How to do market research? What are the most important elements in doing research?

Generally speaking, there are two ways to obtain information. One is to obtain information randomly. In many cases, you do not necessarily have a clear goal or specific plan to obtain information. A lot of valuable information is discovered when you least expect it. As a businessman, when reading newspapers, watching TV, sightseeing, walking, and chatting with others, you must be a thoughtful person and always pay attention to valuable information. The second way to obtain information is to have a clear purpose, a specific plan, and use certain means to obtain information. This is what we usually call market research. (1) Main contents of market survey 1. Business environment survey ② Industry environment survey. Investigate the development status, development trends, industry rules and industry management measures of the business you operate and the service projects you carry out. For example, if you are engaged in the beauty and hairdressing industry, you should understand the domestic and regional development status of the industry, international and domestic fashion trends and advanced beauty technology, and what the industry standards and management systems are. Those who are engaged in the clothing industry should understand the development trends of the clothing industry, popular colors and styles, clothing technology development trends, etc. Every family has its own laws, and every industry has its own rules. When entering a new industry, you should fully understand and master the industry information. This will help you achieve the transformation from a layman to an expert as soon as possible. ③Survey of macroeconomic conditions. Whether the macroeconomic conditions are prosperous or not directly affects people's purchasing power. If business performance is generally poor and the economy is in recession, your business will be difficult to do. On the contrary, your business will be easy to do. This is called the macroclimate affecting the microclimate. Therefore, mastering the general climate information is an important parameter for running a small business. When the economy is booming, it is advisable to adopt a proactive management approach. During a recession, there are also profitable industries and potential market opportunities. The key lies in how you grasp and judge. For example, in the summer of 1989, some wealthy people in Hong Kong emigrated abroad, the market was in a downturn, and land and property prices plummeted. In this situation, a few shrewd and politically savvy businessmen saw the opportunity and bought large quantities of off-the-plan properties when property prices fell. Within half a year, the Chinese government was stable, the policy of reform and opening up remained unchanged, the policy of "one country, two systems" remained unchanged, Hong Kong's prosperity and stability remained unchanged, the situation became clear, property prices rose, and shrewd and politically savvy businessmen really made a lot of money. Therefore, understanding the objective economic situation and mastering economic status information is an important part of business environment investigation. 2. Market demand survey If you want to produce or distribute a certain product or series of products, you should conduct a survey on the market demand for this product. In other words, market positioning of products is carried out through market research. For example, if you sell a certain type of household appliance, you should investigate the market demand for this type of household appliance, whether there are identical or similar products, and what the market share is. For example, if you provide a professional home service project, you should investigate the residents' understanding and demand for this kind of project, how big the demand is, whether other people or companies provide the same service project, and what the market share is. Another important part of the market demand survey is the market demand trend survey. Understand the market's long-term demand situation for a certain product or service, and understand whether the product and service are gradually recognized and accepted by people, with broad demand prospects, or whether they are gradually eliminated by people and shrinking demand. Understand the development trends of this kind of products and services in terms of technology and operations, etc. 3. Customer situation survey These customers can be your original customers or your potential customers. Customer situation survey includes two aspects: First, customer demand survey, for example, most of the customers who buy a certain product (or service) are this kind of people (or social groups, enterprises), and what kind of satisfaction and satisfaction do they hope to get from it? Needs (such as utility, psychological satisfaction, technology, price, delivery time, sense of security, etc.), how many current products (or services) can or why they can better meet their needs in certain aspects, etc. The second is customer classification survey. Focus on understanding the number, characteristics and distribution of customers, clarify your target customers, and master their detailed information. If it is a certain type of enterprise or unit, you should understand the basic situation of these units, such as purchase channels, procurement management models, and telephone numbers. , office address, the specific situation and scope of authorization of the person in charge of a certain business, the degree of demand for certain products and services, purchasing habits and characteristics. If the customer is an individual consumer, you should understand the type of consumer group, that is, the approximate age range, gender, consumption characteristics, money consumption standards of the target customers, the degree of demand for certain products and services, purchasing motivations, purchasing psychology, and usage habits. Mastering this information will prepare you for targeted business development. 4. Competitor investigation In an open market economy, it is too difficult to do exclusive business. Before you open your business, someone may already be doing the same or similar business. These are your actual competitors. Maybe the business you are launching is brand new and unique. When you first started your business, you had no real competitors. Once your business prospers, many people will learn about your business and compete to join you. , these are your potential opponents. Only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you be victorious in every battle. Understand the situation of your competitors, including their number and scale, distribution and composition, their strengths and weaknesses, and their marketing strategies. Only by knowing this well can you occupy a favorable position in the fierce market competition. Adopt some competitive strategies in a targeted manner to achieve what others don't have and what we have, what others have and what we have, and what others have and what we have is even better.

5. Market sales strategy survey: Focus on investigating and understanding the main promotion methods, marketing strategies and sales methods for operating a certain product or carrying out a certain service project in the market. Such as sales channels, sales links, the shortest purchase distance and the minimum wholesale link, advertising methods and priorities, price strategies, what promotional methods are there, prize sales or discount sales, what are the sales methods, wholesale or retail, consignment sales or MLM, monopoly sales Or franchising, etc., investigate whether these business strategies are effective and what their shortcomings and deficiencies are, so as to provide a basis for you to decide what business strategies and business methods to adopt. (2) Common market survey methods 1. According to different survey scopes, market surveys can be divided into three types: market census, sample survey and typical survey. Market census is a one-time comprehensive survey of the market. This kind of survey is large in volume, wide in scope, expensive, long in cycle, and difficult, but the survey results are comprehensive, factual, and reliable. Generally, laid-off workers do not have the ability or need to conduct such large-scale market surveys for some businesses. Sampling survey, based on which the situation of the entire population is inferred. For example, if you sell a kind of food and supplies for primary school students, you can choose one or two classes of primary school students in one or two schools to conduct surveys to infer the market demand for this product among primary school students. Typical survey, that is, selecting some typical individuals from the population of survey objects for investigation and analysis, and based on this, the general situation of the population can be deduced. For example, when conducting a survey on competitors, you can select one or two typical representatives from many competitors, conduct in-depth research and understand them, and analyze their internal operating mechanisms, operational management advantages, price levels and operating methods, without having to analyze all competitors. Competitors all conduct surveys, which is difficult and time-consuming. 2. According to different investigation methods, market research can be divided into: interview method, observation method and test marketing or trial camp method. The interview method refers to formulating investigation items in advance and asking the respondents through interviews, letters and calls, telephone calls, etc. to obtain the required investigation information. This kind of survey is simple and easy to conduct, and sometimes it is not very formal. When chatting with people, you can intersperse the content of your survey and conduct market research unknowingly. Observation method, that is, investigators personally visit customer shopping sites, such as stores and markets, and visit service sites, such as restaurants and buses, to directly observe and record customer categories, purchasing motivations and characteristics, consumption patterns and habits, and merchant prices. With service level, business strategies and methods, etc., the first-hand information obtained in this way is more authentic and reliable. Be careful not to let the operator discover your investigation behavior. Test marketing or trial operation method. That is, for businesses that are uncertain, you can understand customer feedback and market demand through sales or product trial sales.