Learning what consumers like and don’t like is a key component of research that businesses use to design and market their products. But really successful businesses use the same information to craft messages that communicate with consumers in ways that effectuate positive responses from them, as well.
Data from certain types of studies can highlight what a business is currently doing well and also what it isn’t. By extension, this information can be used to make inferences about how competitors might be meeting consumer needs in better ways, either by having a better product, more effective production, lower prices or preferable messaging. Knowing where a company stands in relation to everyone else in the market says a lot about its products and practices, putting it in a position to maximize strategies that work while minimizing both the competition’s advantages and its own risks.
Successful businesses use the research process to experiment. They don’t wait for the data to come to them; they actively seek out consumer opinions to plan for the future. They use what they learn to diagnose problems and guide development instead of merely assessing performance.
Gathering industry data allows businesses to do more than measure their efficacy within a market. It allows them to monitor their progress and set goals. And because change is inevitable, knowing how and why and when it might come about is a powerful advantage for businesses to have. Savvy businesses routinely test their current relevancy in order to anticipate the demands they might be required to meet in the future.
Similarly, the same industry data helps shrewd businesses monitor a market’s evolution. They notice their product’s performance over time as consumer demands shift or when economic, political and social circumstances transform policies, all actions that directly affect any product’s potential for longevity and success; by noting product performance and market trends, they are able to devise products and procedures that can stand the test of time.
Success isn’t often a result of luck. Smart companies make smart decisions and use the marketing research process to not only answer specific questions and track specific changes in the market, but to leverage experience in to insights that can provide sustainable ROI. If you’d like to learn more about the marketing research process and how it can help your business grow, contact our team at Communications for Research (CFR).