Market research is one of the most valuable methods to gain insight and data to your target market. By conducting market research, you learn exactly how your customers think, what their habits are, how much they are willing to spend, and how you can stand out from your competition.

With all of this data, you are guaranteed to create a killer strategy for your business and increase your revenue year after year. These are some of the most effective market research methods for your business.

Interviews

There is no better way to gain insight to your consumer market than sitting down face-to-face and interviewing them. Have a list of questions ready to ask them about their spending habits, where they get their news, and what they think about your product.

This insight will help you understand the wants and needs of your customers so you can tailor your product or service to meet them. It also gives you insight on how to position your brand to stand out to your customers.

While this process may be time consuming and tedious, it is worth the effort.

Surveys

How many survey opportunities do you come across every day? There are millions of surveys available online just waiting to collect data. Take advantage of the survey culture and create your own for your market research.

There are a few different ways to go about collecting data from surveys.

The first is to have an online survey with an incentive. This incentive can be a coupon for your product or a free piece of literature.

The second is interactive voice response surveys done over the phone. This allows you to reach consumers directly and gives them an easy way to answer your questions.

Lastly, send out surveys by referral to your own network and your team or employees’ network.

Competitive Analysis

Know where you stand in your industry with a competitive analysis. This type of market research studies your competitors and how they are conducting business within your market.

This data will give you insight on what you need to do for your business to stand out from your competition. Take what your competition is doing and do it better!

Pricing Research

Another essential market research method is to study the pricing aspect of your consumers. You can include these questions in your interviews and surveys or take data from studies that have already been done.

This data will tell you what your target market is willing to spend on your product. With this data, you can price your product or service accordingly to appeal to customers and increase your sales.

Secondary Research

If you are running a small business or startup and don’t have the budget to spend on large market research studies, you can always take data from secondary sources. There are thousands of studies done each year on different markets and this data is available to you either for free or for a minimal cost.