08/11/12
Melanie Scott on business start-ups
by Melanie Scott
chairman, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Kent branch
Whilst busy preparing for Kent 2020 Start-up Live, I’ve
been shocked and saddened to hear of the uphill struggle start-ups
face.
It seems 70% are expected to fail and what’s even more shocking,
is how closely this stat seems to correspond with the estimates for
the number of businesses that fail to conduct market research.
Although outwardly I’m quite happy to dismiss this as unfounded
rubbish – I can’t help but wonder how the statistics would change
if more companies actively engaged in research before opening
shop.
Based on experience of my own start-up, these days I’m a staunch
advocate of market research and I can’t stress enough how valuable
it can be.
Whether you’re new in business looking to test a concept, or a
small to medium size enterprise looking to gauge client
satisfaction, with the right set of questions you’ll be able to
collect actionable insights, helping ensure you drive your business
forward smartly and in line with both the current and future needs
of your customers.
If you're thinking research is a tool reserved for big business,
think again.
Although getting a professional agency to help you get the
answers to important questions, will often mean a more professional
solution, there are other ways to ask a question, such as using one
of the many online services available.
Another area of marketing for which research can be very useful
is public relations (PR).
A couple of editions back you might recall my online PR piece
and the need for compelling content – well, by using research the
appeal of your content can soar and there’s nothing a journalist
loves more than a research based story.
If the topic of market research is something you would like to
learn more about then come along to our next workshop.
The event entitled Using Research for PR, will involve expert
Suzi Christie from Blueberry PR, demonstrating how research can be
used in this way, as well as providing a lot of tips.
In the run-up to the workshop, Suzi is inviting all Kent
marketers and small business owners to participate in a short
online research survey which you can reach using the following link
www.surveymonkey.com/s/DRZPLPB.
For workshop details visit www.cim.co.uk/events.