Seminar: Developing a research brief

Topic Number:5

Principles of Business: Stage 2 Marketing

Overview

You have been brought in by the CMO of a company of yourchoosing to put together a research brief. The company hasrecently developed a new product and is looking to understand ifit is appealing to consumers.

You have been brought in to initially develop the brief, coveringthe following key areas:

• Overview, context and customer landscape• Who the core target audiences are?• What are their defining characteristics?• Key information to find out• Research techniques to use• What output is required?• How will it be used?

Thereafter, you are tasked with presenting your brief to themanagement team at the company. Note that in the followingsession you will be tasked with answering another group’s brief.

3

• Develop and articulate the key stages that are used in a research brief.

• Describe the key issues, context and areas of focus for an organisation.

• Critically define and describe the types of output you are looking for from a research brief.

• Make robust and coherent recommendations for an organisation to move forward to implement a brief.

Learning outcomes of this seminar

Agenda for this seminar

Describe the context for the research that includes the companycontext, research objectives and the product that will be researched.

Discuss the key things you are looking to get out of the research andrecommend the research technique that you would use.

List any practical information you would expect in the brief.

Describe the target audience for the research including keycharacteristics that need to be in the research sample.

Structure for the session

You will have 15 minutes to discuss each

question.

We will have a debrief at the end of each 15 minutes to hear your thoughts on each area.

Feel free to ask questions but please do not have separate conversations ‘we are all in this together’!

Market Research

I believe in innovation and that the way you get innovation is you fund

research and you learn the basic facts.

Research is formalised curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.

Bill Gates

Zora Neale Hurston

Describe the context for

the research, that

includes: the company

context, research

objectives and the

product that will be

researched.

Describe the company and product

Company Context

Define the market and explain its dynamics

Describe key competitors

Describe current and future activities

Describe the target market

External market factors

Background and Role of Research

Reasons for the research

Where does it fit into the marketing strategy

Who does it impact internally and externally?

Identify constraints on actions as a result of the

research

Objective

This is the objective of the marketing project

that the research is for, it is the overall strategic

objective.

Detailed objectives of what you need to know

e.g. attitudes, behaviour, usage

expectations, perceptions.

Is it to understand, evaluate or explore or is it to measure, record or

ascertain?

Business Objective Research Objective

Describe the target

audience for the

research including key

characteristics that

need to be in the

research sample.

Describing the target audience

Total Market

Addressable Market

Target Market

Demographic and Geographic Factors

Attitudinal and Psychographic Factors

Source: Developed by Closer to Brands for Direct Line Group

Other interesting characteristics?

They are animal lovers

They own 3 homes in Eastern Europe

They are stamp collectors

They are always optimistic

Discuss the key things

you are looking to get

out of the research and

recommend the

research technique that

you would use.

Key take-aways from the research

This piece of research should enable us to launch the product to the right target audience with the right positioning, location and timing to

enable it to fly off the shelves.

Research Techniques

Primary Research Secondary Research

Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

List any practical

information you would

expect in the brief.

Reporting Requirements

What format are you looking for?

When do you need it by?

What is the budget?

Existing Research?

Share any other relevant research or information. Often this helps refine how the

research is done. It also means that covering old ground can be avoided, and this research

builds on what is already known.

Appendix – Sources for illustrations

Slide 6:www.vwikipedia.org

Slide 8:www.emeraldinsight.com

Slide 9:www.printwand.com

Slide 10:www.business901.com

Slide 13:www.printwand.com

Slide 14:www.mapsofworld.com

Slide 18:www.glider.com

Slide 19:www.sympatico.ca

Slide 21:www.thefinancialfairytales.com

Slide 22:www.hardresearch.co.in

End of Seminar

Note: This recording is for your personal use only and not for further distribution or wider review.

© Pearson College 2013