You have an in-depth understanding of your internal processes, a precise knowledge of both your own products and those of your competitors and know what advantages and disadvantages customers can expect from your goods and services.
Do your customers see things the same way? Are you sure? Your customers’ view of your brand might be very different to your own.
Market research helps you gain a better understanding of your target group and its needs so that you can tailor your products, services and communications to your customers.
In turn, this can help you generate new interest and turn spontaneous buyers into loyal customers.
In contrast to quantitative market research, which aims to deliver objective facts on the basis of representative samples, qualitative market research starts by asking “why” and aims to explore buyers’ reasons and motives on the basis of examples.
Qualitative market research methods can be used in e.g. focus groups, workshops, mini groups, depth interviews or ethnographic interviews to explore a wide variety of topics and questions:
GET TO KNOW YOUR TARGET GROUP BETTER
Who are my customers?
What are their needs?
How do they make their purchase decisions?
Which criteria govern their choice?
UNDERSTAND YOUR OWN IMAGE BETTER
How do customers see a brand?
And how do they see its competitors?
How do customers perceive markets?
Where do they see differences between offerings?
What are customers guided by?
EXPERIENCE YOUR PRODUCTS FROM THE CUSTOMER’S PERSPECTIVE
How are offerings used?
What are their special strengths?
Are there any usability issues?
FIND OUT WHAT IMPACT YOUR COMMUNICATION MATERIALS HAVE
What impression do your logo, advertising, website, information brochures etc. make on consumers?
Where is there room for improvement?
ASSESS POTENTIAL FOR NEW PRODUCTS – DEVELOP NEW PRODUCT IDEAS
Are there any unmet needs?
How are products used?
What ideas do customers have?
What offerings can convince?
How do customers rate new offerings?
ASSESS NEW PACKAGING ALTERNATIVES
How does a new design impact the way a product is perceived?
How do consumers interpret a pack design?