Both large and small producers of goods and services need market research to successfully promote their product to the consumer. For this purpose, goals and objectives are determined , as well as the sources of marketing information that will give the best result in this particular case are determined. Sources exist primary (that is, collected for the given task for the first time) and secondary (already available and collected for other purposes).
Primary sources of marketing information include:
- Observation, which is characterized by focus and regularity and is carried out directly in the area of ββthe subject of study.
- An experiment that is characterized by the effect on the process under study. This method involves the creation of two groups (normal and experimental).
Different conditions are created for groups, and then a comparative analysis of the results is carried out. This method can give the most accurate data.
- Internal reporting, which provides information on the activities of the company, inventories, product movement, sales, revenue, expenses for advertising. This information helps you analyze the profitability of specific product groups, distribution channels, and so on.
- Sources of marketing information - this is monitoring the external environment. This includes legislative projects, changes in the country's economy, consumer income, competitive products, changes in production technology. All this can help to avoid a negative impact on the production process from the outside.
Heads of departments collect external information from various sources - these are print media, interviews with distributors, suppliers and customers, and heads of other departments of the enterprise. Sources of marketing information in firms where this process is given due importance are quite significant. Managers attract sellers who are at the very center of events and have reliable first-hand information. Distributors, wholesalers and retailers are then encouraged to convey important information to the firm. Information is also purchased from third-party suppliers. Many firms have special units that collect information.
There are always problems of marketing research, such as unforeseen or planned changes, which can sometimes be prompted by consumers during the work. Often the customer cannot clearly identify his problems, he only knows that sales are decreasing, the market share is also important here to find out what is really happening and what measures need to be taken.
Also, a wide range of marketing services is being developed, due to the fact that new objects in this field are constantly appearing on the market. These are insurance companies, both domestic and foreign, these are travel companies, private clinics, educational institutions, and so on. F, Kotler, for example, offers this model for this industry:
- company - staff
- staff - consumer
- the company is the consumer.
Effective marketing in the service sector includes working with these three links. That is, the company should take care of the staff, motivate it to provide quality service to the consumer. This includes the formation of wages, training, trainings, career growth, the provision of preferential services for the use of company products.
This is the first link. The second link is quality control of the provision of services. This includes a good location, professionalism of staff, office design and so on.
The third link is the solution of issues with pricing, distribution channels and communications, competitiveness.
Thus, the complex marketing services is somewhat different from production marketing. Here, the fact that the consumer perceives each individual representative of the company as an independent person also plays a role. And if, as a result of good work, for example, by a hairdresser, the client recommends it to his friends, this does not mean at all that this applies to the whole company. That is, internal marketing should be included here , which will lead to improved quality of service and attract more potential customers.