Personal, face-to-face

Face – to – face surveys offer the greatest flexibility and opportunity to deal with complex issues. It is also possible to control the identity of the respondent and use tools like visual aids and observation.

The Internet is now accepted as the primary and fastest source of secondary (published) research data. It can be used to research market segments, buyer behavior, supply chain partners, PESTLE factors and competition on a global basis – all key parts of the Situation Appraisal.

Other techniques

Other research techniques do not fall strictly into any of the categories above. The most notable is the focus group interview or group discussion. This is, in effect, a group interview designed to provide a richer flow of data than would be possible using a structured survey – or questionnaire. It is normally used as an exploratory activity prior to a survey; to complement the data gathered by the survey.

Choosing marketing research methods

Marketing research should be conducted as part of the marketing planning process. This enables the research programs to be better coordinated and their cost more accurately budgeted and justified. Occasionally, companies have to conduct marketing research as a response to a particular marketing problem or crisis.

The factors to take into account when determining the method of marketing research, and the amount to spend to solve a particular problem include:

· the potential value of success and the potential loss in failure, given the perceived risk of the proposed activity

· the nature of the problem and the information coverage it warrants in terms of sample size and depth of detailed data

· the budget available for total marketing research and the proportion assigned to solving the particular problem

· the accuracy level of information required

· the timetable for the research to be completed

· methods used in the past, their effectiveness, and their compatibility with the options suitable for this occasion

Overall, it is important that a particular method of market research or marketing research has been chosen because it is the most appropriate method to solve the particular problem, and not because of the relative costs of the different types of research.

Exercise 9. Read the text once again and express the contents of every passage in one sentence.

Exercise 10. Fill in the gaps in this passage with the words under the line; learn the new words to expand vocabulary on the topic.

Promotion

1. The aim of promotion is to interest …in the product. Initially the customer must make enquiries about the…. When they decide to buy, they place an …. At a … … companies are trying to win as many orders as possible. Before the client … an order he wants to know many things about delivery, spare parts, after … service.

service, places, Trade Fair, order, customer

2. Another way of … a new product is to place an… in a newspaper or magazine. Advertisements are also called adverts or … for short. A plan to do a lot of promotion … is called advertising campaign. Starting an advertising … is known as launching a product.

campaign, events, ads, promoting, advertisement

Exercise 11. Make the presentation of the company research activity.

Exercise 12. Write a letter to your friend who is collecting information about the competitors; tell him what kind of market research methods it is necessary to use.

Exercise 13. Read part of the contract and write your own one. Remember:

Every contract should contain several obligatory parts, such as subject of the contract, price and total value of the contract, time of delivery, terms of payment, packing, marking, insurance, and sanctions.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14