January 12, 2004

Are You Too Small for Market Research?

Okay, the short answer is "no." But the longer explanation is that while most business owners and managers will concede there is a big difference between the way their organization sees itself and the way it is seen by customers, a surprising number of those same business leaders do nothing about it.

At The Intelligence Agency, we counsel clients that it really doesn't matter whether they like their new logo or their personal experiences with direct mail. What matters is what their customers and prospects like and believe. So customer and prospect research is Step Two in everything we do (Step One is to Establish a Result).

So regardless of your organization's size or industry, research is a vital tool to help you determine goals, marketing, pricing, to measure performance, and more. Tactically, it can be as simple as having thirty detailed, structured conversations with your customers. Or, it can be more a more formal process conducted by an outside firm (us!) utilizing face-to-face interviews, calls, mail, or the Internet.

Regardless, don't get stuck believing you're too small or research is too expensive or complicated. To borrow a phrase, "just do it."