MARKETING RESEARCHby Suwattana Sawatasuk

Marketing Research

The systematic design, collection, and analysis, and reporting of data relevant to a specific marketing situation facing an organization.

Marketing Research Process1. Defining the problem and research

objectives2. Developing the research plan for

collecting information3. Implementing the research plan—

collecting and analyzing the data4. Interpreting and reporting the

findings

1. Defining the Problem and Research Objectives

What information is needed? Set the research objectives:

To gather preliminary information that will help define problems and suggest hypotheses: exploratory research

To better describe marketing problems, situations, or market, such as the market potential for a product or demographics and attitudes of consumers who buy the product: descriptive research

To test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships: causal research

2. Developing the Research Plan Researchers must determine the exact

information needed, develop a plan for gathering it efficiently, and present the plan to management

Research plan consists of sources of existing data, specific research approaches, contact methods, sampling plans, gathering new data instruments

The research plan should be presented in a “written proposal”

Primary and Secondary Data Primary data: information collected

for the specific purpose at hand

Secondary data: information that already exists somewhere, having been collected for another purpose

2.1) Gathering Secondary Data External information sources:

commercial data services and government sources such as …

2.2) Primary Data CollectionResearch Approaches: Observational research: gathering

primary data by observing relevant people, actions, and situations

Ethnographic research: a form of observational research that involves sending trained observers to watch and interact with consumers in their “natural habitat”

2.2) Primary Data Collection (con’t)Research Approaches: Survey research: gathering primary

data by asking people questions about their knowledge, attitudes, preferences, and buying behavior

Experiment research: gathering primary data by selecting matched groups of subjects, giving them different treatments, controlling related factors, and checking for differences in group responses

2.2) Primary Data Collection (con’t)Contact Methods: Mail, Telephone, and Personal

interviewing Focus group interviewing: personal interviewing

that involves inviting six to ten people to gather for a few hours with a trained interviewer to talk about a product, service, or organization. The interviewer “focuses” the group discussion on important issues

Online Marketing Research: collecting primary data online through Internet surveys, online focus groups, Web-based experiments, or tracking consumers’ online behavior

2.2) Primary Data Collection (con’t)Sampling Plan: Sample: a segment of the population

selected for marketing research to represent the population as a whole

3 decisions:1. Who is to be surveyed (what sampling

unit)?2. How many people should be surveyed

(what sample size)?3. How should the people in the sample be

chosen (what sampling procedure)?

2.2) Primary Data Collection (con’t)Research Instruments: Questionnaires: closed-end

questions, open-end questions Mechanical instruments: checkout

scanners, eye cameras

Planning Primary Data Collection

Research Approaches

Contact Methods

Sampling Plan

Research Instruments

Observation Mail Sampling unit

Questionnaire

Survey Telephone Sample size Mechanical instruments

Experiment Personal Sampling procedure

Online

3. Implementing the Research Plan Involves in collecting, processing,

and analyzing the information

4. Interpreting and Reporting the Findings Involving the interpreting the

findings, drawing conclusions, and reporting them to management

Customer Insight

Fresh understandings of customers and the marketplace derived from marketing information that become the basis for creating customer value and relationships.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Managing detailed information about

individual customers and carefully managing customer “touch points” in order to maximize customer loyalty.

Del Monte Unleashes Dog Lover Insights Del Monte Foods—maker of

wellknown dog food brands as Kibble’n Bits, Gravy Train, and Milk-Bone—was considering a new breakfast treat for dogs, it sent out a note to an online community of dog owners, called “I Love My Dog,” asking them what they most wanted to feed their pet in the morning.

Del Monte Unleashes Dog Lover Insights

The consensus answer was something with a bacon-and-egg taste.

The result: Del Monte introduced Snausages Breakfast Bites, born out of insights that a dedicated segment of dog owners love to share holiday events and mealtimes with their pets.

Del Monte Unleashes Dog Lover Insights

The Snausages Breakfast Bites are flavored like bacon and eggs contain an extra dose of vitamins and minerals, which the dog owners said it was also important to them.

Del Monte Unleashes Dog Lover Insights

The “I Love My Dog” online community isn’t some random chat room or yet another Web site for dog enthusiasts—it’s a custom social network created by Del Monte working with research firm MarketTools.

Del Monte Unleashes Dog Lover Insights

Its 400 members were handpicked to join the private social network, which the company uses to help create products, test marketing campaigns, and stir up buzz.

“The idea is to develop relationship…create ad hoc surveys and get feedback,” says Del Monte Senior Customer Insight Manager Gala Amoroso.