How do individuals do market research?

Generally speaking, there are two ways to obtain information. One is to obtain information at random. In many cases, you don't necessarily have a clear goal or a specific plan to get information. A lot of valuable information was discovered when you didn't expect it. As a businessman, when reading newspapers, watching TV, sightseeing, walking and chatting with people, you should be a conscientious person and always pay attention to valuable information. The second way to obtain information is to use certain means, with clear objectives and specific plans to obtain information, which is what we usually call market research. (1) main contents of market survey 1, business environment survey ① policy and legal environment survey. Investigate the policies and legal information of your business and services, and find out whether your business is encouraged or restricted by the state, and what management measures and means are available. How does the local government implement the relevant national laws, regulations and policies, and what are the favorable and unfavorable effects on your business? ② Industry environmental investigation. Investigate the development status, development trend, industry rules and industry management measures of the industries you operate and the services you provide. For example, if you are engaged in the beauty salon industry, you should know the development of the industry at home and in the region, the international and domestic fashion trends and advanced beauty technology, and what are the industry norms and management systems. People engaged in the clothing industry should understand the development trend of clothing, popular colors and styles, and the development trend of clothing technology. When you enter a new industry, you should fully understand and master the industry information, so as to help you realize the transformation from layman to expert as soon as possible. (3) Macroeconomic survey. Whether the macroeconomic situation is prosperous or not directly affects the purchasing power of ordinary people. If the business efficiency is generally bad and the economy is in recession, your business will be difficult to do, on the contrary, your business will be easy to do. It's called that the macro climate affects the micro climate. Therefore, mastering the information of the general climate is an important parameter to do a good job in small business. Economic prosperity should adopt a proactive business policy. In the economic downturn, there are profitable industries and potential market opportunities. The key lies in how you grasp and judge. For example, in the summer of 1989, some rich people in Hong Kong immigrated one after another, the market was depressed, and land and property prices plummeted. In this case, a few shrewd businessmen with political vision (such as Li Ka-shing) seized the opportunity to buy a large number of "uncompleted residential flats" when property prices fell. In less than half a year, China's government is stable, reform and opening up remain unchanged, "one country, two systems" remains unchanged, Hong Kong is prosperous and stable, the situation is clear, and property prices are rising. Smart businessmen with political vision will really make a lot of money. Therefore, understanding the objective economic situation and mastering the economic situation information is an important content of business environment investigation. 2. Market demand survey If you want to produce or distribute a certain product or a series of products, you should investigate the market demand of this product. In other words, through market research, market positioning of products. For example, if you sell some household appliances, you should investigate the market demand of such household appliances, whether there are the same or similar products and what is the market share. For example, if you provide a professional family service project, you should investigate the residents' understanding and demand for this project, how big the demand is, whether other people or companies provide the same service project, and what is the market share. Another important content of market demand survey is market demand trend survey. Understand the long-term demand of the market for a product or service item, and understand whether the product or service item is gradually recognized and accepted by people with broad demand prospects, or gradually eliminated by people and the demand shrinks. Understand the development trend of this product and service project from both technical and operational aspects, and so on. 3. Customer survey These customers can be your original customers or your potential customers. Customer survey includes two aspects: first, customer demand survey, such as who is the customer (or social group or enterprise) who buys a certain product (or service project) and what he hopes to get from it (such as utility, psychological satisfaction, technology, price, delivery time, safety, etc.). ) and why many products (or services) can or can better meet their needs in some aspects. The second is a classified survey of customers. Focus on the number, characteristics and distribution of customers, identify your target customers and master their detailed information. If it is a certain type of enterprise or unit, it is necessary to understand the basic situation of these units, such as the purchase channel, procurement management mode, telephone and office address, the specific situation and authorization scope of the person in charge of a certain business, the demand for a certain product and service, purchasing habits and characteristics, etc. If the customer is an individual consumer, it is necessary to know the types of consumer groups, that is, the approximate age range, gender, consumption characteristics, money consumption standards, demand for a product and service, purchase motivation, purchase psychology, usage habits, etc. of the target customer. Mastering this information will prepare you for targeted business. 4. Competitor survey Under the condition of open market economy, it is too difficult to do exclusive business. Before you start a business, someone may have done the same or similar business. These are your real competitors. Maybe your business is brand-new and unique. At the beginning, there was no realistic opponent. Once your business is booming, many people will learn from your business and compete to join your competitors. These are your potential competitors. Know yourself and know yourself, and you will win every battle. Understand the competitors' situation, including their quantity and scale, distribution and composition, advantages and disadvantages, and marketing strategies, so as to occupy a favorable position in the fierce market competition, and adopt some competitive strategies in a targeted manner, so as to achieve no one has me, no one has me, and no one has me. 5. The focus of marketing strategy investigation is to investigate and understand the promotion means, marketing strategies and sales methods of operating a certain product or carrying out a certain service project in the market at present. For example, sales channels, sales links, minimum purchase distance and minimum wholesale links, advertising methods and priorities, price strategies, what promotion methods are available, and prize sales or discount sales.