Market research is an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to gain insights into consumer behavior, trends, and competitor landscapes. To ensure your research delivers actionable results that drive strategic decision-making, consider implementing the following seven strategies the next time you plan for a market research study.

  1. Get super clear on what you’re after!
    Start by clearly defining your research objectives. The research outcome will be as good as the clarity given during setting the objectives of the research. A well-defined objective will help the agency craft focused questions and ensure that each response contributes to your goals. 

    Pro TipYou can prioritize your objectives and also lay similar emphasis during the questionnaire stage.

  2. Create a questionnaire that really works!
    Crafting a well-structured questionnaire that aligns with the objectives is key. Focus on engaging respondent with visuals, projective techniques, inducing humor or elements of surprise that makes them want to answer the questionnaire.  Avoid using a lot of Likert scales and adopt a rather narrative approach which is a conversational style thus encouraging personal story telling.

    Pro Tip
    Focus on key priorities and add good to know questions at the end. 
  3. “Keep it short and sweet – don’t let your survey turn into a snooze-fest!”
    Long surveys often lead to fatigue and incomplete responses. Keep your survey concise by focusing on essential questions only. Once again prioritization is key! Without a really engaging questionnaire most respondents have an active attention span of not more than 20 mins. 

    Pro Tip –   Conduct pilot tests to identify and eliminate unnecessary questions or redundancies.
     

  4. “Consider benchmarking as your backstage pass to see how your competitors are faring”
    Compare your survey results to industry benchmarks or competitor data to gain a broader perspective on your performance and identify areas for improvement. 

    Pro TipUsing a domain expert market research company will enable you to understand how your performance is benchmarked against your closest competitions. Apples will be compared to Apples.

  5. Playing it fair and square!
    Ensure your survey complies with ethical guidelines and privacy regulations. Being transparent about data usage and respecting respondents’ privacy builds trust and encourages honest responses. 

    Pro TipIt is important to let the respondent know how the data will be used and that their personal data if collected is safe and destroyed by the agency as per guidelines.
     

  6. Understanding the ‘Why’s” are as important as understanding the “What’s and When’s”
    Blend the numbers from surveys with casual chats, focus group discussions, or storytelling style interviews to really dive deep into what customers are thinking and doing. It often helps revealing more than only what numbers can ever say! 

    Pro Tip – It is always good when project leads and managers travel personally to meet consumers to decode their behavior.
     

  7. “Turning Data into To-Do’s!”
    Finally, the essence of a market research is to make it work in a meaningful way. Data is not just a collection of numbers and statistics but a valuable resource that can be leveraged to drive positive change, improve processes, and give actionable to do lists to the key stakeholders.Are you ready to embark on a journey of discovering your consumers? Let’s unlock the power of data together. Whether you’re a new brand looking to gain a foothold or an established business aiming to stay ahead of the curve, professional market research can be the key to your success.Q&Q is a boutique award-winning market research and analytics firm specializing in agriculture market research in India and 13+ APAC countries. Contact us today to learn more about our market research services and how we can help you achieve your business goals. Don’t wait – the future of your business starts with data-driven decisions!Talk to us for more details.