Format of Marketing Research(1).Doc
A Guide for Researching Markets
This tutorial provides information and guidelines that professionals and students should consider when presented with the task of researching a market. What follows is NOT a marketing plan. Rather what follows is a market study, a component within the larger marketing plan. (For more information on developing a marketing plan see our marketing plan tutorial.) Thus, the information provided should not focus so much on what is being planned but on what has been learned about the market. However, you can allude to what you plan to do in order to set the stage for why you are collecting certain types of data. For example, you can say "Product X is planned to target a specific segment of the XYZ market, consequently, we have investigated certain aspects of this market." Those interested in following these guidelines should not limit themselves to what is shown. Feel free to include more if it is appropriate.
The guidelines apply to almost all products and services. Additionally, these guidelines can be adjusted in order to be used as a study of a company as a whole and not just products/services. Please note this is an ever evolving set of guidelines so you may want to check back on a regular basis for any updates.
This tutorial includes the following topics:
1. How to Do a Market Study
2. General Format - Parts 1-3
3. General Format - Parts 4-5
4. Competitive Analysis Guidelines
5. Presenting the Market Study
6. Other Points
How to Do a Market Study
Article Index
Page 2 of 6
General Format
1. Objective of the Research
• one paragraph explanation of why the research is being done, what you hope to learn and for what purpose the information may be used
2. Description of the Market
• General Description - one paragraph
• Target Market(s) o Why this particular market(s) was chosen o Who are they - complete profile (e.g., demographics, psychographics, behaviors) o What benefits do
This tutorial provides information and guidelines that professionals and students should consider when presented with the task of researching a market. What follows is NOT a marketing plan. Rather what follows is a market study, a component within the larger marketing plan. (For more information on developing a marketing plan see our marketing plan tutorial.) Thus, the information provided should not focus so much on what is being planned but on what has been learned about the market. However, you can allude to what you plan to do in order to set the stage for why you are collecting certain types of data. For example, you can say "Product X is planned to target a specific segment of the XYZ market, consequently, we have investigated certain aspects of this market." Those interested in following these guidelines should not limit themselves to what is shown. Feel free to include more if it is appropriate.
The guidelines apply to almost all products and services. Additionally, these guidelines can be adjusted in order to be used as a study of a company as a whole and not just products/services. Please note this is an ever evolving set of guidelines so you may want to check back on a regular basis for any updates.
This tutorial includes the following topics:
1. How to Do a Market Study
2. General Format - Parts 1-3
3. General Format - Parts 4-5
4. Competitive Analysis Guidelines
5. Presenting the Market Study
6. Other Points
How to Do a Market Study
Article Index
Page 2 of 6
General Format
1. Objective of the Research
• one paragraph explanation of why the research is being done, what you hope to learn and for what purpose the information may be used
2. Description of the Market
• General Description - one paragraph
• Target Market(s) o Why this particular market(s) was chosen o Who are they - complete profile (e.g., demographics, psychographics, behaviors) o What benefits do