Market research as the basis of marketing. Marketing research. Marketing research of consumers

It is aimed at identifying the characteristics of representatives of the target audience of a commercial offer. This type of research may have much in common with or differ from marketing analysis. This depends on whether the market research needs to address the marketing processes already applied to it or to predict the reaction of market representatives to the possible use of a particular marketing strategy.

Main tasks and methods for their solution

The main objective of the study is to identify the characteristics of consumers. It should answer questions about what they want and trust, what they need and what they can do without. Today, the most important criterion has also become the solvency of representatives of those groups of the population that can become consumers.

In the course of practical work, first of all, prices for goods that fully or partially correspond to the customer's product range are examined. Various periods are analyzed, their characteristics. For example, the very fact that people bought something at a certain price during the year may not make any sense if a new round of the economic crisis led to the bankruptcy of a number of city-forming enterprises. Market representatives will certainly be segmented. Groups are distinguished, united by common characteristics - gender, age, estimated income, geolocation, or attitude to some risk group.

The most difficult process is identifying market trends. Exactly because of this reason market analysis may use some marketing tools. They can be trial sales or sociological surveys.

Stages of the study

Specific methods of work are directly related to the original goal. In the event of a new business for the region, they are guided by the search for answers to the main questions.

will it offer be in steady demand;
what price range is acceptable;
what business development strategy can be the most promising;
what risks should be taken into account.

When looking for answers to these questions, you need to understand that any useful product or service will sooner or later find its consumer. The problem is what profitability will the company offer them to the public.

If the study is conducted for an existing business

Not always the need for the work of market analysts arises at the time of opening a new enterprise. Sometimes companies that have been operating for more than a year also face situations related to the need to re-examine the characteristics of their market. Most often this is due to the fact that some obvious problems have arisen. They may be:

demand for a product that turned out to be lower than predicted;
lack of certainty in the competitive position of the company;
insufficiently clear understanding of the social portrait of their consumers;
search for a method to reduce costs.

In some cases, market analysis may be included in the structure of anti-crisis measures. In any case, it's complicated research work, which should be completely transparent for customers and culminate in the preparation of a package of proposals for the formation of the most effective business development strategy.

We have one service that I really like to perform. I feel like I'm in a spy movie starring me as I collect classified information to complete a top-secret mission.

Since we always work as a team, my colleagues help me. Do I present them as assistants who provide me with valuable information? thanks to which I will collect information bit by bit, summarize it and save ... not the world, but our client (or customer, if we speak the language of films).

What kind of service is this, where fantasy plays like that? Meet. This is marketing analysis.

what is marketing analysis

But after all, this is an analysis of data based on information that was collected as a result of various marketing researches for carrying out tasks (the same 4P) in order to generalize, systematize and change them.

How difficult... I will go

Whatoooo? Really! Let's just. Incomprehensible smart pages from Wikipedia and abstracts you can read on other sites. And now let's express plain language and clear sentences. Better yet, back it up with concrete examples.

What is marketing analysis in our understanding, or what do we do? Here are a couple of examples of the work we have done:

Example 1 The client has some land (7 hectares is not much :)), and he wants to build a camp site on it. He comes to us with the following questions:

What kind of hostel to build (concept required)?
What kind of marketing should be used to promote it?
What investments are needed?
How and in general will this whole idea pay off?

Example 2 The client has a company that sells woodworking equipment in one region and a great desire to go not even outside the region, but throughout Russia.

You just need to understand what product to go out with in the first place (a fairly wide range), what actions to take and what budget is needed for this.

Example 3 The client has his own rather successful business, but he wants to open a second, radically different direction.

There are certain plans to open a small plant (I will not reveal the niche). Of course, this is a little more complicated and the queries are as follows:

Development and ;
Development of an advertising concept with detailed study;
Detailed business and financial plans(of course, we do not specialize in this, but we have partners);
Well, of course, prepare all the documents for the bank (few people now have more than 100 million rubles in stock).

Such examples are far from the only ones, there is experience in developing hostels, niches in, launching a new product on the market, franchising, and so on.

I think my analogy with movie spies is now clear. Business plans with numbers are one thing, but researching the client's competitors, and even throughout the region or country, is a completely different calico.

But this is in our understanding. And if we return to the classical concept, then marketing analysis is necessary when:

Market research;
Market trends;
Studying demand and the factors that influence it;
Studying prices and pricing;
Studying competitors (especially strong or fast-growing ones) and competitiveness;
Studying your company (its strengths and weaknesses);
And a dozen more subtasks.

what to do for analysis

"How many terrible words." This is the phrase that comes to my mind when I start reading the description of what needs to be done to conduct a marketing analysis:

Carrying out marketing research;
Collection, processing and generalization of data obtained as a result of research;
Selection of key points from the processed data;
Conceptualization (God, what a terrible word!) - processing key points and considering them in the right way;
Extrapolation (but who invents them!) - determining how this data will be played in the long term;
Creating conclusions.

I translate into human Russian, plus I immediately explain what needs to be done step by step in order to conduct a more or less human marketing analysis. Yes, generalized, but understandable.

Marketing Analysis market. Collect all the information about the market that you can find and reach. Thanks to the Internet, you have almost all the information that exists in the world. So look, it's not difficult. For example, I found all the relevant statistics I needed on settling in hotels / hostels / hotels in the city I needed.
By the way, there was a rather interesting scandal recently. European student decided to nominate for the Nobel Prize, thanks to the results of the study, which he did. The scandal is that it is based on medical reports, rather closed, but merged into the Internet;
Marketing analysis of a firm/organization/company. You study the entire organization from the inside. Everything means everything! Marketing, sales, sales, production. Everything that happens within the company, all business processes. And then suddenly it happens that you will establish marketing in a manufacturing company, but forget about production, and instead of the prescribed 3 days, orders will be fulfilled in 10-14 days.
Marketing analysis of competitors. Here! This is the most important thing for any leader and owner. Or rather, the most enjoyable. Conduct competitor analysis and find out what they are better at. Guys, let's do this, if we are better than competitors, then in everything. That is why you study competitors;
Marketing analysis of the product. You need to determine how your product (in this case, this word includes both goods and services) will be competitive and viable when entering the market.
If organization analysis is necessary, competitor analysis is interesting, then product analysis is what the whole analysis is for, so study it in detail and consider all possible options;
Marketing analysis of the project. Everything is simple and clear here. It is necessary to estimate and calculate how viable the whole project is in the long term (1-3-5-10 years), and whether it is worth starting it.

WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
TURN ON

let's move on to practice

In general, the theory, the theory and nothing but it. But we need practice. Let's imagine that you decide to do a marketing audit yourself.

Market analysis

In short, find all the information you can about the market (supply and demand). If you want to consider what exactly, then here is an article to help you, which we already wrote earlier -. In addition, these services will help you:

Federal State Statistics Service - thanks to this service, you can find extremely interesting and, surprisingly, up-to-date information;
Estimating the market volume is generally a service for checking a counterparty, but with correct setting and, as they say, “if you dig deeper”, you can pull out interesting data.
For example, estimated sales in a certain niche (data are taken from the financial statements of companies). I highly recommend.

Company analysis

First impression of the company;
First contact;
Sales algorithm;
Marketing;
Competence of employees and owner.

And now attention!

The first 2 points should be checked and performed not by the business owner and not by the manager. It's banned. This should be a completely independent person who will then tell you the whole truth.

It doesn’t sound very pleasant, but if you let a professional into your company, he will tell you a lot of new and interesting things about the company itself and about your employees.

Competitor analysis

As I already wrote, this is the favorite pastime of most entrepreneurs, who play spies in this very block.

I watch...

You need to identify your main competitors. At least 3-5, and not one or two, as is commonly believed;
Find all the information about them on the Internet. In particular, view and swipe detailed, social networks, current location;
Run to them secret shopper. If you can't go, send a friend. But it is better to hire a professional company with audio recording and reports (naturally, you need to prepare them in advance and on your own);
Collect all advertising information and analyze them. On the Internet, offline (billboards, newspapers, magazines);
Based on this information, make a list of weak and strengths your competitors.

We consider patency

Come in the morning and make a cheap purchase from him. In the evening you make a second purchase from him. The trick is that if you have a cash desk, you get a check with a number.

Calculating the difference between checks (=number of customers per day) and multiplying it by average check and on the number of days in a month, you can calculate the approximate turnover of a competitor.

Relevant for catering and retail stores(especially with inexpensive products).

Product analysis

This is where you have to work hard. To do this, you must first know the answers to the following questions:

Who is yours?
Is there a detailed one?
And carried out?
Then what do they have weak sides that we can take for ourselves, strengthen them and rise through this?
What will be our positioning? And the USP?
Is the marketing thought out and worked out?
Are the distribution channels well thought out?

And dozens of similar questions that you need to answer. Think it doesn't matter? Well then, congratulations!

You plan to do "marketing from the market, not from the product." This is the trap many entrepreneurs fall into. In detail about this and about what it threatens, I wrote in the article.

Leading global brands invest heavily in marketing research, the results of which largely influence the adoption of key management decisions. The cost of such studies starts from 60,000 rubles and more - cosmic sums, especially for small businesses. However, knowing how to analyze the market, you can extract key information yourself.

Kinds

First of all, you need to clearly define goals. The subject of research depends on what kind of information you want to receive. The main structural components of the market analyzed by the entrepreneur are:

state of the market (capacity, conjuncture, trends, reaction to new products);
share of different companies in the market, their opportunities and prospects;
target segments, their behavior and requirements for the product, the level of demand;
the price level and rate of return in the industry;
free niches in which you can do business;
competitors, their strengths and weaknesses.

Speaking about how to properly analyze the market, it is worth emphasizing that a specific, understandable goal allows you to reduce costs, not waste time processing useless information and immediately choose the most effective research methods.

General market analysis plan

Comprehensive marketing research is usually carried out at the stage of starting or expanding a business. Its goal is to collect as detailed and comprehensive information about a particular niche as possible. How to analyze the market?

Stage 1: Gathering basic information

"Starting point" in carrying out complex analysis- Market Research (actually, the study of the market and its prospects). Ideally, it is necessary to analyze the information for the last 3-5 years.

The key indicator here is market capacity. talking in simple words, this is the amount of goods that consumers can buy in a certain period of time - a month or a year. For calculations, the formula is used:

V=A×N

where: V is the size of the market, A is the size of the target audience (thousand people), N is the rate of product consumption for the period.

Based on this indicator, it is calculated what maximum level of sales a company can achieve in a given region.

The next criterion to pay attention to is the level of demand. It is important to take into account the dynamics of the market, whether it is developing or, on the contrary, declining. In the first case, it is necessary to determine its potential and the boundaries of growth, and at the stage of stagnation, to understand how long this will continue.

In addition, they study the factors affecting the market, the share of key competitors in the total sales volume, and the ways of selling products.

Based on the data obtained, it is necessary to identify the main trends and directions of development, as well as analyze the market prospects - what consumers are choosing now and how their preferences may change in the foreseeable future.

Tip: Up-to-date statistics and research results of individual markets at the international and national levels can be found in trade journals and economic reports.

Stage 2: Identification of target segments

So, we know the volume of the analyzed market as a whole. Now it is necessary to determine which groups of consumers bring the company the main profit, what unites them. For audience segmentation, different criteria are used - gender, age, profession, income level, social status, interests, etc. Depending on the priorities, the significance individual factors may differ.

To decide which segments to focus on in the first place, they additionally analyze:

volume of each segment (number of potential customers);
geographical location;
availability of various consumer groups;
Estimated costs of time and finances to start the activity.

A competent choice of target audience in the future will save the entrepreneur from unnecessary costs and will allow directing resources to attract the most "profitable" buyers.

Stage 2: Study of external factors

Any market is constantly exposed to outside influences. Modern marketers distinguish 6 types external factors that affect organizations:

political (state policy in the areas of transport, employment, education, etc., taxes);
economic (inflation rate, loan interest rate);
social (population, worldview, level of education);
technological;
legal (laws regulating the creation and operation of enterprises);
ecological.

Some trends appear slowly, they are easy to predict - for example, back in the 70s, protection problems began to be discussed in society environment, and now eco-friendly business has become a global trend. In the same time, economic situation can change at any moment, and it is simply impossible to say with certainty what will happen in 3-5-10 years.

Stage 4: Analysis of competitors

Speaking about how to learn how to analyze the market, special attention should be paid to the study of enterprises that are already operating in this industry. First of all, you need to learn as much as possible about the companies themselves and their capabilities:

technologies that are used in the production of goods and services;
availability of patents and unique technological advantages;
staff qualification level;
access to limited, scarce resources;
opportunity for additional investment.

The next step is to study the products and services of competitors. It is necessary to evaluate "through the eyes of the consumer", taking into account both rational and emotional factors.

It remains to systematize the data and objectively compare the main market players. For convenience, we suggest using a simple template.

By filling out the table, you will get a basic understanding of the main market players and their activities, as well as be able to compare their performance with your own.

Stage 5: Price Analysis

To see the full picture, it is necessary to break down all market players into price segments - economy, premium, etc. It is also important to understand the price structure (cost, promotion and advertising costs, margin) and approximately calculate the profit from each sale.

We have one service that I really like to perform. I feel like I'm in a spy movie starring me as I collect classified information to complete a top-secret mission.

What kind of service is this, where fantasy plays like that? Meet. This is marketing analysis.

what is marketing analysis

How difficult... I will go

Whatoooo? Really! Let's just. Incomprehensible smart pages from Wikipedia and abstracts you can read on other sites. And here let's be expressed in simple language and understandable sentences. Better yet, back it up with concrete examples.

What is marketing analysis in our understanding, or what do we do? Here are a couple of examples of the work we have done:

Example 1 The client has some land (7 hectares is not much :)), and he wants to build a camp site on it. He comes to us with the following questions:

What kind of hostel to build (concept required)?
What kind of marketing should be used to promote it?
What investments are needed?
How and in general will this whole idea pay off?

Example 2 The client has a company that sells woodworking equipment in one region and a great desire to go not even outside the region, but throughout Russia.

You just need to understand what product to go out with in the first place (a fairly wide range), what actions to take and what budget is needed for this.

Example 3 The client has his own rather successful business, but he wants to open a second, radically different direction.

There are certain plans to open a small plant (I will not reveal the niche). Of course, this is a little more complicated and the queries are as follows:

Development and ;
Development of an advertising concept with detailed study;
Detailed study of business and financial plans (of course, we do not specialize in this, but we have partners);
Well, of course, prepare all the documents for the bank (few people now have more than 100 million rubles in stock).

Such examples are far from the only ones, there is experience in developing hostels, niches in, launching a new product on the market, franchising, and so on.

But this is in our understanding. And if we return to the classical concept, then marketing analysis is necessary when:

Market research;
Market trends;
Studying demand and the factors that influence it;
Studying prices and pricing;
Studying competitors (especially strong or fast-growing ones) and competitiveness;
Studying your company (its strengths and weaknesses);
And a dozen more subtasks.

what to do for analysis

"How many terrible words." This is the phrase that comes to my mind when I start reading the description of what needs to be done to conduct a marketing analysis:

Carrying out marketing research;
Collection, processing and generalization of data obtained as a result of research;
Selection of key points from the processed data;
Conceptualization (God, what a terrible word!) - processing key points and considering them in the right way;
Extrapolation (but who invents them!) - determining how this data will be played in the long term;
Creating conclusions.

I translate into human Russian, plus I immediately explain what needs to be done step by step in order to conduct a more or less human marketing analysis. Yes, generalized, but understandable.

Marketing analysis of the market. Collect all the information about the market that you can find and reach. Thanks to the Internet, you have almost all the information that exists in the world. So look, it's not difficult. For example, I found all the relevant statistics I needed on settling in hotels / hostels / hotels in the city I needed.
By the way, there was a rather interesting scandal recently. European student decided to nominate for the Nobel Prize, thanks to the results of the study, which he did. The scandal is that it is based on medical reports, rather closed, but leaked to the Internet;
Marketing analysis of a firm/organization/company. You study the entire organization from the inside. Everything means everything! Marketing, sales, sales, production. Everything that happens within the company, all business processes. And then suddenly it happens that you will establish marketing in a manufacturing company, but forget about production, and instead of the prescribed 3 days, orders will be fulfilled in 10-14 days.
Marketing analysis of competitors. Here! This is the most important thing for any leader and owner. Or rather, the most enjoyable. Conduct competitor analysis and find out what they are better at. Guys, let's do this, if we are better than competitors, then in everything. That is why you study competitors;
Marketing analysis of the product. You need to determine how your product (in this case, this word includes both goods and services) will be competitive and viable when entering the market.
If organization analysis is necessary, competitor analysis is interesting, then product analysis is what the whole analysis is for, so study it in detail and consider all possible options;
Marketing analysis of the project. Everything is simple and clear here. It is necessary to estimate and calculate how viable the whole project is in the long term (1-3-5-10 years), and whether it is worth starting it.

WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
TURN ON

let's move on to practice

In general, the theory, the theory and nothing but it. But we need practice. Let's imagine that you decide to do a marketing audit yourself.

Market analysis

Federal State Statistics Service - thanks to this service, you can find extremely interesting and, surprisingly, up-to-date information;
Estimating the market volume is generally a service for checking a counterparty, but with the right settings and, as they say, “if you dig deeper”, you can pull out interesting data.
For example, estimated sales in a certain niche (data are taken from the financial statements of companies). I highly recommend.

Company analysis

First impression of the company;
First contact;
Sales algorithm;
Marketing;
Competence of employees and owner.

And now attention!

It doesn’t sound very pleasant, but if you let a professional into your company, he will tell you a lot of new and interesting things about the company itself and about your employees.

Competitor analysis

As I already wrote, this is the favorite pastime of most entrepreneurs, who play spies in this very block.

I watch...

You need to identify your main competitors. At least 3-5, and not one or two, as is commonly believed;
Find all the information about them on the Internet. In particular, view and swipe detailed, social networks, current location;
Run a mystery shopper to them. If you can't go, send a friend. But it is better to hire a professional company with audio recording and reports (naturally, you need to prepare them in advance and on your own);
Collect all advertising information and analyze them. On the Internet, offline (billboards, newspapers, magazines);
Based on this information, make a list of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

We consider patency

Come in the morning and make a cheap purchase from him. In the evening you make a second purchase from him. The trick is that if you have a cash desk, you get a check with a number.

By calculating the difference between checks (= number of customers per day) and multiplying it by the average check and the number of days in a month, you can calculate the approximate turnover of a competitor.

Relevant for catering and retail stores (especially with inexpensive products).

Product analysis

This is where you have to work hard. To do this, you must first know the answers to the following questions:

Who is yours?
Is there a detailed one?
And carried out?
Then what are their weaknesses that we can take away, strengthen them and rise through this?
What will be our positioning? And the USP?
Is the marketing thought out and worked out?
Are the distribution channels well thought out?

And dozens of similar questions that you need to answer. Think it doesn't matter? Well then, congratulations!

You plan to do "marketing from the market, not from the product." This is the trap many entrepreneurs fall into. In detail about this and about what it threatens, I wrote in the article.

Attention!

VVS provides and does not advise

In contact with

Classmates

Everyone who takes part in economic interaction necessarily functions in some market. The concept of the market is very significant, including in the field of marketing. Often the level of marketing firm does not meet generally accepted requirements. This is usually what causes low sales. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct analytical work and explore the marketing market.

Marketing market and its types

marketing market- this is total number all buyers of products (both existing and potential). These subjects have common needs or requests that can be satisfied through the exchange. Therefore, the size of the market is determined by the number of buyers who need any product. They have resources to exchange, as well as the desire to give these resources for the goods in which they feel the need.

The market in marketing must be clear. It is characterized by specific indicators:

Customer needs that provoke corresponding demand;

Geographical position.

In accordance with the needs that generated the demand for specific products, one can name main market types.

The market of producers (or the market of industrial products) is formed by companies and firms that buy goods / services for their future use in the production process.

The consumer marketing market (or consumer goods market) is individual people who buy goods/services for personal use.

Market public institutions presented state companies who buy goods/services to do their job.

The intermediary marketing market is the legal and individuals who need goods/services for future resale for profit.

The international market includes all buyers of products that are located abroad (these will include manufacturers, individuals, intermediaries and government organizations).

If we take the market as a combination of buyers with related geographic location, we can name the following types of marketing markets:

Regional - covers the entire territory of a particular country;

Local - covers one or more areas of the state;

World - includes all countries of the world.

An essential parameter in the characteristic marketing market is a combination of supply and demand for a particular product. In this case, we can distinguish between a "buyer's market" and a "seller's market".

In the seller's market, the leading figure is, respectively, the seller. This works when the existing demand overlaps the supply. In this scenario, the seller does not need to spend money on marketing. In any case, his goods will be purchased. By organizing marketing research, the seller will only waste money.

In a buyer's market, the buyer sets the tone. This alignment encourages the seller to expend additional forces to sell their products. This is one of the factors that encourage the use of marketing research on the market for services and goods. Rather, it is only in such a situation that we can talk about the implementation of the idea of marketing.

Why does a company need market analysis?

Marketing analysis is an essential moment in the work of a marketing manager. A detailed analysis makes it possible to quickly find unoccupied market niches, choose the most suitable target market, and better understand consumer needs.

Before starting the analysis, it is necessary to specify the objectives of the market research. The following elements need to be clarified:

Company's products: analysis of market development and share of the company's products in the segment;

Market structure: analysis of the conjuncture and marketing capacity of the market, assessment of market trends;

Consumer: analysis of demand, basic needs in the market, close marketing study behavior and expectations of the target audience;

Target segment: analysis of the prospects of market segments for choosing a field of activity;

Free niches: marketing analysis of market segments to identify free market niches and new sources of sales;

Rivals: analysis of the activities of rivals to identify the competitive superiority of products and search for weaknesses in the company;

Prices: Marketing analysis of competitors' price positions as well as the current price structure in the industry.

Clarity in this regard will make it possible to avoid working on unnecessary information. A clear goal will help to correctly develop an analytical plan, to adopt the most productive method of market research. Marketing assessment of the market will allow you to apply exclusively necessary tools to study, which will reduce the cost of searching and processing information.

After that, you need to correctly build a marketing analytical plan. It looks like a series of thematically grouped questions.

The enlarged stages of marketing research of the firm's market are as follows.

Market research, its segmentation and identification of the most significant segments.

Marketing research volume, dynamics and potential of market development.

Studying prices and general economic analysis market.

Competitive analysis.

The study of the structure of distribution or distribution of goods in the market.

Identification of key market and consumer trends.

Study of demand, main needs and nuances of consumer behavior.

This list of questions acts as a universal scheme for organizing marketing research of the market. You don't need to do detailed analysis often. He has a fundamental nature. Such an analysis will provide necessary information for two or three years of work.

How is a marketing analysis of the market carried out at the enterprise: the main stages

Stage 1. Determine the purpose of the market analysis

Before analytical work, it is necessary to outline the goals of market research. What should be considered:

company's products;

market structure;

Consumer;

target segment;

Free niches;

Competitors;

Specification will weed out unnecessary information and help build the right marketing analytical plan.

Stage 2. Product or service research

Through procedures related to product marketing research, market needs for new types of goods/services are identified. It also clarifies the characteristics (functional and technical) that should be modified in products already on the market. In the course of marketing research, the parameters of products that best meet the needs and desires of customers are determined. Such analytical work, on the one hand, demonstrates to the company's management what the buyer wants to receive, what properties of the product are significant for him. On the other hand, in the course of marketing analysis, you can understand exactly how to present to potential customers new products. Perhaps it makes sense to focus on individual characteristics when improving the product and promoting it on the market. Marketing research of the market of products and services provides information about what new prospects for the buyer provide new products or changes in existing ones.

Product analysis consists in comparing the characteristics of the products supplied by the firm with the parameters of competing products. For marketing oriented organization the key point in the study of products - is to determine its comparative competitive advantages. It is necessary to get a clear answer to the questions: for what reason will potential customers choose the company's products, and not competitors' products? Who are these potential buyers? The results of marketing analytical work make it possible to identify those sales regions where the company has a comparative advantage in relation to rivals. The study of products is also necessary in the design and organization of sales.

When marketing an analysis of the market for goods, it is always necessary to follow the rule: the product must be where the buyer expects it most - and for this reason, most likely, he will buy it. This process is called product positioning in the market.

Stage 3. Determining the market capacity

Potential market capacity is the total number of orders that a company and its competitors can expect from customers in a particular region during a specified period of time (usually a year is taken). The capacity of the marketing research market is calculated for a separate product for a specific sales region. First of all, it is calculated in physical terms (the number of goods sold for a specific period - quarter, month, year). The marketing assessment of the potential market capacity in terms of value is also essential for the company. This is especially important when studying the dynamics of market capacity. In this case, the management of the company will need to determine:

Is there an increase in demand for the company's products? Or the demand is falling - and you need to think about re-profiling activities;

What are the prospects for activities in this regional sales market.

In a marketing study of the potential market capacity, it is important to identify the factors of influence that can provoke both a decrease in capacity and its increase. These factors are fluctuations in the amount of consumer income.

Stage 4. Carrying out market segmentation

This is, without a doubt, one of the most significant components of market research.

A market segment is a group of consumers that has strictly defined common stable characteristics or one quality that determines their behavior in the market. Thus, the essence and purpose of marketing market segmentation is the search for that group (or a number of groups) of consumers who, with the maximum probability, will buy a particular product.

Marketing segmentation of the market makes it possible to:

Find out the specifics of the most possible buyer of this product; demonstrate the nuances of consumer qualities in different market segments; determine which of the properties of the consumer group are sustainable and therefore more significant for designing the needs and desires of consumers;

Clarify (correct) the possible market capacity, simplify sales forecasting;

Understand how to change product properties (device, cost, shipping, appearance, containers, etc.) when selling in different market segments.

A sign of segmentation is a sign and a system of characteristics that unite any buyers into a stable group. They can be selected by income and social activity, by demographic and geographical characteristics, by nationality, and even by a common historical path. In general, the unifying criterion can be anything.

For the company, in sales, it is important which of the properties of the consumer group are in first place in this moment or will be there in the near future. Based on these properties, it is possible to establish the target market segment - the most significant or promising for the company, the one that meets its specifics. The correct choice of the target segment (that consumer group in which the most likely buyers of a particular product are collected) acts characteristic difference marketing oriented firm.

An analysis of the marketing research market shows that it is necessary to clearly understand the difference between a market segment and its niche. These terms should not be confused in practical and methodological terms. A market niche is also a consumer group, but it has a number of differences. First, it is small in terms of numbers. Secondly, niche consumers have several characteristics, each of which can be characteristic of different segments of the same market or different markets and industries. Thirdly, a distinctive feature of a market niche is a significant weakening or complete absence of rivalry in it. Based on these nuances, the process of finding a market niche, as one businessman said, is similar to a neurosurgical operation, since it involves the maximum accuracy of actions.

Stage 5. Study and analysis of the consumer

At this stage, it becomes clear who is possible consumer products, what is the structure of the wishes of buyers in the market of a particular company. Here, the management of the company will need to answer many questions.

Work in this direction will help to identify the most vulnerable places in the first place. This applies both to the product and to the variant of its implementation, to the economic tactics of the company as a whole. At this stage, the profile (portrait) of a potential buyer is specified.

In the course of such analytical work, not only the inclinations and customs, habits and preferences of the consumer are considered. It also clarifies the reasons for the behavior of specific consumer groups. This makes it possible to predict the future structure of their interests. At the moment, a serious arsenal of tools is used for marketing research of the behavior of buyers, their subconscious and conscious reactions to certain products and the advertising that accompanies them, to the current state of affairs in the market. Study methods include: questionnaires, surveys, testing. All of them provide an opportunity to find out the opinion of consumers of goods about the changes made to the product or service. With these tools, you can monitor consumer response to release and marketing efforts on an ongoing basis. marketing promotion goods on the market. Building feedback with clients and continuous improvement based on the feedback of the products themselves and production technologies - this is one of the features of a marketing-oriented company.

Step 6. Research marketing methods

Marketing research of the sales market includes the search for the most effective combination of methods and forms of sale of goods / services, their strengths and weaknesses, belonging to a market segment or sales region. It examines the means needed to bring the product to the market. The work of companies directly selling goods/services on the market is being studied. Marketing analytical work involves consideration of the functions and features of activities different types companies that are engaged in wholesale and retail. Their strengths and weaknesses are determined, the nature of the established relations with manufacturers is studied.

As a result, it is specified:

Who can act as an intermediary (autonomous trade company or the company's own sales department);

To sell the company's products in a particular market as correctly as possible, with greater benefit.

Along with this, it is necessary to calculate all types of expenses for the sale of goods. It is necessary to think over the ways of implementation with the help of intermediaries and through the organization of your own sales network. It is also required to clarify the percentage of sales costs in the final cost of the goods, etc.

This component of the marketing research of the enterprise market is responsible for analyzing the effectiveness of different types and methods of advertising and promoting the product on the market. It also includes personal selling, company image building, and sales promotion.

In order to master the market, or at least start selling their products, a company needs advertising. It is required to search for and inform customers, form an attractive company image, and collect orders.

Selection of the most suitable types and means of advertising;

Finding out the most preferable sequence of using different advertising media;

Importance of Advertising and Productivity advertising campaign evaluated on the basis of the final indicators economic activity companies. First of all, this can be seen in the increase in sales volumes. At the same time, certain types of advertising are aimed at the long term. They cannot be quantified.

Stage 8. Develop a pricing strategy

Pricing is one of key factors successful competition in the market. In the course of working on the correct pricing policy, it will be necessary to think over not only the correct pricing strategy and the scheme of attractive discounts for customers. It is also required to determine the price range to increase profits and optimize sales volume.

Stage 9. Research of the level of competition

The study of rivals is one of the key components of marketing at the moment. Its results provide an opportunity not only to develop the right economic strategy and market policy of the company. It immediately becomes clear what is done improperly in goods, sales network, advertising and other elements marketing activities firms.

During the study of rivals, first of all, it will be necessary to identify the main competitors of the company in the market (direct and indirect), to find their strengths and weaknesses. This is especially important when a company enters the market with a new product, develops an unknown area of economic activity, tries to penetrate new market sales. To determine the comparative advantages of rivals and evaluate your own resources, it is not enough just to study the products of competitors. You need to get information about other aspects of their work: goals in a particular market, the nuances of production and management, pricing policy and financial position.

Company leaders need to know:

What exactly does it consist of;

The ratio of the cost of your product and the products of rivals;

What sales channels do competitors rely on when selling goods;

What branches of economic activity do rivals want to penetrate in the future;

What types of privileges do rivals offer to buyers and regular customers;

Who do they use as intermediaries in the sale of goods, etc.

At the moment, along with direct competition, the specialization of companies is increasingly deepening. Consumer demand, desires and needs of people are increasingly individualized. In this regard, it is necessary to learn to discover any ways for joint work and an alliance (primarily industrial and technological) with potential rivals. This is necessary in order to protect yourself from a price war in which no one is likely to win. This goes against the usual division of the market, with the struggle of enterprises to increase the territory in the sales market. Of course, price competition in any case remains (in certain segments of the market, in the production of similar goods, it even increases). However, it does not play a major role in the long-term victory in the competition. The formation of various alliances between companies - potential rivals (joint ventures, strategic coalitions) gives them the opportunity not only to more effectively respond to consumer demand, but also to further increase the market capacity.

Stage 10. Sales forecasting

The basis of planning in a company under market conditions is the development of a sales forecast. That's where planning starts. Not from the rate of return or return on invested capital, but from the sales forecast. This refers to the potential sales volume of a certain type of goods / services for all branches of the company. The primary goal of marketing analysis of the market is to find out what and in what quantities can be sold. Only then can you begin to build a production plan.

With the help of sales forecasts, financial and production work. Decisions are made about where and how much to invest. What (or after what time) the company will need new production resources. It becomes clear what new supply channels need to be found. What design solutions or technical innovations to send to production. Marketing work in this direction allows you to understand how to change the range of goods / services in order to increase the overall profitability of the company, etc.

However, a sales forecast is primarily a forecast. In this case, the influence of uncontrollable, sudden or unforeseen factors is great, their impact on the state of affairs of a company of any type. In this regard, such a forecast must be multicomponent, justified and multivariate to the maximum.

What methods are used for marketing analysis of the market

There are many ways to study the market. All of them are used in specific situations, to solve specific marketing tasks. Methods of collecting information in the implementation of marketing research can be divided into two groups: qualitative and quantitative.

Quantitative market analysis is most often associated with the organization of various surveys. They are based on the use of structured closed-ended questions. The answers are given by a large number of respondents. Distinctive features of such marketing research are: the analysis of the information obtained is carried out in the course of ordered procedures (quantitative in nature predominates), the format of the information collected and the sources of their receipt are strictly defined.

Qualitative marketing analysis of the market consists of collecting, studying and interpreting information by observing how people behave and what they say. Monitoring and its outputs are of a qualitative nature and are carried out outside the standards.

The selection of the study method depends on financial and time resources. The main methods of market research are as follows.

Focus groups. Round table or discussion, where there is a conversation on a specific topic. The target consumer group takes part. At this event, there is a moderator who leads the conversation on a specific list of issues. It - qualitative method market research, it is useful for understanding the causes of behavior. Focus groups help formulate hypotheses, explore the hidden motives of customers.

Polls. imply a survey target market according to a strict questionnaire. Sizes are both small and large. AT marketing survey sampling matters a lot. The larger it is, the clearer and more valid the result will be. This is a quantitative marketing method. It is used when you need to get specific indicators on certain issues.

observation. Monitoring the behavior of a representative of the target audience in a normal environment (for example, video filming in a store). Refers to quality marketing methods study.

Experiments or field studies. Refers to quantitative marketing methods. They provide an opportunity to test any assumptions and alternatives in real life.

In depth interviews. Conversation with one representative of the target audience on a specific list open questions. They provide an opportunity to understand the topic in detail and form hypotheses. Relate to quality marketing methods.

You can name, among other things, a group of analytic and prognostic methods. To conduct market research, apply:

The theory of probability;

Linear planning;

Network planning;

Methods business games;

Economic and mathematical modeling;

Methods of expert evaluation;

Economic and statistical methods.

And yet, it is not often that the firm has sufficient funds to carry out a systematic marketing study of the industry market (starting with the development of hypotheses in focus groups, conversations and ending with a large-scale survey to obtain accurate information).

Often, a marketing manager needs to make a personal effort to collect the information about the market that will be useful for developing a marketing strategy for the firm.

Ways to find marketing information about the market

Social networks and forums. It is worth taking advantage of the network. There you can find the opinion of buyers in in social networks, on the forums. Skype will also help Email. All of these channels will reduce the cost of market research.

Personal conversations. Conduct the interview yourself (5-10 conversations). Involve adherents of various trade brands, consumers and non-consumers of the market. Talk to those who make the decision and control the purchase, as well as those who use the purchased products. Such conversations will take less than a week, but they will provide a lot of useful information.

Organization employees. Ask your questions to the staff of the firm to get their opinion. Pay special attention to the sales department. If you are participating in market research as an independent party, talk to the management of the enterprises.

Internet resources. Explore information posted on the Web on a given topic. Do not pass by information about adjacent markets.

Own experience. Try to buy your products and record the impressions.

Own observation. Take a look at the behavior of people at points of sale for yourself: how they choose certain products.

Stay realistic. Enter into the marketing analysis of the market only the information that can really be collected and processed. Remember that it is not worth analyzing for the sake of the process of analysis itself. Only those results that will be useful in developing the company's marketing strategy matter.

The marketing environment of the market: why it is important to analyze it

The analysis of the marketing environment deserves maximum interest in the implementation of marketing research. It is updated all the time - either due to threats, or due to opening horizons. It is extremely important for any company to monitor such changes and adapt to them in time. The marketing environment is a combination of active actors and processes that operate outside the company and influence the prospects for its successful cooperation with the target audience. In other words, the marketing environment is the factors and forces that determine a company's ability to establish and maintain beneficial relationships with customers. These moments are not all and not always subject to direct management by the company. In this regard, they separate the external and internal environment marketing.

The external environment of the company is most often divided into macro- and microenvironment.

macro environment covers the entire state of affairs in the business space of the city (region, state). Her distinctive features affect the work of all economic entities, regardless of the form of ownership and product differences. This influence will extend to a major food manufacturer, a five-star hotel, and a private beauty salon.

The external marketing environment is characterized by great mobility, so it is most often not subject to active influence from any company.

Microenvironment represented by the properties of a single market taken and the state of affairs in it. This market is of particular interest to the company. Let's say it could be a market hotel services or the market for cotton fabrics.

The microenvironment includes forces that can influence a company's ability to serve customers:

Marketing intermediaries;

The company itself;

Buyers;

Competitors;

Suppliers;

General public.

Internal marketing environment consists of such components as:

Organizational and managerial resources of the company;

Human resources of the company;

The production potential of the company;

Design and engineering resources of the company;

Material and financial capabilities of the company;

Sales potential of the company.

The functioning of any organization in the market depends on the factors affecting it in the course of performing any actions. These elements form opportunities or threats for the organization, which, respectively, help or hinder the implementation of various actions and the achievement of tasks.

Knowledge of the properties and power of these factors makes it possible to develop such guiding decisions in the field of marketing that will help protect the company from threats and maximize the opportunities that have appeared for the benefit of the company.

Market marketing strategies: types and stages of development

Marketing strategy is a component of the overall strategy of the company. Thanks to it, the main directions of the company's activity in the market in relation to rivals and buyers are formed.

The development of market marketing strategies is influenced by:

The main goals of the company;

Its current position in the market;

Available resources;

Evaluation of market prospects and expected actions of rivals.

Since the state of affairs in the market is constantly changing, the marketing strategy is also characterized by mobility and flexibility. It can be adjusted all the time. There is no one size fits all marketing strategy. To raise sales of a particular company or promote any type of product, you need your own development of lines of business.

Marketing strategies are most often divided into specific strategies.

integrated growth. Its goal is to increase the structure of the company through "vertical development" - the launch of the production of new products.

concentrated growth. It implies a change in the product sales market or its modernization. Often, such marketing strategies are aimed at fighting rivals to gain a larger market share (“horizontal development”), finding markets for existing products, and improving products. As part of the implementation of these types of strategies, the company's regional divisions, dealers and suppliers are monitored. In addition, there is an impact on the final consumers of goods.

Abbreviations. The goal is to increase the efficiency of the company after a long development. In this case, both the reorganization of the company (for example, the reduction of any departments) and its liquidation (for example, a smooth curtailment of activities to zero while obtaining the maximum available profit) can be carried out.

diversified growth. It is used if the company does not have the opportunity to grow in the current market conditions with a specific type of product. The firm can concentrate on the release of a new product, but at the expense of available resources. In this case, the product may not be significantly different from the existing one or be completely new.

Besides, marketing strategy companies can be directed both to the entire market and to its individual target segments. Main strategies for individual segments:

Differentiated marketing strategy. Here the goal is to cover as many market segments as possible with the release of products specially designed for this purpose (appearance, improved quality, etc.);

Concentrated marketing strategy. The forces and resources of the company are concentrated on one market segment. Products are offered to a specific target audience. The emphasis is on the originality of any goods. This marketing option is most suitable for companies with limited resources;

Mass (or undifferentiated) marketing strategy. Aimed at the market as a whole, without any differences in consumer demand. Competitive advantage goods is mainly to reduce the cost of their release.

Common mistakes businesses make

Mistake #1. The firm thinks little about the market and is weakly focused on the client.

Market segments are not prioritized.

The segments themselves are not clearly defined.

A large number of employees of the company are of the opinion that customer service is the responsibility of marketing departments, therefore, they do not strive to treat consumers better.

There are no managers who are responsible for specific market segments.

Mistake #2. The firm does not fully understand its target customers.

Sales of products do not reach the expected level; rivals' goods are bought better.

Product returns and customer complaints are exorbitant.

The last marketing study of the consumer audience was conducted more than two years ago.

Mistake #3. The firm does not effectively detect its rivals and monitors their activities poorly.

There is no system for collecting and disseminating information about rivals.

The firm is too focused on its closest competitors. There is a risk of losing sight of both distant rivals and technologies that threaten the well-being of the company.

Mistake #4. The company illiterately builds interaction with all stakeholders.

Distributors, dealers, suppliers are not the best (do not pay due attention to the company's products, poor quality supplies).

Investors remain dissatisfied (it looks like an increase in the interest rate of loans and a fall in the share price).

Dissatisfied employees (there is a high turnover of staff).

Mistake #5. The company is not looking for new development prospects.

The vast majority of projects implemented by the organization ended in failure.

Recently, the company has not been striving for new horizons (interesting offers, sales markets, etc.).

Mistake #6. The marketing planning process has significant drawbacks.

The plans are not related to the modeling of financial results, they do not work out alternative ways.

The plans do not consider the possibility of unforeseen circumstances.

AT marketing plan there are no mandatory components or there is no logic.

Mistake #7. Service strategy and product strategy require changes.

The company offers too many free services.

The organization does not have the resources for cross-selling (selling products along with additional goods / services - for example, a shirt with a tie, a car immediately with insurance, etc.).

The list of the company's products is too large, which negatively affects production costs.

Mistake #8. The firm does not make efforts to form a strong brand.

The budget section between different marketing tools practically does not change.

The procedures related to the promotion of products do not take into account the indicators of income on invested finances to the required extent (the role of investments is underestimated).

The target audience doesn't know the company well. People do not consider specific trademark the best.

Mistake #9 Illiterate organization of the activities of the marketing department hinders the productive marketing of the company.

Employees of the department do not have the skills required to work in the current conditions.

The marketing department is in a difficult relationship with other departments.

The head of the marketing department does not cope with his duties, he lacks professionalism.

Mistake #10. The company does not use to the maximum the possibilities of modern technologies.

The organization's automated sales system is noticeably outdated.

The marketing department needs to develop dashboards.

The company practically does not use the Internet in its work.

With the utmost automation of the sales system, a large number of daily marketing calculations can be carried out not by the employees of the company, but by software. This option makes it possible to optimize these solutions and helps to save a lot of working time.

Attention!

VVS provides exclusively analytical services and does not advise on theoretical issues of the foundations of marketing(capacity calculation, pricing methods, etc.)

This article is for informational purposes only!

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