Qualitative Marketing Research -2

The main types of qualitative marketing research are Depth Interviews, Focus Groups and Projective Techniques. we talk on Depth Interviews first.

• interview is conducted one-on-one, and lasts between 30 and 60 minutes
  
• best method for in-depth probing of personal opinions, beliefs, and values
  
• very rich depth of information
  
• very flexible
  
• probing is very useful at uncovering hidden issues
  
• they are unstructured (or loosely structured)- this differentiates them from survey interviews in which the same questions are asked to all respondents
  
• can be time consuming and responses can be difficult to interpret
  
• requires skilled interviewers - expensive - interviewer bias can easily be introduced
  
• there is no social pressure on respondents to conform and no group dynamics
  
• start with general questions and rapport establishing questions, then proceed to more purposive questions
  
• laddering is a technique used by depth interviewers in which you start with questions about external objects and external social phenomena, then proceed to internal attitudes and feelings
  
• hidden issue questioning is a technique used by depth interviewers in which they concentrate on deeply felt personal concerns and pet peeves
  
• symbolic analysis is a technique used by depth interviewers in which deeper symbolic meanings are probed by asking questions about their opposites

we will talk on Focus Group in next post.

ref: wikipedia, agentswebword, insurance software

Qualitative marketing research -1

Qualitative marketing research is a set of research techniques, used in marketing and the social sciences, in which data is obtained from a relatively small group of respondents and not analyzed with statistical techniques. This differentiates it from quantitative research in which a large group of respondents provide data that are statistically analyzed.

The role of qualitative research
Qualitative research methods are used primarily as the prelude to quantitative research. They are used to define the problem, generate hypotheses, identify determinants, and develop quantitative research designs. Because of the low number of respondents involved, these exploratory research methods cannot be used to generalize to the whole population. They are however, very valuable for exploring an issue and are used by almost all researchers. They can be better than quantitative research at probing below the surface for affective drives and subconscious motivations.

Approaches
Most qualitative methods use a direct approach : they clearly disclose the purpose of the study and the organization that commissioned it. Questions are direct and to the point. Many other qualitative techniques use an indirect approach. The true intent of the research is disguised, either by claiming a false purpose or by omitting any reference to the study’s purpose. Some researchers have ethical misgivings about the deceit involved in this approach. Those researchers that use this approach feel that it provides the more honest and accurate responses. If disguised methods are used, all respondents should, on completion, attend a debriefing session in which the true purpose of the research is given and the reason for the deception explained.

we will talk about The main types of qualitative research in our next post.

ref: wikipedia, insurance software, agentswebworld

Marketing Analysis -1

For marketers planning is an essential task that must be continually undertaken. As we will see, shifting market conditions, including changing customer needs and competitive threats, almost always insure that what worked in the past will not work in the future, thus requiring revisions in how a product is marketed. Marketing management tools offered by agentswebword are better leadorganizer.

Marketing management often finds it necessary to invest in research to collect the data required to perform accurate marketing analysis. As such, they often conduct market research (alternately marketing research) to obtain this information. Marketers employ a variety of techniques to conduct market research, but some of the more common include:

• Qualitative marketing research, such as focus groups
• Quantitative marketing research, such as statistical surveys
• Experimental techniques such as test markets
• Observational techniques such as ethnographic (on-site) observation

Marketing managers may also design and oversee various environmental scanning and competitive intelligence processes to help identify trends and inform the company's marketing analysis.

ref: wikipedia, insurance software

Marketing Analysis

In company analysis, marketers focus on understanding the company's cost structure and cost position relative to competitors, as well as working to identify a firm's core competencies and other competitively distinct company resources. Marketing managers may also work with the accounting department to analyze the profits the firm is generating from various product lines and customer accounts. The company may also conduct periodic brand audits to assess the strength of its brands and sources of brand equity.

The firm's collaborators may also be profiled, which may include various suppliers, distributors and other channel partners, joint venture partners, and others. An analysis of complementary products may also be performed if such products exist.

Marketing management employs various tools from economics and competitive strategy to analyze the industry context in which the firm operates. Agents Webworld is nice tools for industry. These include Porter's five forces, analysis of strategic groups of competitors, value chain analysis and others. Depending on the industry, the regulatory context may also be important to examine in detail.

In Competitor analysis, marketers build detailed profiles of each competitor in the market, focusing especially on their relative competitive strengths and weaknesses using SWOT analysis. Agencyorganizer or lead management tool helps to analysis competitors.Marketing managers will examine each competitor's cost structure, sources of profits, resources and competencies, competitive positioning and product differentiation, degree of vertical integration, historical responses to industry developments, and other factors.