One of the events of our month is the arrival of Management Today magazine, within which they never fail to deliver a list of top tips. On the basis of if you can’t beat them join them, here is a top 10 to do list for marketing research projects:
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Understand the client’s needs: sounds simple but it is important to recognise the needs of different stakeholders and to be aware of the demands on them.
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Play back the brief: the brief may not always be written down, yes really, so it is vital to confirm back to the client and/or budget owner exactly what you will be doing.
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Clarify deliverables: whilst you may visualise the output, this may not be as clear to all parties, so confirming what everyone will get is vital.
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Develop a step-by-step plan: all the clichés about planning are true and none more so in research, and there probably can never be too much detail.
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Remain objective: the purpose of market research is to deliver an independent, expert opinion based on credible, rigorous questioning and analysis of your customers.
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Track the whole process: regular updates are vital to the successful management of the project.
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Clarify who does what: make sure everyone involved knows exactly what is expected of them.
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Accept that things can go wrong: stuff goes wrong, don’t be surprised by it, but do ensure that you have alternatives in place.
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Keep your client informed: we’re all inquisitive, so make sure there is a mechanism for keeping the brand owner aware of progress.
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Learn from it: A de-brief at the end of the project is a must to ensure constant improvement.
