Strategic Market Research: A Guide to Conducting Research That Drives Businesses

by Anne E. Beall

For a company to embrace market research as a facilitator of change, it must be willing to take the approach that makes the most impact on its organization. That approach is the key in making a difference using market research. In this guide, author Anne Beall shares her unique procedure for conducting strategic market research.

With more than fifteen years of experience in conducting market research, Beall details the strategic principles she has developed that impact the way in which market research can inspire and change an organization. Strategic Market Research discusses identifying the strategic questions that will help a business; using the right research techniques to answer these questions; obtaining the level of depth required to have insight; reading the nonverbal communications of research respondents when doing qualitative work; identifying the emotional aspects of human behavior; using statistical analyses to understand what drives markets; going beyond the data to interpret the results and make strategic recommendations.

In addition to addressing both qualitative and quantitative research, Strategic Market Research provides real-life examples illustrating the application of these concepts in various scenarios, including businesses and non-profit organizations. Implementing the strategic approach from the beginning to the end of a project provides information that promotes change.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

ebook

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Anne E. Beall, Ph.D., is an award-winning author and social psychologist who writes about the emotional undercurrents that shape our lives. Her writing explores the psychology of relationships—between lovers, family members, friends, and pets who think they’re in charge.

She’s written eight nonfiction books, including Cinderella Didn’t Live Happily Ever After and Only Prince Charming Gets to Break the Rules, which reveal the hidden messages inside classic fairy tales. Her work has appeared in People Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, Toronto Sun, NPR, NBC, and WGN.

Anne is the founder and editor of Chicago Story Press Literary Journal, which publishes true stories that invite readers to see something in a new light. She holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from Yale—so yes, she can absolutely over analyze your childhood.

She lives in Chicago, where she writes, edits, walks a lot, and tries to convince other people that winter isn’t really that long in the Midwest.

Reviews

[Rob Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extremely short introduction to the field of market research. Not particularly illuminating, but at least gives a perspective on how market research works and the general approach to take when conducting it.

[Matt Watkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only read one book on market research make it this one. Clear, concise and pragmatic, I subsequently befriended the author with my gushing praise.

[Emin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing too groundbreaking I did not already know.

[Justin Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful book to build the framework for market research

[airrunkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strategic Marketing Research provides several techniques to take advantage of market research effectively. Whether you’re involved in the process of the research itself, or given findings from an outside source, this book can help you understand the different aspects of market research, ways to approach new features/products, good questions to be asking during the initial phases of a project/market research, and the importance of thorough and strategic analysis of the data being collected.