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Strategic Planning
Market Research: Taking the Guess Work Out of Targeting
Value of Market Research
The key to a strategic approach to
communications is careful planning based on quality
research. The more you know about your target audience,
the better you can design your communications plan to
reach them and create an impact on your cause.
In order to plan your
communications strategy and tactics, you need to know to
whom you are speaking. How do they get their information
and what do they want to hear? Test your message with
people outside your organization to see if it resonates.
Feedback and information gathered through market
research can help guide your organization in the
decision-making processes of planning and evaluation.
Types of
Market Research
There are multiple methods
of conducting research - both primary (commissioned or
conducted by you) and secondary (existing information). If you have the resources,
you can hire research consultants to carry out a
scientific, objective survey and analyze the results.
You can also hire a consultant to perform a focus
group or organize your own informal gathering to get
feedback. As web meetings become more common and
affordable, online focus groups are an increasingly
attractive option.
Myth: Market Research is Too
Costly
The myth of market research is that it is highly
complex, expensive, and used only in for-profit
industries. The fact is that you can conduct research on
your target audience yourself using low-cost online
survey services such as
Zoomerang
and
SurveyMonkey, or
even the old fashioned "snail mail" method (requires
postage). While primary research is preferable for
understanding who you are talking to and what they want
to hear, secondary research can be effective at helping
you identify and learn about your target audience. Secondary research is available
at no cost through public
information about various demographic
groups, so do your homework and see what information is
already available about your intended audience.
Selected Examples and Sources of Free Market Research:
Market research helps you
understand the landscape, like painting a picture of the
field and your intended audience. By providing you
with information about potential outcomes and trade offs,
research can help you to make fully informed decisions
as you create your communications plan. As you begin
to develop your plan, be sure to incorporate
information about your issue and your target audience to
help guide your strategy.
Additional Resources on
Non-profit Market Research:
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