate data collection tools, such as network platform, recording or video equipment, tablet computer, etc., to ensure the readability and storability of the data;

Reasonable data storage methods are designed, such as databases, spreadsheets, clouds, etc., to ensure data security and retrievability;

Necessary data cleaning and transformation are carried out, such as removing invalid or duplicate data, filling in missing data, unifying the format and units of data, etc., to ensure the consistency and comparability of data;

The necessary data classification and labeling are carried out, such as grouping according to the characteristics of the interviewees or the subject of the survey, adding labels or codes to the data, etc., to ensure the order and analysiability of the data.

Analyze and report findings. Based on the research objectives and data, Shangpu Consulting has used appropriate analysis methods and tools to refine valuable information and insights to form a clear and convincing report. In analyzing and reporting the results of the survey, Champ & Co. took note of the following:

The appropriate analytical methods and tools were selected. According to the type and characteristics of the data, Shangpu Consulting has selected appropriate and effective analysis methods and tools, such as descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, causal analysis, cluster analysis, regression analysis, hypothesis testing, etc. The analysis methods and tools are carried out in the form of software, such as SPSS, R, Python, etc.

Refining valuable information and insights. Based on the research objectives and questions, Shangpu Consulting has refined valuable information and insights, such as the potential demand and competitive advantages of new electric vehicles in the Chinese market, as well as the purchase intention and preference of target consumers. Information and insights have the following characteristics:

Well-founded: Information and insights are based on data and analysis, not on guesswork or speculation;

Depth: Information and insights reveal the reasons, mechanisms, logic and laws behind the data, rather than superficial phenomena or descriptions;

Meaningful: Information and insights that guide or inspire product positioning and marketing for automakers, rather than irrelevant or useless information.

A clear and convincing report was produced. According to the audience and purpose of the report, Champ Consulting has formed a clear and convincing report, such as written report, oral report, slide report, etc. The report has the following characteristics:

Structured: The report organizes and presents the contents of the analysis according to a certain logical sequence and hierarchy, such as introduction, method, results, discussion,Conclusionrecommendations, etc;

Visual: The report uses visual elements such as charts, pictures, and diagrams to enhance the readability and visibility of the analysis, such as bar charts, pie charts, line charts, scatter charts, radar charts, heat maps, funnel charts, tree charts, maps, etc;

Stories: The report enhances the appeal and appeal of the analysis by telling an interesting and enlightening story, such as background, problem, process, result, enlightenment, etc.