Generally speaking, there are two ways to get information, one is to get information randomly, in many cases, you do not necessarily have a clear goal or specific plan to get information. A lot of valuable information is found when you don't mean it. As a businessman, you must be a mindful person when you read the newspaper, watch television, go on sightseeing trips, take walks, and chat with people, and be on the lookout for valuable information from time to time. The second method of obtaining information is with a clear purpose, specific plans, the use of certain means to obtain information, which is what we usually say market research.
(A) the main content of market research
1, the business environment
①Policy, legal environment survey. Investigation of your business, the development of services related to policy and legal information, to understand the state is to encourage or restrict the business you carry out, what management measures and means. How the local government is the implementation of relevant national laws and regulations and policies, what are the favorable and unfavorable impact on your business.
②Industry environment survey. Investigation of your business, the service program to carry out the development of the industry, the development trend, industry rules and industry management measures. For example, engaged in the beauty salon industry, should understand the industry's domestic and regional development, international and domestic trends and advanced beauty technology, the industry's industry norms and management system system which. Engaged in the clothing industry, should understand the development trend of the clothing industry, popular colors and styles, clothing technology development trend. "Family law, line of business rules" into a new line of work, should fully understand and master the industry information, so that you can help you realize as soon as possible from the "layman" to the transformation of the insider.
3 macroeconomic survey. Macroeconomic conditions are booming, directly affecting the purchasing power of the people. If the enterprise efficiency is generally bad, the economic downturn, your business is difficult to do, and vice versa, your business is good to do, which is called the atmospheric climate affects the microclimate. Therefore, mastering the information of the general climate is an important parameter to do well in small business. Economic downturn is appropriate to take a positive and aggressive approach to business, the economic downturn also have to earn money in the industry, but also pregnant with potential market opportunities, the key in how you grasp and judgment. For example, in the summer of 1989, some of the rich people in Hong Kong have emigrated to foreign countries, the market is in the doldrums, land prices and property prices plummeted. In this situation, a few shrewd, politically astute businessmen saw the right time to buy large quantities of "uncompleted flats" when property prices were falling. Within half a year, the Chinese Government stabilized, the policy of reform and opening up remained unchanged, the policy of "one country, two systems" remained unchanged, the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong remained unchanged, the situation became clearer, property prices climbed up, and shrewd businessmen with political vision made a big fortune. Therefore, understanding the objective economic situation and grasping information on economic conditions is an important element of the business environment survey.
2, market demand survey
If you want to produce or distribute a certain kind or a series of products, the market demand for this product should be investigated. In other words, through market research, market positioning of products. For example, you distribute a certain household appliances, you should investigate the market demand for this kind of household appliances, there is no same or similar products, what is the market share. For example, you provide a professional home services program, you should investigate the residents of this project and the degree of demand, how much demand, there are other people or companies to provide the same services, what is the market share.
Another important element of the market demand survey is the market demand trend survey. Understand the market for a product or service long-term demand trends, to understand the products and services are gradually recognized and accepted by the people, demand prospects, or gradually eliminated by the people, the demand shrinks. Understand the products and services from the technical and operational aspects of the development trend and so on.
3, customer survey
These customers can be your original customers, may also be your potential customers. Customer survey includes two aspects: one is the customer demand survey, for example, to buy a product (or service) customers are mostly this what people (or social groups, enterprises), they want to get from that aspect of satisfaction and demand (such as utility, psychological satisfaction, technology, price, delivery, sense of security, etc.), now a good number of products (or service) or why can better meet some aspects of their needs. To meet some aspects of their needs. Second, the classification of customer survey. Focus on understanding the number of customers, characteristics and distribution, clear your target customers, to master their details, if it is a certain type of enterprises and units, then, should understand the basic situation of these units, such as purchase channels, procurement management mode, take the Department of the phone, office address, a business person in charge of the specifics and scope of authorization, the degree of demand for certain products and services, purchasing habits and characteristics. If the customer is an individual consumer, should understand the type of consumer groups, that is, the target customer's general age range, gender, consumption characteristics, money standards, the degree of demand for certain products and services, purchase motives, purchase psychology, habits of use. Mastering this information will prepare you for targeted business.
4, competitor survey
In the open market economy, do the exclusive sale is too difficult, before you open, perhaps there are people doing the same or similar business, these are your real competitors. Maybe you carry out the business is brand new, unique, when you just started operating, there is no reality of rivals; once your business is booming, there will immediately be many people to learn your business, competing to join your competition, these are your potential rivals. "Know thyself and know the enemy, can fight a hundred battles without danger", to understand the situation of competitors, including the number of competitors and the size, distribution and composition of competitors, competitors' strengths and weaknesses and marketing strategies, to do a number of mind, in order to take advantage of the fierce market competition in a favorable position, and targeted to take some of the competitive strategy to achieve the people have no I have, people have me! Excellent, I'm even better.
5, the market sales strategy survey
Focus on the survey to understand the current market to operate a certain product or carry out a certain service promotional tools, marketing strategies and sales methods are mainly what. Such as sales channels, sales links, the shortest purchase distance and minimum wholesale links, advertising and promotion methods and focus, price strategy, what promotional tools, prize sales or discount sales, sales methods, wholesale or retail, sales or distribution, franchise or franchising, etc., to investigate whether these business strategies are effective, what are the shortcomings and shortcomings, so that you can make decisions about what to take the business strategy, business means, to provide a basis.
(B) common market research methods
1, according to the different scope of the survey, market research can be divided into: market census, sample survey and typical survey three. Market census, that is, a one-time comprehensive survey of the market, this survey is large, extensive, high cost, long cycle, difficult, but the results of the survey is comprehensive, in fact, reliable. General laid-off workers to do some business, no ability, there is no need to engage in this large-scale market census. Sample survey, from which the whole overall situation is inferred. For example, you distribute a kind of food and supplies for elementary school students, it is entirely possible to choose one or two schools of one or two classes of elementary school students to investigate, so as to deduce the small I'm the old high you say again the student body on the market demand for this kind of product. Typical survey, that is, from the survey object of the overall selection of some typical individuals to investigate and analyze, accordingly deduce the general situation of the overall. Such as the investigation of competitors, you can select one or two typical representatives from a large number of competitors, in-depth study to understand, analyze its internal operation mechanism and management of superior points, price levels and business practices, without having to investigate all competitors, which is difficult and time-consuming.
2, according to the different ways of investigation, market research can be divided into: visit method, observation method and test marketing or test camp method. Interview method, that is, to formulate a survey project in advance, through interviews, letters, phone calls and other ways to ask the respondents to obtain the required survey information. This survey is simple and easy to carry out, and sometimes do not have to be very formal, in chatting with people, you can intersperse the content of your survey, unknowingly carrying out market research. Observation method, that is, the investigator personally visited the customer shopping site, such as stores and markets, personally visited the scene of the service program, such as hotels and buses, direct observation and recording of customer categories, buying motives and characteristics, consumption patterns and habits, the price of business and service levels, business strategies and means, so as to obtain first-hand information is more real and reliable. Be careful is your investigation behavior do not be found by the operator. Trial sales or trial camp method. That is, the uncertainty of the business, you can through the business, or product test marketing, to understand the customer's reaction and market demand