This week well be studying how big data, micro targeting and other parts of marketing research impact the way firms search for new customers and customize the message strategy and products they offer not only to groups of customers, but increasingly to each of us as individuals.

In the weeks to come well be discussing market segmentation and advertising, two fields that are more and more often reliant on good research and big data. As we move through this weeks module think about how you can use research at work and in your personal life.

Creating a Marketing Research Plan

In this weeks discussion youll be designing a short market research plan for the product you selected for your marketing project.  Youll follow the same basic process that looked like this:

    Define the business problem.
    Convert that business problem to a research question
    Determine segment and sampling technique
    Select which type of research will work best for our question
    Analyzing our results
    Reporting our results

1.  Identify TWO business problems you might have with your project.

2. Next, convert those business problems to research questions. What are specifically trying to learn as a result of your research project?

3. Describe the customers you will target for your research and the sampling technique you will use. Make sure you are clear how you will use it and why you chose it.

4. Describe what types of research techniques you will use. Identify ONE secondary source and describe how you will use it and why you chose it. Select ONE primary research technique and describe how, and why, you will use it.

5. Write a one paragraph memo describing how you plan to report your finding. How can you make your report accurate yet easy to understand?

Your post should be no less than 350 words and well organized. As always, spelling and grammar will count.