Market Research ...
Before you do anything in marketing you first have to do
Market Research – the gathering, recording, analysing,
and presenting information relevant to the marketing
process – there are two main types
Primary Research
Secondary Research
- First hand, collected yourself
– uses data that already exists
• Questionnaires
• Web-sites
• Surveys
• Magazines
• Interviews
• Leaflets
• Catalogues
SO, HOW SHOULD YOU CONSTRUCT YOUR
QUESTIONNAIRE?
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Must be quick and easy to fill out
Questions must be suitable for the user
Questions must be clear and avoid confusion
You must firstly consider the info’ you want to find out
– the questions must be designed to get this info’
You should use a mixture of open (no fixed answer)
and closed questions (specific answer required)
Closed questions a easier to analyse and should be
used when possible
Use tick boxes etc – easier to fill in.
EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
What age are you?
Under 18
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18 – 25
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26 – 35
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36- 45

I love marmite
Over 45

Strongly agree
Please indicate your top
three preferred choices,
using 1,2,3 - from the list
below
Ford
…..
Disagree
Fiat
…..
…..
Volvo …..
…..
BMW …..
…..
VW
…..
…..
Strongly disagree
…..
agree
Neither agree or disagree
EXAMPLES OF BAD PRACTICE
What age are you?
0 - 18
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18 – 25
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25 – 35
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35- 45
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45 - 100 
What’s wrong here?
What is your
favourite car make?
…………………..
What’s wrong about
asking for an “open”
response like this?
OK , IN YOUR BOOKS ....
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Primary Research is ......
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Secondary Research is ......
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS YOU MUST
CONSIDER THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR TARGET
CUSTOMERS – MARKET SEGMENTATION
Male/Female
 Age group
 Socio-Economic grouping – Occupation/
earning bracket etc
 Life style habits
 Geographical location
 Ethnic Group

REFERRING TO SEGMENTATION, WHO WOULD BE
YOUR TARGET MARKET FOR THE FOLLOWING?
Who will be the Target
Market for your business
idea?
HOMEWORK
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Provide 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages for
each of the following types of Primary research:
Method
Adv
Disadv
Interviews
1
2
1
2
Questionnaires
1
2
1
2
Observation
1
2
1
2