How to do market research
Market research is at the beginning of the entire marketing strategy, is the beginning of the entire marketing plan, the product manager from the beginning of the research, and gradually enter each stage of marketing. So what research should be done before and after the launch of the product?
First of all, we make clear the classification of market research, market research according to the research and the contact path of the research object, divided into the following kinds: first-hand research, second-hand research, three-hand research.
First-hand research is often said to be face-to-face research or directly and the research object to extract research information
According to the different samples and research methods are divided into qualitative research and quantitative research.
Qualitative research is usually centered on a specific topic to obtain qualitative information about a survey method, such as used to examine consumer attitudes, feelings, motivations, reactions, or used to understand the nature of the problem and the direction of development. It is used to gain insight into the views, opinions, and motivations of the people being researched on an issue.
Advantages are:
① Low cost
② Better understanding of the inner depth of the consumer's motives and feelings, more direct understanding of the subject's response to the various concepts, more perceptual a verbal descriptions and discussions
③ Can improve the efficiency of quantitative research, usually can be used in conjunction with quantitative research.
③ can improve the efficiency of quantitative research, usually can be combined with quantitative research.
The disadvantages of qualitative research are:
① The nuances of the marketing mix often lead to the success or failure of the marketing efforts, and qualitative research can not be distinguished as a wide range of quantitative research.
② Qualitative surveys have small sample sizes and lack representativeness.
③ Qualitative surveys do not necessarily reflect the population of interest to the investigator.
Qualitative research is mainly to figure out the following questions. who?what?why?
Who?Who is being researched, the positioning of the object of the research, the object of the research is who, the age, the position of the object of the research, and other issues surrounding the object of the research.
What? The main answer to the question of research, research content, research methods. The subjective feelings of the research object's attitude, feeling, reaction, etc.
Why?
Why? to answer why the researched will have these views, feelings or opinions. What are the criteria for judgment? Why the impression or judgment.
There are many approaches to qualitative research.
1, on-site observation method
Investigators with their own eyes or with the help of camera equipment, in the investigation of the site to directly record the market behavior or conditions that are occurring, is an effective method of collecting information. Compared with other methods, the observation method can be avoided to make the survey respondents feel being investigated, thus improving the reliability of the survey results.
The field observation method can be divided into the following categories according to different situations.
① According to the role of the observer: participant observation and non-participant observation
② According to whether there is a detailed observation plan and strict observation procedures: structured observation and unstructured observation
③ According to whether the observer is in direct contact with the observer: direct observation and indirect observation
④ Other types of observation: self-observation, designed observation, machine
The above types of observation are described in detail.
(1) What are structured and unstructured observations?
Structured observation: Structured observation is an observation that is planned in advance and carried out in strict accordance with the prescribed content and procedures. The problem to be studied is precisely defined and the behavior to be observed is clear. Easy to record and analyze. Such as counting the number of times a particular behavior occurs. E.g. Investigate the doctor's motivation for prescribing a particular drug, the number of boxes per day, why are so many boxes prescribed? What type of patients are prescribed? Prescription for a box of time required, etc.
Unstructured observation: refers to the content of the observation, the procedure is not strictly prescribed in advance, according to the actual situation of the scene randomly decided observation. Observers just make a record of the behavior being observed. That is, what to see, what to record, no clear plan and problem.
Both methods of observation require summarizing and tabulating results for inclusion in the final research report. The decision to use that kind of research is based on how in-depth you are with the issue. If you are very familiar, you can use structured observation, and if you are unfamiliar, the opposite is true, use unstructured observation.
(2) What are direct and non-direct observations?
① Direct observation refers to the direct observation of current behavior
② Indirect observation refers to the observation of previous behavior to obtain information. For example, analysis of drug data, competing product categories and prices, departmental drug categories, and product flow
(3) What are self-observation, design observation, and machine observation?
① Self-observation: it is an individual who records his own behavior and actions according to a certain observation outline. Self-observation, the observer is both the subject and the object of observation. Simulate yourself as a doctor, how to prescribe? The choice of prescription, etc.
② design observation: such as simulated environment, simulation of seeking medical advice, observation of their own psychological feelings and choice of medicines and reasons, etc.
③ machine observation
In a particular environment, the machine may be cheaper than the personnel, more accurate, easier, and more timely completion of the work. Cameras and audio-visual equipment can record people's behavior in a more objective and detailed way than observers can. You can usually use video cameras and audio recorders, and organize a written version at the end of the research. Generally we call this an expert interview.
3, group symposium
Group symposium before the need to prepare the symposium location, environment, temperature, seat comfort. You can choose to do it in a coffee shop or a tea house, or in a doctor's office. In short, the comfort of the doctor is the first priority
The number of participants is set in advance, two from us and one from the interviewed doctor.
One of the two of us will be the moderator, and the moderator must have the following qualities:
① A good understanding of people, their behavior, emotions, lifestyles, passions.
① A genuine interest in people, their behaviors, emotions, lifestyles, passions, and perspectives
② An acceptance of, and appreciation for, the differences between people, especially those whose lives are very different from their own
③ Good listening skills: being able to hear what is being said, and being able to discern the subtext that is not being said.
④ Good observational skills: the ability to observe details of what is happening and what is not happening, and good understanding of body language
⑤ Wide-ranging interests, the ability to immerse oneself fully in the topic under discussion, and the ability to learn the necessary knowledge and language very quickly
⑥ Good communication skills, both oral and written: the ability to express oneself clearly and express oneself very confidently in groups of different types and sizes
⑥ Good verbal and written communication skills: the ability to express oneself clearly and express oneself very confidently in groups of different types and sizes
⑦ Objectivity: able to put aside personal thoughts and feelings and listen to the views and ideas of others
⑧ A solid grounding in the fundamentals of surveys, marketing and advertising, with an understanding of the basic principles, fundamentals, and applications
⑨ Flexibility, good at dealing with uncertainty, able to make quick decisions, and a quick thinker
⑩ A good eye for detail, good at observing the details
⑩ A good eye for the details, good at dealing with uncertainty, and a good eye for the details. p> ⑩ good at observing details, with good organizational skills
After determining the good, you can get your hands on the preparation of the symposium guide, or called the symposium outline. Generally for qualitative research on a product, there will be an outline of the relevant questions. However, attention should be paid to avoid respondents taboo or unwilling to answer the topic, the design and product-related topics. Symposium time control within 20 minutes, the question to simple, in-depth mainly, the best set of questions layer by layer, around the same topic. It is also required to clarify the purpose of the seminar in advance
4, in-depth interviews and projection testing method
In-depth interview skills
① before the start of the visit, should be made to the interviewee to completely relax, and the interviewer to establish a rapport
② The interviewer's interviewing skills are very important, never turn the depth of the interview into a question-and-answer interview process between the interviewer and the interviewee
③ In the course of the visit, the interviewer usually speak very little, try not to ask too many questions, but only intermittently ask some appropriate questions, or express some appropriate views to encourage the interviewee to talk more, and gradually divulge their deep-seated motivation
The interviewer's interviewing skills are very important.
④ The interviewer, if he or she can make good use of the technique of silence, can often make the interviewee disclose his or her unconscious motives
⑤ The technique of recalling the process of behavior: there is a certain period of time for people to remember, and they will forget it gradually when they have exceeded this period
⑥ The place of the in-depth interview: it is usually better to do it in the interviewee's home, which is more convenient for the interviewee
⑦ The time of the in-depth interview: it is usually between 1 hour and 2 hours. Usually between 1 hour and 2 hours, rarely more than 2 hours
In-depth interviews can be centered around 2-3 key issues, for in-depth progressive communication, in-depth interview technology is the key to the interviewee's answer is true or not.
Such as: the packaging design of the product, the feelings brought by the design, the associations brought by the pattern and color, whether it is because of the appearance of the good feeling, whether it is because of the good feeling of the motivation to prescribe, whether it will be directly prescribed?
Projective Testing Method
The term projection comes from psychology and refers to the phenomenon in which an individual transfers his or her own characteristics to others based on the subjective pointing of his or her needs and emotions. Projection itself is a defense mechanism.
For example, if a person's mind is full of uneasiness and anxiety, he will project these uneasiness to the outside world, recognizing that the world is crisis-ridden. Such perceptions can lead to anxiety, fear, and rumination in everything one does.
On the other hand, if the heart is full of love and kindness, he will feel that there is only love and good people in the world.
Common types of projection tests are word association, sentence and story completion, comic book tests, photo categorization, narrative storytelling, and third person. But our client is a doctor, so we often use word association, sentence and story completion, and third person.
Word association: e.g. Tell the doctor? Myocardial ischemia? What can you think of? Or that product?
Sentence and story completion method: such as telling the doctor? Killing tumor cells will give the patient?
Third-person method: such as? The vast majority of first-line experts, domestic guidelines recommended, your good friend Director Wang said? And other questions to avoid conflict and embarrassment, the front attached to the content of the question you want to raise.
This type of research sample size is small, can be used for a hospital or a region of the research.