There are a number of resources that you can access at LITTLE OR NO COST
to you, that can help provide accurate impressions on your customer and
their buying habits. Also, these resources will help you define and research
potential markets that you had not yet considered for your business.
Firstly, research and access all the SECONDARY data that you can.
Secondary data is data that has been gathered by someone else for a
different and specific purpose. Often, this data contains information that
you can utilize and apply to your own needs. For example, the research may
relate to how people spend their money in the home, and you may want to know
what people and how much they spend on tools for the shed. This secondary
data could well provide the information on the amount they will spend, where
they will shop and why, and what type of customer will do the shopping.
Places and Sites that you can visit to begin gathering secondary data:
- Ibis World (http://www.ibisworld.com/) - The IBISWorld US Industry
Reports provide you with immediate access to vital information on 100's of
industries. They are continually adding more industries to eventually cover
the entire economy in depth.
- LibrarySpot.com (http://www.libraryspot.com/) - a free virtual library
resource center for educators and students, librarians and their patrons,
families, businesses and just about anyone exploring the Web for valuable
research information.
- Internet Public Library (http://www.ipl.org/) - The Internet Public
Library (IPL), is a public service organization and learning/teaching
environment full of information and resources to help educate you.
- US Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/) - The Census Bureau serves as
the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy,
providing the best mix of timeliness, relevancy, quality, and cost for the
data they collect and services they provide.
Having gathered any secondary data available, you might find that you
still need some information relating to your customer and niche market. The
best way to do this is to gather what is called PRIMARY data information
that you gather for your own purposes. There are a number of ways that you
can do this. For example, you might choose to call people out of the phone
book and ask them to complete a survey over the phone. You also might choose
to go to the local shopping complex and interview people you meet. This
second idea is very useful if your product is something that is already sold
through retail outlets, as you can talk direct to customers that could
become your customer in the future!
If you have never written a survey before, visit the site below as a
great starting point:
- How to Write a Good Survey
http://www.accesscable.net/~infopoll/tips.htm
- this site has a description of each step in writing a survey, and some
useful links and further articles about the gathering of information by
using surveys.
Don't be afraid of gathering your own information - it can prove to be an
invaluable exercise. Not only do you gain a more complete understanding of
the needs of your customer, but you increase your own knowledge and
understanding of the marketplace. This places you in a better situation when
building and expanding your business.
