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Page 7 of 8
Researching Your Market
6. Professional Help
6.1 For any kind of market research, particularly in the case of surveys, consider using a market research company or a marketing consultant.
- Specialists have the time and the expertise to do a good job.
- Customers sometimes find it difficult to voice complaints to the supplier of the product and may also worry that you are trying to sell them something.
- You may find it difficult to be impartial.
6.2 An inexpensive alternative to using a marketing company is to employ an individual to do the work for you.
- You might ask someone suitable to carry out a telephone survey, for example. This approach will only be successful if the survey is simple and well thought out.
- Provide a briefing and make sure the person fits the image that you want to convey to potential customers.
- Remember that street interviewers need local authority licences and identity cards.
6.3 Industry associations can offer further advice on using professionals.
- Visit the Chartered Institute of Marketing website .
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