Picture this. You develop some product or service, spend countless hours making sure everything is just right, set up a beautiful web site, make sure the ecommerce end is secure, and then release what you know will be of utmost benefit to others.
Do you really know this? How do you know it? Gut feeling? Someone else told you so?
In the world of online ventures, researching the currently defined marketplace can be even more important than in the offline world. Why? Things change so incredibly fast. Web sites and services start and end with the blink of an eye. In part this is because of the nature of the internet, and most are able to survive these types of massive fluctuations. But the ones who succeed and stay near the top, releasing of product after product are the ones who initially conduct market research and do so on a regular basis.
Now, don't let the term intimidate you. Market research is simply about getting to know what others are doing, what others want and who if anyone is supplying it. Yes, in a way this is supply and demand revisited. But, and this is important, market research is also about predictions and expectations.
By studying and learning about what is going on not only in your current market but in related areas, you will begin to develop a keen sense of what is needed. Even better, you will begin to develop a sense of innovation, possible areas that others have not yet thought about. At this stage your brain will flair with excitement and your online business ventures will begin to take on a "cruise and control" nature.
Be aware that market research takes time. It must be planned out with a clear goal in mind. Why? Market research in general involves sampling a multi-variable parameter space. O.k. Dan, so what does this mean?
It simply means that the question you are trying to answer depends on more than one thing.
For instance, suppose you want to research web usage habits. This is an enormously complex topic. It depends in part on what a person is searching for, time of day, day of week, browser type, computer type, dial-up connection, gender, age, etc..Do you see how this can be very hard to understand.
So what you do is narrow the number of variables. How do you do this? You focus your questions to areas that limit the number of dependent parameters - smaller subsets of the entire picture. Supposing that the question to answer is now "What percentage of surfers are looking for cosmetics on Wednesday between the hours of 6 and 10 pm?", we have now removed the gender, day of the week, and hour of the day variables. The problem is now much easier to solve.
Market research is a truly rich area. It involves people, who by nature are complex entities to study. But, there is no way around it. If you truly want to prosper in this field you must research your market, and you must regularly do so. Otherwise, your efforts will be in large part hit and miss. Take the time to add a research aspect to your business. You won't be sorry.
Dan J. Fry, c. 2003-2004, All rights reserved.
About The Author
Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of the e-Kinetic E-Zine. He has a PhD in Physics, two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his e-zine at e-kinetic@GetResponse.com or by visiting his Online Home Based Business Infopreneur Resources site.
Before you ever get on the telephone, send a marketing... Read More
The movie, "Field of Dreams" opens with a farmer standing... Read More
Staying ahead of the marketing curve seems to be a... Read More
Business cards and greeting cards almost go hand in hand... Read More
If you're just dipping your toes into the waters of... Read More
TOP 10 TIPS TO GET YOU MARKETING TO SUCCESS ON... Read More
So... you spend time and effort putting together a survey,... Read More
With direct mail, you can break even and still claim... Read More
Many sales problems can be solved by improved marketing. Selling... Read More
It's a great concept, - and it has a 'cool... Read More
I spend a lot of my time reading books and... Read More
You may be engaged in a marketing activities that are... Read More
When marketing your practice, as well as designing yourbrochure, web... Read More
Targeting high potential markets with a direct mail marketing campaign... Read More
Trading reciprocal links is one of the best ways to... Read More
Mortgage marketing to Realtors involves having a crystal clear position... Read More
You'll always need to find new prospects for your business.... Read More
You followed time-honored online marketing techniques to the letter: you... Read More
Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center http://www.opportunityassistance.comAt first you... Read More
Being in a quandary prevents you from moving forward in... Read More
If you want to design effective marketing postcards, then aim... Read More
One commonly overlooked method of advertising offline is flyers. Flyers... Read More
Is your mind muddy on marketing? Do you wake up... Read More
But more importantly, watch what they do. If you do... Read More
"Instead Of Wasting Time Trying To Hit The Lottery Of... Read More
The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car... Read More
Many times when a trade show is planned for there... Read More
If you've never done a postcard mailing, you're probably wondering,... Read More
The highly entertaining Donald Trump's search for an apprentice turned... Read More
How do you answer the seemingly easy question, "What do... Read More
Over the years as I have attended trade shows, networking... Read More
It's almost a given that when I speak to a... Read More
Many people ask me, "What is a postcard campaign, exactly?"... Read More
Considered a vital link in a show's promotional plan, direct... Read More
Our business environment has changed dramatically. Companies must now be... Read More
One of the most powerful, yet over looked weapons in... Read More
It goes against the grain, especially for those of us... Read More
Once you have the attention of a business prospect, at... Read More
Feng Shui is the Ancient Chinese practice of configuring home... Read More
There are four parts to a marketing system and they... Read More
What is a Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More
If you want to design effective marketing postcards, then aim... Read More
1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More
I recently drove by a business that had a sign... Read More
Maybe you don't want to work that hard, or maybe... Read More
What's in a name?Think of your business name as an... Read More
Marketing public relations gives you cost effective ways to reach... Read More
What is the single biggest fear of teenagers, business owners... Read More
Your local Chamber of Commerce.Now before you stop reading, I... Read More
Skilful business writing involves getting your message across simply and... Read More
Marketing Marketing |
|
| العاب | منتديات هيدى | الزاوية الحمراء | |
|
Pharaohs products egypt products Egypt shopping Shopping in Egypt sho Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center Egypt Pharaohs |