Introduction to Marketing Research

• Lesson
• Exercise
• Answer

Puerto Vallarta Autos

To: Doreteo Dominguez – Sales Manager.

From: Account Representative – Punta Mita Marketing Research.

Recommendations for Marketing Research Methodology.

The Marketing research Process.

Marketing research is gathered using a systematic approach. An example of one follows:

1. Define the problem. Never conduct research for things that you would ‘like’ to know. Make sure that you really ‘need’ to know something. The problem then becomes the focus of the research. For example, why are sales falling in New Zealand?

2. How will you collect the data that you will analyze to solve your problem? Do we conduct a telephone survey, or do we arrange a focus group? The methods of data collection will be discussed in more detail later.

3. Select a sampling method. Do we us a random sample, stratified sample, or cluster sample?

4. How will we analyze any data collected? What software will we use? What degree of accuracy is required?

5. Decide upon a budget and a timeframe.

6. Go back and speak to the managers or clients requesting the research. Make sure that you agree on the problem! If you gain approval, then move on to step seven. 7. Go ahead and collect the data.

8. Conduct the analysis of the data.

9. Check for errors. It is not uncommon to find errors in sampling, data collection method, or analytic mistakes.

10. Write your final report. This will contain charts, tables, and diagrams that will communicate the results of the research, and hopefully lead to a solution to your problem. Watch out for errors in interpretation.

The most appropriate marketing research method is telephone interview. Telephone interviews have the following advantages and disadvantages: Advantages can be geographically spread – so we can contact customers from Guadalajara, Mexico, and even North America. Europe is a little too expensive to contact. It can be set up and conducted relatively cheaply. We have a tele-research team set up already.

Random samples can be selected. We will purchase a database from the local tourist office and select a random sample. It is cheaper than face-to-face interviews. Disadvantages? Respondents can simply hang up. In such a case we will select another respondent from our list. Interviews tend to be a lot shorter. They interviews will be very short and succinct. Visual aids cannot be used. Although they are not really needed for this piece of research.

If the above information has been helpful, please contact me so that I can arrange for the questionnaires to be designed.