Types of marketing research of the market. Marketing analysis methods - what are the advantages and disadvantages of using

Competition(from lat. concurrere - “collide”) - this is the struggle of economic market entities independent of each other for the right to possess limited resources.

In other words, it is such a process of interaction between firms acting on the market in order to achieve best opportunities marketing its product by satisfying the various needs of customers. competition is constantly present in the market between producers. And in order for the company to be successful, it needs to constantly increase its competitiveness.

There is no way to unambiguously define competition. However, one can distinguish the main essential feature - rivalry in the properties of commodity production and methods of development. And also competition acts as a spontaneous regulator of social production.

Thanks to this phenomenon in the life of society, there is an aggravation of production and market relations, an increase in the efficiency economic activity, accelerating scientific and technological progress. Competition refers to such factors that have an impact on the activities of the firm, and there is no feedback.

Competition is a rivalry for Better conditions existence in the market between its participants. This is generated by objective conditions: firstly, the complete economic isolation of each market participant; secondly, its complete dependence on market conditions, and thirdly, the struggle for the greatest income.

The main unspoken law of the market is the struggle of firms for survival and prosperity.

For the existence of competition in the market, certain conditions are necessary:

1. The number of active firms in the market;

2. Freedom of entry and exit of enterprises to the market;

3. Differentiation of goods;

4. Joint control of firms over the market price.

The goal of competition is to get the buyer to buy the product.

The main tool is the formation of demand and sales promotion (fosstis).

The buyer gives his preference to any product, only making sure in practice of his choice, and he receives the necessary information from the manufacturer through advertising. As a rule, competition occurs between goods, not firms.

1. Perfect(or free): many independent firms participate in the market, independently deciding what to produce and how much.

Terms:

a) the volume of production of an individual firm is insignificant and does not have a significant impact on the price of goods;

b) goods are homogeneous;

c) buyers are well informed about prices;

d) sellers are independent of each other;

e) The market is not limited, i.e. free access is possible for anyone who wishes to become an entrepreneur.

Perfect competition forms a market mechanism for price formation and self-adjustment of the economic system.

This kind of competition is only theoretical, although it is the key to understanding more realistic market structures. Therein lies its value.

2. Imperfect: this species appeared in connection with the formation of monopolies. And it is characterized by the concentration of capital, the emergence of various organizational forms enterprises, strengthening control over natural, material and financial resources, as well as the impact of the scientific and technological process.

Subspecies are: monopoly and omegapoly. Monopoly is the exclusive right of production belonging to one person, group of persons or the state.

Allocate: natural (legal) and artificial, as well as pure and absolute.

Monopoly firms create barriers to new firms entering the market; restrict access to sources of raw materials and energy resources; use a high level of technology; use larger capital, etc.

Artificial monopolies form a number of specific forms - cartel, syndicate, trust, concern.

Cartel- this is a union of two or more firms in the same industry, where the participants retain their ownership of the means of production and products of production, and the created goods are themselves sold on the market, determining the price, market share and setting a quota.

Syndicate- this is the same cartel, only the difference is in the conditions for the sale of finished products - a certain office is created for this.

Trust is a monopoly, where the ownership of the means of production and finished products is shared.

Concern is a union independent enterprises various industries where financial control over all participants is carried out by the main firm.

Character traits:

1. Possession of sufficiently accurate information about consumers and potential competitors;

3. May have an impact on the customer in the face public institutions or on counterparty companies.

Oligopoly- this is the existence of several firms, usually large, which account for the bulk of the industry's sales.

Penetration of new firms into the market is difficult due to high capital costs.

4. Price - this is an artificial knocking down of prices for goods. Price discrimination is widely used here, under certain conditions: the seller is a monopolist; the company has a strong marketing policy; the impossibility of reselling the goods from the original buyer. This type of competition is especially common in the service sector.

5. Non-price - this is competition carried out by improving the quality of products and the conditions for its sale.

Non-price competition can be carried out in two ways:

1. Competition on the product, i.e. there is an improvement specifications goods or adaptability of goods to the needs of consumers. This direction is based on the desire to capture a part of the market by releasing new products that are fundamentally different from their predecessors.

2. Competition on the terms of sales, i.e., this is an improvement in sales by improving customer service: advertising, benefits, improving trade. It is possible to use illegal methods - industrial espionage, luring specialists, making fake analogues of poorer quality, and much more.

Marketing research is understood as the collection, analysis of the range of data necessary to solve the marketing situation facing the company, as well as the formation of a report on the results of the work done. There are many examples when large companies collapsed due to the fact that they did not pay due attention to marketing research.

Although not all companies can afford to conduct relatively expensive activities such as research.

The firm has two ways to solve this problem - either maintain its own staff of marketers, or use the services of specialized organizations.

To achieve superiority over competitors, it is necessary to achieve superiority in all commercial characteristics and the means of their promotion in the market. In theory this is possible, in practice it is not. When competing, it is necessary to choose priorities, strategies that best use the strengths of the company and correspond to the trend of the market situation.

Competitive strategy is used to provide advantages over competitors in the long term (3 - 5 years)

The main stages of competitive analysis:

1) identification of the main competitive forces in the industry;

2) definition of variants of competitive strategies.

The leader in the development of competitive analysis, the formulation of basic models for identifying competitive forces and options for competitive strategies is Professor M. Porter of the Harvard Business School.

Competitive Strategies:

1. New competitors.

To prevent their appearance in the industry, they use differentiation of products and services (reliance on trademarks), the need for capital, reorientation costs, the need to create new distribution channels, and government policy.

2. Substitute products.

The emergence of new products that effectively meet the same needs and requirements can also intensify competition.

Methods of dealing with substitute goods (substitutes):

but) conducting price competition;

c) production of new, more attractive products;

d) service improvement.

3. Intra-industry competition.

Inside and outside the industry, competing firms can exist peacefully, or they can use tough and rude methods of survival.

The strongest competition is in the industry, which is characterized by a large number of competing firms, homogeneity of goods, the presence of cost-cutting barriers, high entry barriers, market saturation, etc.

A firm's use of its strengths can reduce the pressure of intra-industry competition. The Russian economist A. Yudanov proposed the method of comparative advantage. He divided the competitive strategies of firms operating in the same market into 4 types: commuters, patients, violets, explerents. Each type is compared with a specific biological behavior.

Commutators(gray mice) are small firms that easily adapt to changes in market demand. Produce imitation goods, counterfeit goods. Easily move from one market to another, have low stability.

Flexibility and adaptability is the basis of their competitive strategy.

Patients(sly foxes) are firms that are highly specialized and have mastered one of the market niches well. This small firms that produce products of a certain profile for a certain time.

Violenti(elephants, lions) are large companies that control a significant share of the market.

Their competitive strategy is low cost through economies of scale and meeting mass demand.

Explerents(swallows, moths) - the competitive advantage of such firms is innovation, new technologies and products. They are usually weakly connected with the market, having no funds for its development.

4. The strength of the influence of suppliers.

Competition with competing suppliers.

Suppliers may increase the price of their goods and/or reduce their quality.

5. The strength of the influence of the buyer.

Buyers can:

a) demand a price reduction;

b) demand higher quality;

c) demand service improvement;

d) push intra-industry competitors, etc.

There is no universal competitive strategy; only a strategy that is consistent with the conditions of a particular industry, the skills and capital that a firm has, can bring it success.

The main areas of marketing research are:

1) study of market capacity;

2) study of potential and real consumers;

3) study of the level of sales of competitors;

4) holding comparative analysis goods of competitors;

5) study of the distribution of market shares between firms;

6) analysis of sales of products;

8) study of the possibility of expanding the range of services offered;

9) study of the consumer's reaction to the emergence of a new product;

10) analysis of pricing policy;

11) study of internal marketing;

12) long-term forecasting;

13) other questions.

When resorting to marketing research, company managers should be well acquainted with the technology and specifics of such research, so that in the future, when making a decision, they should not make mistakes based on inaccurate information.

Marketing research includes:

1) identifying problems and setting goals;

2) the choice of sources of information (here the research sites are determined, research tools are selected, a plan is drawn up);

3) collection of information (with the help of various marketing methods, the primary collection of information occurs);

4) analysis of the collected information (tables, graphs are compiled; information is processed using statistical methods; methods and methods for solving the problems are formed);

5) presentation of the result of the work.

The effectiveness of marketing research is confirmed by the fact that new products appear on the market, in the field of production - new production processes, in the field of management - new organization systems. However, many companies still spend a huge amount of money on research and development. research work. And the marketing service gets a ready-made new product with an order for its sale.

Why isn't due attention paid to marketing research? The root cause here is that it is impossible for the value they carry to be immediately converted into rubles and kopecks. This thinking comes from the past, where the ability to consume was ahead of the ability to produce. Therefore, all attention was paid to the production of goods. In modern conditions, manufacturers feel that the level of their sales does not depend on the volume of goods produced, but on the quality and effective marketing policy.

The principal distinguishing feature of marketing research is its focus on solving a specific problem, which turns into the collection and analysis of the necessary information.

The main principles of marketing research are as follows:

1. Objectivity, i.e., the need to take into account all factors and not make a definite decision until the analysis is completed.

2. Accuracy, i.e. setting specific goals and objectives of the study.

3. Thoroughness, i.e. detailed planning of the entire research process, high quality of work performed, as well as an effective control system.

The scale of marketing research conducted depends on the size of the firms themselves. According to foreign publications foreign companies spend a different share of their budgets on marketing research per year - from 0.04% to 3.5%. Domestic companies practically do not allocate a penny.

Thus, conducting marketing research is a complex set of activities aimed at studying an object in order to obtain information about it for further coordination of the activities of one's company.

Foreign manufacturers have long appreciated the significance of such costs, which further lead to improved production organization and marketing activities. Through marketing decisions, firms adapt their products to the needs and desires of consumers. Therefore, marketing research plays important role in the life of any enterprise. At the same time, it must be remembered that these studies are only additions to the creative, professional and managerial abilities of any leader.

Marketers use certain methods to collect information.

Primary research - data collection - is carried out as they arise using the following methods:

1. Observation- this is a way of obtaining information through the circumstances perceived by the senses without any impact on the object of observation. Observation is a process that has a specific purpose, which systematically and systematically summarizes all the facts collected and is subject to control for the reliability and accuracy of the data collected.

Observation can take place in laboratory, field conditions with or without the personal participation of the observer.

Field conditions mean that the processes take place in a natural setting (in stores, markets, etc.), while laboratory conditions mean that situations are artificially created. A distinctive feature of the first form is the natural behavior of the observed object, and the second is that it is possible to use a number of technical means.

According to the degree of standardization, standardized observation and free observation are distinguished.

Standardization is understood as the definition of specific behavioral patterns of actions. For example, to identify the effectiveness of advertising in a store window, several such schemes can be distinguished: a person entered the store without looking at the advertisement placed in the store window; a person entered the store after seeing an advertisement; looked at the window and did not go into the store; passed by without looking at the ad in the window.

The advantages of this method are:

a) the possibility of obtaining the necessary information regardless of the desire of the object to cooperate;

b) ensuring higher objectivity;

c) the possibility of observing unconscious behavior;

d) taking into account the surrounding reality.

The disadvantages of this method there will be high costs, the subjectivity of the observer, the effect of observation (i.e., with open observation, the behavior of the object may differ from natural).

2. Survey It is a way of obtaining information by asking people's opinions. This is the most common form of information gathering in marketing and approximately 90% of marketers use this method.

The survey can be both oral and written.

During a written survey, participants are given questionnaires with a request to fill out.

Oral or telephone surveys are commonly referred to as interviews.

Interview subdivided:

a) according to the circle of interviewed persons (students, employees, etc.);

b) by the number of simultaneously interviewed (it can be group or single);

c) by the number of topics included in the survey (one or more);

d) by the level of standardization (it can be free or standardized);

e) by frequency (single or multiple).

3. Experiment is a research method in which, under controlled conditions, one or more factors are changed and track how this affects the dependent variable.

Conditions of carrying out - field, laboratory.

The main features are the isolation of changes, the active participation of the researcher in the data collection process.

The advantages of this method are the vision of cause, effect and structure, and the experiment is systematized.

4. Panel is a method that, with the help of a computer, recreates the use of various marketing factors on paper, and not in real conditions. This method consists in creating a model of controllable and uncontrollable factors that the firm faces. Then their possible combinations are put into the computer in order to determine the effect on overall strategy marketing.

Method features- the subject and topic of research are constant; data is collected at regular intervals; a constant set of objects of study (housewives, trade enterprises, industrial consumers); no involvement from consumers is required; the ability to take into account many interrelated factors. However, this method is complex, difficult to apply, and highly dependent on underlying assumptions.

Panel types:

1) trade (wholesale, retail);

2) consumer (individuals, families, industrial consumption);

3) special shapes(a panel of economists, architects, etc., as well as theaters, hospitals, etc.);

4) traditional and non-traditional;

5) short-term and long-term;

6) depending on the method of obtaining information (questionnaires, interviews, etc.).

Using this method, it is possible to identify the factors influencing the problem under study and their dynamics; you can study the opinions of the subjects, their intentions and decisions; it is possible to identify differences in the behavior of consumers belonging to different social strata living in different localities; you can study the motives of purchases and predict their development, as well as much more.

The choice of one or another type of panel method is determined by the tasks set and the amount of allocated funds.

The modern economic system makes ever newer and higher demands on management. The improvement of management methods is of great importance for the growth of the efficiency of the national economy.

An important factor in increasing the level of control is the use of mathematical methods and models in the preparation of solutions. However, the use of these methods in solving economic problems is often impossible due to their complexity and qualitative novelty. Therefore, the method of expert assessments has become more widespread.

Method of expert assessments- this is the collection of information, its analysis based on logical and mathematical-statistical methods and techniques in order to obtain the necessary information for the preparation and selection of rational decisions.

This method is used when it is necessary to choose a solution that cannot be determined on the basis of exact calculations. Such situations often arise in the development contemporary problems production management and, most importantly, in forecasting and long-term planning.

The method of expert assessments is used in:

a) socio-political forecasting;

b) scientific and technical forecasting;

c) economic planning;

d) development of major economic, political and social programs.

In modern society, the management process is subject to the requirement of the quality of decisions made. And this method ensures the active and purposeful participation of specialists at every stage of decision-making, which improves their quality and efficiency.

To obtain the final result (peer assessments), questionnaire methods and group examination methods are used.

The advantages of these methods are:

1) ease of organization;

2) the use of statistical processing;

3) the possibility of reaching large groups.

Disadvantages:

1) incomplete answers;

2) the subjective factor of the respondents;

3) the possibility of misunderstanding questions.

The peculiarity of the method of expert assessments lies in the scientific understanding of the organization of all stages of the examination, as well as in the application of quantitative methods at each stage.

Expert assessments are an important tool in improving the quality of management at all levels.

But at the same time, this method cannot replace either administrative or planning decisions, but is able to provide only the necessary information.

Benchmarking method- This is a method of evaluating the effectiveness as an element of the program of taking into account consumer opinions when creating a new product.

The introduction of this method in creative teams is a complex process for a number of reasons. People of creative professions have a negative attitude to any control over their activities and, in particular, to quality control. It is rightly noted that any control suppresses creativity, primarily creative ones, so the benchmarking method is not acceptable in a creative environment.

The implementation of quality management systems leads to a conflict between free thought processes and constraints.

However, as practice shows, benchmarking (and other similar methods) do not always have such a negative effect on creative activity. The negative attitude against their application is defined, firstly, fear of change, secondly, anxiety associated with the complexity, and sometimes the impossibility of finding adequate estimates, and, thirdly, the productivity of the staff. However, the above problems can be easily overcome if top management is willing and willing to implement a truly effective quality control system.

The purpose of the benchmarking method is the creation of a self-developing organization based on the effective use of creativity all employees and not only within the limits of their functions.

Recently, benchmarking has been actively used in research teams, design bureaus and the service sector, although a clear system for evaluating effectiveness has not been developed.

Focus group research- it's a certain marketing ploy, a completely commercial invention.

Focus groups are used when detailed data is needed from existing or potential clients of the firm. And everything is being studied. This method was first used by R. Merton and P. Lazarsfeld in 1941 to study the effectiveness of radio operation during World War II.

Focus group- This is a kind of interview, a group discussion on a specific topic, according to a predetermined plan. A group of 6 - 12 people is made up, and it is necessary to take into account gender, age, income level, social status, education. Several focus groups can participate in the study, preferably with a different composition of participants.

Methods for selecting participants:

1) random (by available addresses and phones);

2) selection of specific people, familiar acquaintances, relatives of friends, colleagues, etc.);

3) spontaneous invitation.

The time of the study is determined, sound recording information, visual material, etc. are prepared.

Focus group plan consists of an introduction (the tasks and purpose are explained), background questions (the adaptation period of the participants), main questions, additional questions (arising during the general conversation) and conclusion (final questions).

At the end of the focus groups, audio, video, and paper records are transcribed, the information is structured, and a report is drawn up.

The marketing environment is a set of subjects and factors that affect the ability of marketing service management to establish and maintain successful cooperation relationships with real customers.

The marketing environment includes microenvironment and macroenvironment.

Microenvironment- these are factors that are directly related to the firm itself and its customer service capabilities (end customers, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, contact audiences).

macro environment– demographic, economic, environmental, scientific and technical, political and cultural factors.

The success of a firm in the market depends on how skillfully it manages controllable factors (those factors that are controlled by the firm itself and its marketing staff) and takes into account the impact of uncontrollable factors (do not depend on the organization). For a company to thrive, it needs to have feedback– information about the uncontrolled environment. Using this information, the firm must adapt its strategy to market conditions while continuing to exploit its competitive edge.

The marketing environment is described in more detail in Lecture 1.

Marketing planning must be given the most serious attention.

In terms of marketing, great importance is attached to the development of the main long-term strategy of the company, goals and objectives are determined. This plan is not something once defined and unchangeable. It must be constantly adjusted and refined depending on market changes.

Marketing plans are classified according to the following criteria:

1. By duration: short-term (up to a year), medium-term (2-5 years) and long-term (5-15 years). many firms use a combination of these plans. More detailed and operational are short- and medium-term.

2. By scale: separate marketing plan for each main product; integrated, including all products; general business plan with a section on marketing. The most acceptable and frequently used is the plan for each assortment group.

3. By development methods: bottom up or top down.

If the plan is developed from the bottom up, then budgets, forecasts, timing and marketing strategies are determined based on information from sellers, product managers, advertising employees, etc. This plan is more realistic (because it relies on operational information), it has a good effect on the psychological climate organizations. The disadvantages may be difficulties in coordinating and bringing the plan into a single integrated one, as well as contradictions in assessing the impact of advertising on the sale of a new product.

In a top-down plan, activities are managed centrally and under the control of top management. In this case, complex alternatives regarding competition (and other external factors) are used, and a single direction of marketing activity is provided. However, with this development of the plan, the involvement of lower-level managers in the process decreases, and the psychological climate of the company may worsen.

The concept of "marketing" is based on the term "market"- the market, so it is necessary to dwell on the consideration of the market and its main characteristics.

The market is an ambiguous concept.

The market is defined both as a sphere of exchange, and as a set of buyers and sellers with their interests, and as a real place for transactions, etc.

From a marketing point of view, the market is a collection of individuals and organizations with their needs and needs that need to be met.

There is the following classification of markets:

2. By scale of activity: internal (national) and external (international). These types of markets also have significant differences in terms of risk level, cost, legal regulation, etc.

3. According to the degree of development of competition: the market of perfect competition, imperfect (monopolistic), the market of omegapoly and monopoly.

4. In relation to supply and demand:"seller's market" (demand over supply) and "buyer's market" (supply over demand).

This classification of markets is of great practical importance, as it allows enterprises to more clearly organize their marketing activities taking into account the peculiarities of the market in which it operates.

With the help of quantitative and qualitative characteristics, an assessment is given to the product market, which is necessary to determine the share of an economic entity in this market. With the help of a certain share, it is possible to establish the negative fact of the subject's dominance in a particular market and the presence (absence) of market power.

It must be remembered that the position of an economic entity changes over time, therefore, an assessment of this position must be carried out on a specific date and, if necessary, adjusted.

The State Committee of the Russian Federation for Antimonopoly Policy in 1993 developed " Guidelines on determining the boundaries and volumes of commodity markets”, in which he determined the most important quantitative and qualitative characteristics of commodity markets: subjects and objects of markets; boundaries and volume ("capacity") of the market; share of an economic entity in the market.

The subject of the commodity market- sellers and buyers. An object commodity market - a product (product, work, service).

Market boundaries are understood as product and geographical boundaries of the market.

Determination of the product boundaries of the market- this is the procedure for determining the product, substitute products and the formation of a product group.

It takes into account the opinion of buyers about the equivalence or interchangeability of goods that make up one product group.

The geographical boundaries of the market are determined by economic, technological, and administrative barriers. Geographic boundaries- this is the territory in which the buyers of the selected group purchase or can purchase goods.

The boundaries of the market are defined in the same way as the product group: on the principle of recognition by buyers of equal availability of goods sold in different regions. So, for example, if buyers consider a product sold in one region to be a substitute for a product sold in another region, then those regions are the geographic risk of that product.

Market volume- this quantitative characteristic commodity market, showing the fundamentally possible volume of sales of the company's goods.

Market capacity is determined by the volume (in physical units or value terms) of goods sold during the year. This volume depends primarily on the political and economic situation in the country.

The total volume of sales of goods is determined by the formula:

Vmarket = ?Vi,

where Vi is the volume of sales by a particular supplier of goods.

If there is no direct data on the volume of products sold to consumers, then:

Vmarket \u003d Pr + Vv - Vyv,

where Pr - the volume of supplies of goods to the market by local producers;

Вв - the volume of imports into the market;

Vv - the volume of export outside the domestic market.

To function effectively in a marketing environment, it is necessary to obtain adequate information before and after decision-making.

There are many reasons why marketing information should be collected when developing, implementing, and reviewing a firm's marketing plan or any of its components.

Allocate the following types marketing information:

1. Secondary,T. e. it is data collected for other purposes previously.

The benefits of such information: relatively inexpensive; rapid collection of information; the presence of several sources of information; information from independent sources; usually reliable, etc.

Disadvantages: may not meet the requirements due to its incompleteness; may be out of date; data collection methodology is unknown; partial character; the presence of contradictions, etc.

Secondary information is divided into internal and external.

Inside Information- This is information that is available within the company: budgets, sales data, profits, losses, customer accounts, inventory data, and much more.

External Information- this is data from external sources: government and non-government.

Government includes statistics and descriptive material on many issues (pricing, credit, etc.)

Non-government is periodicals, books, monographs, non-periodical publications.

2. Primary,T. e. newly obtained information collected to solve a specific problem.

Firms resort to this type of information in the event that the analysis of the secondary cannot provide the necessary data.

Advantages: is collected in accordance with certain goals and objectives; the methodology of data collection and the availability of control are known; all results are available and known; the information is not outdated; lack of contradictions; the reliability of the information received; getting information on all questions.

disadvantages: rather expensive; large expenditure of time and labor; inability to obtain certain types of information (census data); firm's inability to collect primary data.

If it is necessary to obtain primary data, the firm is forced to develop a plan and methods for obtaining them.

Product positioning is a set of measures and techniques by which, in the minds of target consumers, this product occupies its own, different place in relation to competing products, including the formation of a competitive position and a complex of detailed marketing.

Positioning in theory is considered in two aspects:

1. With the help of the desire to bring the product as close as possible to the consumer, to find the most optimal placement of the product on the market;

2. Selection of the most advantageous position of the goods in the product display.

The main positioning strategy is to identify such a group of consumers in which the company can take advantage, and in the future, position itself in this market.

The first step of positioning is the differentiation of the company's marketing offer, i.e., this product of the company should be more valuable to the consumer than the product of competitors.

Competitive advantage is the offering of a product of greater value or at lower prices, or of benefits that compensate for higher prices. Thus, with the help of positioning methods, consumers need to be convinced that this product is created especially for them and that it is identified with the ideal of the latter.

Positioning methods:

a) on the basis of certain advantages of the product, on the basis of the satisfaction of certain (specific) needs;

b) with the help of stable ideas about the product.

Positioning strategies:

a) strengthening trademark in the minds of consumers;

b) finding a new unoccupied position;

c) repositioning, i.e., ousting or ousting competitors from the minds of consumers.

Distinctive features that it is desirable for a company to consider when positioning a product:

a) significance (value);

b) characteristic (specificity);

c) superiority (advantages);

d) clarity (obviousness);

e) protection against counterfeiting;

f) availability;

Are you interested in marketing analysis? Looking for the most detailed information? In this article, we will look at what marketing analysis is in general and what methods marketing analysis exist, where and when they are applied, which ones have advantages and disadvantages.

Marketing Analysis represents the analysis, transformation of data in marketing, their systematization, interpretation and modeling, which were collected in the course of marketing research, as one of the components of the concept of the marketing mix "4P". Various methods of marketing analysis and their combined use make it possible to reliably assess the current market situation, as well as to develop ways to improve the economic performance of an enterprise.

Goals and objectives of marketing analysis

The purpose of marketing analysis is to assist in the development and adoption of rational management decisions under conditions of uncertainty.

Marketing analysis allows you to solve the following tasks:

• Market research and substantiation of trends and dynamics of its development;
• Identification and analysis of factors that have a greater impact on demand;
• Analysis of the pricing strategy and its justification;
• Identification and analysis of existing and potential competitors of the company;
• Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the activities of enterprises, its advantages and disadvantages;
• Assessment of competitiveness and development of ways to improve it;
• Analysis and identification of the most effective methods of sales promotion.

To solve all these problems, various methods marketing analysis.

Directions of marketing analysis

The main areas of marketing analysis are operational analysis And strategic analysis .

Operational marketing analysis- a set of actions to study the market and influence it. An operational marketing plan, as a rule, is drawn up for a year and is detailed. As part of operational marketing analysis, resources are allocated, current adjustments are made, and specific activities are planned.

Reasonable operational decisions are made by solving the problem of optimal budget distribution within the framework of multicriteria optimization procedures.

Strategic Marketing Analysis- a set of continuous and long-term marketing activities aimed at increasing average market indicators through the systematic implementation of a policy of creating goods or services that have a higher customer value compared to competitors.

Strategic marketing includes clarifying the company's mission, defining or clarifying its goals, developing a development strategy, drawing up a balanced structure of the company's product portfolio.

Marketing analysis is carried out using statistical, mathematical, econometric and other methods of analysis.

The methods of marketing analysis used in practice include:

• Statistical;
• Mathematical;
• Heuristic (or methods of expert assessments);
• Multidimensional (matrix);
• hybrid;
• Modeling of processes and risks.

Let's look at the methods of marketing analysis in more detail, and we should start with a definition.

Definition of marketing analysis methods, their advantages and disadvantages

Statistical methods of marketing analysis represent an analysis of relative, absolute and average indicators, grouping, various factor models of an index, trend or regression type, as well as variational, dispersed, correlation, cyclic or multivariate analysis. The statistical method includes analysis of differences, relationships, as well as descriptive, inferential and predictive analysis. The above methods can be applied both individually and in combination, and serve to study massive, systematic or repetitive phenomena and to predict the behavior of market participants.

So, for example, regression analysis helps answer the question about the degree of influence of various factors on the object of consideration. As part of the regression marketing analysis, a graph of the dependence of some values ​​on others is preliminarily built, on the basis of which a suitable mathematical equation is selected, after which the parameters of the equation will be obtained by solving a system of normal equations.

As a rule, regression analysis is used in the study of relationships between a predetermined dependent variable (for example, the magnitude of demand) and one or more independent variables (for example, the price of a product, consumer income) in order to determine the closeness of the relationship between variables and the dependence between them in order to predict values dependent variable in the future.

The advantages of the regression method of analysis include the fact that, as a rule, measured variables are used to build models, and not the features of the properties of the dependence under study. Such models are often difficult to interpret, but are more accurate. However, a disadvantage of regression analysis is that models that are too simple, as well as models that are overly complex, can lead to inaccurate results or erroneous interpretations.

Mathematical methods of marketing analysis are the calculation of the complex pricing, prices, advertising budget, justification and choice of location. This method also includes an assessment of the competitiveness of the product, as well as an ABC analysis of the assortment for various modifications of goods that meet the needs of various market segments.

So, for example, ABC-analysis is a method by which you can classify the resources of an enterprise according to their degree of importance. The method is based on the Pareto principle, which states that 20% of all goods or services provide 80% of the company's turnover. In relation to ABC analysis, the Pareto principle can express the following meaning: systematic control and management of 20% of positions makes it possible to control 80% of the system (stock of raw materials, goods or services of the company).

• Category A - 20% of the most valuable products in the assortment, providing 80% of sales;
• Category B - 30% of the range, providing 15% of sales;
• Category C - 50% of the least valuable assortment, which provide only 5% of sales.

This method of analysis is often used in logistics to track the shipment volumes of a certain assortment and the frequency of access to certain positions, or to rank customers by volume and number of orders.

The advantages of this method are its simplicity, transparency and versatility. It can also be automated. The disadvantages include such limitations as the one-dimensionality of the method used (the ability to consider only 1 variable or object), the division of indicators only according to quantitative characteristics without taking into account qualitative ones, which results in an average result in each of the groups of objects under study.

TO expert assessment methods include methods that are based on experience, intuition and imagination, used to quantify phenomena for which there are no other methods of measurement. This group of methods includes such as the theory of catastrophes, the method of collective generation of ideas, the Delphi method.

The latter method contains the idea that if it is correct to collect and generalize the individual assessments of the market situation of various experts, then it becomes possible to obtain a collective opinion that will have sufficient reliability and reliability.

The arguments in favor of using this method are as follows: the Delphi method allows you to develop independence of thinking individual people in one group, and also contributes to a calm and objective study of the problem. However, the use of this method can be complicated by the fact that such an approach takes a long time to organize, and also that the estimates can be overly subjective as a result.

Matrix methods of marketing analysis represent the construction and analysis of multidimensional matrices for modeling situations and behavior of market participants. For example, SWOT analysis, McKins matrix.

SWOT-analysis is aimed at identifying and analyzing the factors of internal and external environment enterprises by dividing them into 4 categories:

Internal factors that a company can influence include:

• Strengths (strengths of the enterprise);
• Weaknesses (his weak sides).

External factors that the company cannot influence include:

• Opportunities (opportunities for the company);
• Threats (threats to her).

The advantages of this method of analysis include its versatility and applicability to various areas of economics and management, as well as flexibility in choosing the analyzed elements according to the goals of the analysis. Also, SWOT analysis can be used both as part of operational analysis and in strategic planning in the long term. The use of the method most often does not require special skills and knowledge or narrow-profile education.

The disadvantages of the SWOT analysis are the lack of specific activities that contribute to the achievement of the set goals, the identified factors are not divided into primary and secondary, the relationship between them is also not established. This method allows you to see a static picture of what is happening, but not a forecast of development in dynamics, it requires the involvement of a large amount of data to build a complete picture, but does not allow you to get quantification situation, but only qualitative, which is often not enough.

Hybrid methods of marketing analysis– combination of deterministic and probabilistic characteristics in order to study complex market processes.

To conduct a hybrid marketing analysis, the results of forecasts obtained by other methods (for example, statistical) are used, and then an integrated forecast is calculated that contains the most reliable and reliable estimate (according to the Delphi method, for example).

Risk modeling methods are process models based on probability and decision theory and allow you to configure models of product or customer flows, as well as market reactions. This group includes, for example, the PERT analysis method (Program Evaluation and Review Technique), the Monte Carlo method, the discount rate adjustment method.

The last method is an adjustment to the original basic discount rate, which is considered risk-free. The adjustment is made by adding the amount of the required risk premium (risk premium) and calculating the investment portfolio return criterion (such as NPV or IRR). The disadvantages of the method include the fact that it does not reveal certain information about the real degree of risk, and according to the model under consideration, the risk premium increases proportionally, while in reality the opposite is often the case.

Stages of marketing analysis

Marketing analysis is carried out in several stages:

1. Data collection in the course of marketing research;
2. Generalization, grouping of the array of received data, their expression through a certain number of specified parameters;
3. Evaluation of generalized data, processing and interpretation of the results obtained for the customer;
4. Extrapolation, which determines which confidence interval the obtained samples are found in relation to the entire set of objects of attention;
5. Formulation of conclusions.

Types of marketing analysis and methods applied to them

Marketing analysis is usually divided into 6 types:

1. Market analysis, which is a strategic analysis and forecast of market development, market demand, modeling buying behavior. For this type of analysis, methods are used: GE matrix, series analysis and forecasting, SWOT analysis.
2. Competitive analysis, which examines the advantages, disadvantages and competitiveness of a market offer. Among the methods used, it is worth highlighting the Porter matrix, factor analysis of competitiveness, analysis of competitors' checks.
3. Analysis of the company, belonging to the strategic type, reveals a complex of interrelations of the enterprise with the external environment. The methods used include ABC analysis, surveys and interviews, market and target audience segmentation, as well as various statistical and mathematical methods.
4. Analysis of the results of a marketing campaign is a type of operational analysis that reveals the reaction of market participants to the company's marketing activities. Methods used for analysis: survey, secret shopper, hall test.
5. Project analysis is an analysis of the processes of a single marketing event or project. This type of analysis includes the same methods as for the analysis of the results of marketing activities, but only one project from the entire marketing campaign acts as an object of analysis.

⏱ reading time: 17 minutes

The goal of market analysis is to understand how to mitigate the negative elements of an industry while exploiting the positive ones to make a profit. The best marketing strategies take advantage of several possibilities:

• Search market niche with a low level of competition and a change in the positioning of the company
• change of habitual place in the industry value chain
• industry transformation to gain competitive advantage
• prediction of changes in market development and actions in accordance with these predictions

Step No. 1. Accurately determine the time horizon of the analysis

Marketing analysis of the market includes the time of the full operating cycle of the industry. Usually this is a period of 3-5 years, but in some industries (shipbuilding, aviation industry, etc.) it can reach several tens of years. For the company, the average indicators over the selected time horizon are important, and not the data of individual periods.

Depending on the chosen time horizon, the results of the market analysis and the company's marketing strategy may differ dramatically.

Step #2: Pinpoint Market Boundaries

In order to analyze something, one must first define it. Each company operates within its own market. Rosstat, industry leaders, foreign players determine the market based on their own goals and objectives, so it is not recommended to take their vision of the industry boundaries.

The following are excluded from the boundaries of the analyzed market:

• products whose market structure differs in at least one indicator (type of buyers, suppliers, competitors, barriers to entry, etc.)
• geographic regions, the market structure of which differs in at least one indicator
• other businesses that are part of the holding (belonging to one legal entity does not determine the market)

Important. If we exclude something from the marketing analysis of the market, this does not mean that we forget it. Elements that do not fit into the market structure are studied separately. Often the marketing analysis of an industry includes the study of a number of industries.

The boundaries of the analyzed market include:

• potential competitors that may arise from companies in the industry through: geographical expansion, diversification of the product line, backward integration of buyer companies, further integration of manufacturers, etc.
• startups operating on the technological frontier of the industry
• technologies and products that meet similar customer needs. This point seems intuitively clear, but it is often forgotten. Sometimes deliberately - a broad look at substitute products increases the work of a marketer.

If you only focus on your product, it's easy to lose sight of the real opportunities and threats. Marketing research The cola market is not limited to similar drinks.

Step 3. Determine the profitability of the market in the structure of the economy

If the company is part of a diversified holding, it is a greenfield project or business diversification, then it is necessary to know the profitability of the industry in the structure of the economy. The goal is to avoid the trap of ordinary thinking and inflated expectations from investors, partners and owners. For example, juice production is usually more profitable than software development. But intuitively it seems to be the other way around.

Profitability varies between industries. The answer to the question “do we like this industry” is the difference between ROE and Cost of Equity.

ROIC after tax of industries, average for 42 years, McKinsey & Company

Step 4. Draw the value chain within the industry

A frequent takeaway from a marketing strategy is migration to other industry segments. To do this, we find out how profits are distributed between groups within the same industry.

Weighted ROIC of the aviation industry value chain, 10-year period, McKinsey & Company

Step 5. Mapping the Industry Multidimensionally

The easiest way to get a first look at the market is to draw a multidimensional industry map. Market players are divided into separate segments. An example is a marketing analysis of the jewelry retail industry in the Russian Federation (a map based on a marketing analysis of Internet sites).

The segments on the map are presented from the point of view of the consumer (therefore, their preliminary segmentation is important, how to do it: ""). If we analyze the competitive position, then other variables are included, for example, “number of outlets” and “geography of presence”.

The first thing that catches your eye (and this will apply to most industries) is that the differences between competitors are minimal. The presence or absence of silverware in the MJZ, with an assortment of more than 10,000 SKUs, will not lead to defeat in the competition, nor will it make Almaz Holding a leader. Subtle differences in the type of piercing products, ultrasonic cleaning services and jeweler also do not have a decisive influence. Competitive advantage is achieved due to secondary factors - location and quality of work of consultants.

An analysis of the multidimensional industry map suggests directions for searching for new market segments. For example, Pandora used the rising trend of individuality and customization when creating typesetting jewelry. The company opened new category and differentiated itself from the industry of other jewelry manufacturers/retailers. In essence, Pandora has created its own blue ocean. Read more about the marketing strategy for finding new market niches "".

Another way to use a multidimensional market analysis map is to identify common trends across companies in an industry and try to play the opposite way.

An example is a marketing analysis of the Russian cashback services market. The specificity of the industry is that money is a commodity. It is easy for the buyer to compare two services on the simplest basis - where is the biggest savings. As a result, price becomes the basis of competition.

Companies are trying to claim a larger percentage of cashback and other monetary benefits. For example, the Megabonus step about a 50% reward for users for referring friends, the idea of ​​Boom25.com to return the full cost of every 25th purchase via PayPal, etc. But this direction of competition has a ceiling - the maximum cashback service can return to the buyer 100% of the funds transferred by the store. And in the Western market this ceiling has already been reached.

Go against the market - offer a quick withdrawal. This is the only advantage that can outperform the low interest rate plus acting as a guarantee of service reliability. It is difficult to implement the idea, but the winner will get the opportunity to win a significant market share.

Having received an idea with the help of a marketing analysis of the market, we work out practical ways to implement it. In the cashback example: a combination of insurance elements (preliminary deposit, risk insurance, fast payout ceiling, offer for loyal customers, document scans, linking to an FB account); the introduction of its own currency with the ability to spend "in controlled" places for goods with a long period; introduction of the practice of deposits (the service retains money, but accrues %).

Step 6. Evaluate the attractiveness of market segments

Each segment of the multidimensional industry map must be digitized. The more detailed data you can get, the better. Minimum required parameters:

• market size
• growth rate within the time horizon
• profitability

Market size and growth rates set the range of earning opportunities in the industry.

Step 7. Identify promising market niches

The attractiveness of a market segment does not mean that the company should go there. Rather, he says that this is the market sector most saturated with competitors.

The prospects for a market niche are determined by the competitive analysis of the industry. How to conduct - it is written in detail in our articles: "", "".

We determine the competitive forces of the market. 5 Porter forces

Classics of the genre. Yes, the phrase “supplier analysis according to Porter” sounds much less cool than “agile adaptation of blockchain technology in the internet of things market”, but it is necessary to study the driving forces of the market.

In the short term, thousands of factors influence the development of the market. five driving forces markets work with long-term analysis. Porter's model is important because it provides an opportunity to understand why the profitability of the market is the way it is, what explains the gap between the costs and revenues of industry players.

The strongest driving force in the market determines the profitability of the industry and it is this that forms the basis of the marketing strategy.

Step 8: Market Competitive Strength Analysis #1: The Threat of Entry of New Players

It is the responsibility of every incumbent player to raise barriers to entry into the market. The more attractive an industry becomes, the more likely it is that the potential threat of competition from newcomers will turn into a real one.

New players are taking market share and lowering prices. The market is marketing and management consulting. Entry barriers are low. Anyone can make a badge "business consultant" and go to advise how to run a company. And after all go and advise. Forming a negative image of the quality of consulting and reducing the price level.

The goal of market analysis is to get not just an answer to the question “can new players come”, but “can new players come and remain profitable”.

The probability of the emergence of new competitors depends on the height of entry barriers:

• Possibility of economies of scale on the production side. Economies of scale can be anywhere from marketing research to manufacturing and training
• Possibility of economies of scale on the demand side. Exploiting the effect of connections - the desire of the buyer to pay for the product increases with the number of other buyers. The reasons are trust or the importance of having a network of customers (the number of active players on EBay).
• The cost of switching consumers to a new producer. The higher, the more difficult it is for a newcomer to attract customers.
• capital requirements. The need to invest a significant amount of resources to attract buyers. The barrier becomes higher if entry costs are not directly recouped, i.e. are classified as fixed costs.
• Market players have advantages that are not related to size. By cost, quality, geographic location, customer relations, etc. inaccessible to potential competitors. Beginners will have to look for workarounds.
• Unequal access to distribution channels. The more limited warehouse or retail channels, the harder it is to get in. Sometimes the barrier is so high that newcomers have to create their own distribution channels.

Expected response to the arrival of newcomers. New players will be afraid to enter if:

• earlier market players responded harshly
• competitors are well prepared for a fight
• existing players will prefer to cut prices to maintain market share as high fixed costs lead to full capacity utilization
• market growth is low and newcomers will receive revenue only by taking it away from existing players

Step 9: Competitive Market Strength Analysis #2: Supplier Influence

Strong suppliers can limit quality, set prohibitive prices, pass their costs on to industry participants. Suppliers are strong if:

• several major players in the market
• sell in small quantities
• capable of generating high switching costs
• can be integrated forward along the industry value chain, i.e. start competing in the company's field or reasonably threaten to do so
• more concentrated than the industry where the goods are sold
• their revenue is not seriously dependent on this market

Suppliers will resist price cuts, if

• the share of the buyer is a small % of total sales
• offer a differentiated range of products
• are guided by the prices and expenses of customer companies
• work in conditions of low marginality
• offer products that are critical to consumers
• there are no similar substitute products

Step 9: Competitive Market Strength Analysis #3: Buyer Influence

Buyers are forced to reduce prices, improve quality, provide more services. Buyers are strong in negotiations, if:

• there are a limited number of customers in the market who buy in large volumes
• there is a wide range of alternative offers
• industry products are standardized and unified
• Switching to another supplier is associated with low costs
• capable of producing the purchased product on their own

Buyers will aggressively seek to reduce prices if:

• purchase costs make up a significant portion of their spending
• aware of seller costs
• unprofitable or short of cash
• the quality of their activities is weakly dependent on the quality of the purchased product
• the product purchased has little effect on other costs (buyers focus on price)

Step 10: Competitive Market Strength Analysis #4: Substitute Threat

The main question is whether it is possible at all? In theory, if you always have access to fresh food, you don't need a refrigerator. In practice, this threat can be neglected in the medium term.

Substitute products are always present, but sometimes it is difficult to catch them. The TV and the jacket belong to different markets, but they can compete with each other when choosing a gift for the New Year.

The threat of substitute products is high if

• they offer an attractive price compared to the product of the players in the market in question
• the cost of the buyer's expenses for switching to a substitute product is small

Marketing analysis of the market should include an assessment of the potential for changes in other industries that can become producers of attractive substitute products.

Step 11: Market Competitive Strength Analysis #5: Competitors

The degree to which competition among existing market players reduces the profitability of an industry depends on its intensity and basis.

Intensity of competition high if:

• there are many players on the market, approximately equal in size and strength
• market growth rates are low
• it is difficult for market players to coordinate actions
• there are high exit barriers
• competitors misinterpret each other's signals
• competitors strive to stay in the market no matter what
• there are strong incentives for price wars

The main basis of competition is price competition. Price competition begins if:

• products are almost identical and switching costs are low
• high fixed and low variable costs
• efficiency is directly correlated with high production volumes
• products have a short lifespan

But you can compete in other areas as well: product features, services, delivery time, brand image, etc. Other directions corrode the profitability of the industry to a lesser extent.

Therefore, it is important whether the competition is in one or more directions. If one company wins at the cost of a competitor's loss, it is a zero-sum game. But you can compete within the framework of a win-win strategy - when competitors work on different consumer segments, services, etc.

Step 12. Re-analyze the competitive forces of the market

Unexpected, right?

It is advisable to do the analysis of the driving forces of the market twice. The state of affairs in the industry is not set forever. Instead of looking for trends that shape the future, it's better to paint a complete picture of that future.

It is important to understand the main directions of development and their impact on the attractiveness of the market. The analysis of the future also includes the search for new bases of competition. Competition always grows over time.

The purpose of market development analysis is to determine whether an industry will be more or less attractive over time.

Step 13. We take into account common misconceptions of market analysis

Possible mistakes

• Fast growing industries are more profitable. No. Rapid market growth can also benefit suppliers, and low entry barriers for young industries make it easier for new competitors to enter.
• The first player earns more. No. According to research, the ROI of pioneers is lower than that of immediate followers.
• Technology and innovation is an attractive area for development. No. Technologies by themselves will not be attractive (for more details, see "").
• The main force is the position of the state. In Russia this is often the case, but on perfect market the government is not considered as an acting force, as it is not something good or bad.
• A long-term presence in the market leads to an increase in the company's capitalization. No. The maturation of the industry implies a decline in profits.
• Additional products and services are good. Not always. Sometimes having a complimentary product is beneficial, and sometimes not.

(c) Molchanov Nikolai, graduate of Moscow State University, PhD in Psychology, Executive MBA INSEAD, partner of Eldey Consulting Group

Marketing research is the search, collection, systematization and analysis of information about the situation on the market for the purpose of adoption in the production and marketing of products. It should be clearly understood that without these measures it is impossible effective work. In a commercial environment, one cannot act at random, but must be guided by verified and accurate information.

The essence of marketing research

Marketing research is an activity that involves the analysis of the market situation based on scientific methods. Only those factors that can affect the goods or the provision of services matter. These activities have the following main objectives:

• search - consist in the preliminary collection of information, as well as its filtering and sorting for further research;
• descriptive - the essence of the problem is determined, its structuring, as well as the identification of acting factors;
• casual - the presence of a connection between the selected problem and previously identified factors is checked;
• test - a preliminary testing of the found mechanisms or ways to solve a particular marketing problem is carried out;
• forward-looking - suggest the foreseeing of the future situation in the market environment.

Marketing research is an activity that has a specific goal, which is to solve a particular problem. At the same time, there are no clear schemes and standards that an organization should follow when solving such problems. These moments are determined independently, based on the needs and capabilities of the enterprise.

Types of marketing research

The following main marketing researches can be distinguished:

• market research (involves determining its scale, geographical characteristics, supply and demand structure, as well as factors that affect the internal situation);
• study of sales (the ways and channels of sales of products are determined, the change in indicators depending on the geographical feature, as well as the main factors of influence);
• marketing research of goods (study of the properties of products both separately and in comparison with similar products of competing organizations, as well as determining the reaction of consumers to certain characteristics);
• study of advertising policy (analysis of own promotional activities, as well as comparing them with the main actions of competitors, determining the latest tools positioning of goods present on the market);
• analysis of economic indicators (study of the dynamics of sales volumes and net profit, as well as determining their interdependence and finding ways to improve performance);
• marketing research of consumers - imply their quantitative and qualitative composition (gender, age, profession, marital status and other indications).

How to organize marketing research

The organization of marketing research is a rather important moment on which the success of the entire enterprise may depend. Many firms prefer to deal with this issue on their own. In this case, practically no additional costs are required. In addition, there is no risk of confidential data leakage. However, there are downsides to this approach as well. Not always in the state there are employees who have sufficient experience and knowledge to conduct high-quality marketing research. In addition, the personnel of the organization may not always be able to approach this issue objectively.

Given the shortcomings of the previous option, it is legitimate to say that it is better to involve third-party specialists in the organization of marketing research. As a rule, they have extensive experience in this field and relevant qualifications. In addition, not being associated with this organization, they are absolutely objective look at the situation. However, when hiring outside experts, you must be prepared for the fact that high-quality research is quite expensive. In addition, the marketer does not always know the specifics of the industry in which the manufacturer operates. The most serious risk is that confidential information may be leaked and resold to competitors.

Principles of conducting marketing research

Qualitative marketing researches are a guarantee of successful and profitable work of any enterprise. They are carried out on the basis of the following principles:

• regularity (a study of the market situation should be carried out in each reporting period, as well as in the event that an important management decision regarding the production or marketing activities of the organization);
• consistency (before starting research work, you need to break the whole process into components that will be performed in a clear sequence and inextricably interacting with each other);
• complexity (qualitative marketing research should provide answers to the entire wide range of questions that relate to a particular problem that is the subject of analysis);
• cost-effectiveness (it is necessary to plan research activities in such a way that the costs of their implementation are minimal);
• efficiency (measures to conduct research should be taken in a timely manner, immediately after a controversial issue arose);
• thoroughness (since market research activities are quite laborious and lengthy, it is worth carrying them out very scrupulously and carefully so that there is no need to repeat them after identifying inaccuracies and shortcomings);
• accuracy (all calculations and conclusions must be made on the basis of reliable information by applying proven methods);
• objectivity (if an organization conducts marketing research on its own, then it should try to do it impartially, honestly recognizing all its shortcomings, oversights and shortcomings).

Stages of marketing research

Studying the situation on the market is a rather complicated and lengthy process. The stages of marketing research can be described as follows:

• formulating a problem (raising a question that needs to be solved in the course of carrying out these activities);
• preliminary planning (indication of the stages of the study, as well as preliminary deadlines for submitting reports for each of the individual items);
• coordination (all heads of departments, as well as the general director, must familiarize themselves with the plan, make their own adjustments, if necessary, and then approve the document by a common decision);
• collection of information (the study and search for data that relate to both the internal and external environment of the enterprise);
• information analysis (careful study of the data received, their structuring and processing in accordance with the needs of the organization and;
• economic calculations (financial indicators are assessed both in real time and in the future);
• debriefing (formulation of answers to the questions posed, as well as the preparation of a report and its transfer to senior management).

The role of the marketing research department in the enterprise

The success of an enterprise is largely determined by the quality and timeliness of marketing research. Large companies often organize special departments for these purposes. The decision on the advisability of creating such a structural unit is made by management based on the needs of the enterprise.

It is worth noting that the marketing research department requires a lot of information for its activities. But it would be economically inexpedient to create too large a structure within one enterprise. That is why it is extremely important to establish links between different departments to transfer complete and reliable information. At the same time, the marketing department should be completely exempt from maintaining any reporting, except for that which directly relates to research. Otherwise, too much time and effort will be spent on side work to the detriment of the main purpose.

The marketing research department most often refers to top management company management. It is necessary to ensure direct links with the general management. But interaction with subdivisions of a lower level is no less important, since it is required to receive timely and reliable information about their activities.

Speaking about the person who will lead this department, it is worth noting that he must have fundamental knowledge of such an issue as marketing research of the organization's activities. In addition, the specialist must know organizational structure and features of the enterprise. According to its status, the head of the marketing department should be equated with top management, because the overall success largely depends on the effectiveness of the work of his unit.

Objects of marketing research

The marketing research system is aimed at the following main objects:

• consumers of goods and services (their behavior, attitude to the offers available on the market, as well as the reaction to the measures taken by the producers);
• marketing research of services and goods for their compliance with the needs of customers, as well as identifying similarities and differences with similar products of competing companies;
• competition (implies the study of the numerical composition, as well as the geographical spread of organizations with similar production areas).

It should be noted that it is not necessary to conduct separate studies for each subject. Within one analysis, several questions can be combined at once.

Research data

Market research data is divided into two main types - primary and secondary. Speaking about the first category, it is worth noting that we are talking about the information that will be directly used in the course of analytical work. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that in some cases marketing research is limited to just collecting primary data, which can be:

• quantitative - figures reflecting the results of activities;
• qualitative - explain the mechanisms and causes of the occurrence of certain phenomena in economic activity.

Secondary data is not directly related to the subject of marketing research. Most often, this information has already been collected and processed for some other purpose, but in the course of the current study it can also be very useful. The main advantage of this type of information is its cheapness, because you do not need to make efforts and invest money to get these facts. Well-known managers recommend that the first thing to do is to turn to secondary information. And only after identifying the lack of certain data, you can start collecting primary information.

In order to start working with secondary information, the following conditions must be met:

• the first step is to identify data sources, which can be both inside the organization and outside it;
• further, the analysis and sorting of information is carried out in order to select relevant information;
• at the last stage, a report is prepared, which indicates the conclusions made during the analysis of the information.

Marketing research: an example

In order to work successfully and withstand competition, any enterprise must conduct market analysis. It is important that not only in the process of functioning, but also before starting a business, it is necessary to conduct a marketing research. An example is the opening of a pizzeria.

Let's say you decide to start your own business. First, you must decide on the objectives of the study. This may be the study and analysis of the competitive environment. Further, the goals should be detailed, during which a number of tasks are defined (for example, data collection and analysis, selection, etc.). It is worth noting that on initial stage research can be purely descriptive. But, if you deem it appropriate, additional economic calculations can be made.

Now you must put forward a hypothesis, which will be confirmed or refuted during the analysis of primary and secondary information. For example, you think that in your locality this institution will be very popular, since the rest have already become obsolete. The wording can be any, based on the current situation, but it should describe all the factors (both external and internal) that will attract people to your pizzeria.

The research plan will look like this:

• definition of a problem situation (in this case, it consists in the fact that there is some uncertainty in terms of the advisability of opening a pizzeria);
• further, the researcher must clearly identify target audience, which will consist of potential customers of the institution;
• one of the most popular marketing research methods is a survey, and therefore it is necessary to create a sample that will clearly reflect the target audience;
• conducting additional mathematical research, which includes comparing the costs of starting a business with income determined on the basis of a preliminary survey.

The results of the marketing research should be a clear answer to the question of whether it is worth opening a new pizzeria in this locality. If it was not possible to achieve an unambiguous judgment, it is worth resorting to the use of other well-known methods of information analysis.

conclusions

Marketing research is a comprehensive study of the market situation in order to determine the feasibility of making a particular decision or to adjust your work according to the current situation. During this process, it is necessary to collect and analyze information, and then draw certain conclusions.

The subjects of marketing research can be very different. This is directly a product or service, and the market, and the consumer sector, and the competitive situation, and other factors. Also, several issues may be raised within a single analysis.

When starting a market research, you need to clearly articulate the problem that should be solved as a result of it. Next, an action plan is drawn up with an approximate indication of the time frame allotted for its implementation. After the document is approved, you can start collecting and analyzing information. Based on the results of the activities carried out, reporting documentation is submitted to the top management.

The main point of the study is the collection and analysis of information. Experts recommend starting work by studying the data available in secondary sources. Only in the event that any facts will be missing, it is advisable to carry out work on their independent search. This will provide significant time and cost savings.

Hello! In this article we will talk about such an important component of the marketing activities of an enterprise as marketing analysis.

Today you will learn:

• What is a marketing analysis of an enterprise;
• What are the stages of marketing analysis of the organization;
• What are the methods and types of marketing analysis of the company;
• How to apply marketing analysis by example.

What is marketing analysis

Any activity begins with planning. Planning, in turn, begins with analysis. The marketing activity of the enterprise is fully subject to these rules. Marketing analysis allows you to identify problems and find ways to solve them, provides basic information for making decisions regarding the marketing mix.

Without a well-conducted marketing analysis, you run the risk of encountering the following problems:

• Get a product that will not be in demand;
• Meet insurmountable "barriers" when entering the market and when selling products;
• Face overwhelming for you;
• Choose the wrong market segment and product positioning;
• Make wrong decisions on each of the elements.

This is only a small part of the problems that await you if you neglect the marketing analysis of the enterprise.

Marketing analysis of the company – analysis of information obtained as a result of a variety of marketing research to make decisions regarding the marketing mix and the company's behavior in a competitive market.

Marketing research - activities for the systematic collection of information necessary for making marketing decisions.

Marketing research is divided into "field" and "desk".

Field marketing research involves the collection of primary information using one of the following methods:

• Observation of the object of study. You can observe consumers in retail outlets, you can evaluate the display of goods and much more;
• Experiment. For example, changing the price of a product in only one point of sale in order to analyze the elasticity of demand. It is used to determine the influence of any factor on the purchase.
• Interviewing. This includes various surveys (telephone, Internet, mail).

Desk research involves examining existing data. Sources can be both internal information (accounting data, databases, reports, plans) and external information (statistical data, data from marketing, production and trade associations, databases of independent organizations).

The main stages of the marketing analysis of the company

Marketing research and marketing analysis are inextricably linked.

It is possible to represent any analytical marketing activity of an enterprise in the form of four stages of marketing analysis:

1. Marketing research planning. This stage includes setting goals for marketing research, determining the type of research, determining the audience or sources of information, determining the place of research, preparing tools for conducting research, designating deadlines and budgeting;
2. Collection of information. At this stage, there is a direct collection of information;
3. Analysis of the collected information;
4. Interpreting the received data into a report.

When conducting a full marketing analysis of a company, it is necessary to obtain and process information about the internal environment of the organization, the external environment of the organization and the meso-environment of the organization. When analyzing each of the environments, the specialist must go through the stages of marketing analysis described above.

Let's look at what methods and marketing analysis tools are used in the marketing analysis of each environment.

Types and methods of marketing analysis

There are four types of marketing analysis:

• Marketing analysis of the external environment of the organization;
• Marketing analysis of the meso-environment of the company;
• Analysis of the internal marketing environment of the enterprise;
• Portfolio analysis.

We will consider the methods of marketing analysis in the context of the type of marketing analysis in which they are applied. Let's start with an analysis of the external environment of the organization.

Methods for analyzing the external environment of the organization

External environment of the organization - the realities in which the organization operates.

The organization cannot change the external environment (but there are exceptions, for example, oil enterprises).

When analyzing the external environment of the organization, it is necessary to assess the attractiveness of the market. To assess the attractiveness of the market, it is effective to use such a method of marketing analysis as PESTEL-analysis.

Each letter in the name of the PESTEL analysis denotes an environmental factor that can either have a strong influence on the organization or not at all. Let's consider each factor.

P– Political factor. The influence of the political factor is assessed by answering the following questions:

• Is the political situation in the country stable? How does the political situation affect?
• What impact does the tax law have on your business?
• How does the social policy of the state affect your business?
• How does government regulation affect your business?

E– Economic factor external environment. His assessment involves answering the following questions:

• How does the level of development of the country's GDP affect your business?
• How is the general economic situation affecting your business? (economic growth, stagnation, recession or economic crisis)
• How does inflation affect your business?
• How do exchange rates affect your business?
• How does per capita income affect your business?

S– Sociocultural factor requires answers to the following questions:

• How does demographics affect your business?
• How does the lifestyle of citizens affect your business?
• How does the attitude of citizens to leisure and work affect your business?
• How does the social distribution of income between family members affect your business?

T – Technological factor and questions for its analysis:

• What is the impact of government spending on research in your field?
• How does technological development industry to your business?

E– Environmental factor requires answers to the following questions:

• How protection legislation affects environment to your business?
• How does the volume of extracted natural resources affect your business? (consider the natural resources your business uses)
• How does the quality of extracted natural resources affect your business? (consider the natural resources your business uses)

L- Legal factor and questions to analyze its impact on your business:

• How does this or that law affect your business? (it is desirable to identify those laws that regulate activities in your market).

We recommend that you answer these questions using a scale of -3 to 3, where "-3" has a strong negative impact on the organization, "-2" has a moderate negative impact on the organization, and "-1" has a slight negative impact on the organization. organization, "0" - no impact, "1" - has a weak positive impact on the organization, "2" - has an average positive impact on the organization, "3" - has a strong positive impact on the organization.

As a result, you will get the total impact for each factor. Factors with a positive result have a favorable effect, with a negative – negative. If any factor has a very strong Negative influence, it is necessary to think about the feasibility of doing business in this area.

Methods for analyzing the mesoenvironment of an organization

The mesoenvironment of the organization is represented external factors that have a direct impact on the performance of the organization. The analysis of the meso-environment is aimed at assessing the attractiveness of the market and the level of competition in the market, determining the overall consumer demand.

The tool that most fully reflects the factors influencing the mesoenvironment was invented by Mike Porter and is called the 5 Forces of Competition Model.

Porter's 5 forces model of competition consists of five blocks. Each block is a separate factor in the impact of a competitive market on your organization.

The central block is “Competitive Environment”. This block contains all the current market players - you and your direct competitors.

You need to define the following competitive environment parameters:

• Major players and their market shares;
• Number of players;
• Level of market development;
• Strengths and weaknesses of your closest competitors;
• Information about the costs of your competitors for various items of expenditure (production, marketing, and so on).

The second block is "The Threat of New Players."

It is represented by the following options:

• Existing market entry barriers (patents, licenses, government regulation, and so on);
• Required initial capital;
• Necessary costs for product differentiation;
• Access to distribution channels;
• The experience of existing companies on the market (than more experience, the less the threat of the emergence of new players);
• Existing barriers to exit from the market (forfeit, liability to suppliers and consumers).

Third block - "Substitute Goods". Such companies are not your direct competitors, however, with high elasticity of demand, they can pose a big threat.

The parameters for assessing this factor are as follows:

• Degree of consumer loyalty to your product;
• The difference in price between your product and substitute products;
• The level of professionalism of consumers (the more professional the consumer, the weaker the parameter affects);
• The cost of switching to a substitute product.

The fourth block "The Power of Buyers in the Market" which lies in the ability of buyers to dictate their terms of cooperation.

This factor is represented by the following parameters:

• The number of buyers in the market (the fewer buyers, the greater their strength);
• The volume of product purchases by one consumer (the larger the purchase volume, the higher the impact);
• The presence of buyers' unions;
• The breadth of product selection (the greater the choice, the greater the power of influence).

The fifth block is presented the power of suppliers in the market.

The parameters for assessing this factor will be as follows:

• The degree of complexity of the transition from one supplier to another;
• The volume of purchases from one supplier;
• Availability of companies to replace existing suppliers;
• The degree to which the quality of raw materials affects your business.

Write down the data you have for each parameter, analyze the information and give points from "-3" to "3", depending on the degree of influence of each parameter. The extreme values ​​"-3" and "3" indicate a strong threat and a positive impact of the parameter, respectively, "0" means that the parameter does not affect your business. The total value of the factor will allow you to see the most "dangerous" factors, the influence of which must be neutralized in the near future.

Analysis of the organization's microenvironment

Analysis of the microenvironment of the organization is carried out to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your business. For this purpose, such an analysis tool as "Chain of Values".

The value chain displays all business processes that are implemented in the organization. Business processes are divided into main (during which production and distribution of products take place) and auxiliary (which provide the main activity with everything necessary).

We will not dwell on this model in detail, since it is quite simple. Let's depict it in the form of a table, where we denote all the business processes that need to be evaluated. The rows indicate auxiliary business processes, the columns - the main ones.

Assess every business process in your organization and you'll see where your product's key value is produced and what makes your product special. Those business processes that bring great value to your product are the most developed and have a positive impact on competitiveness - the strengths of your organization, the rest are weak.

Interim Analysis

SWOT -analysis represented by a combination of environmental factors of the organization (direct and indirect impact). SWOT-analysis is a matrix, the opportunities and threats of the external environment are displayed vertically, and the strengths and weaknesses of the organization itself are displayed horizontally. We will depict it for greater comfort.

We received opportunities and threats as a result of PESTEL analysis, and weaknesses and strengths - as a result of using the Porter's 5 Forces of Competition and Value Chain models, we write them out in columns and rows.

As a result, at the intersection of external and internal environment factors, we must write the following solutions:

• Intersection of strengths with opportunities: how strengths can be used to achieve opportunities;
• Intersection of strengths with threats: how can we use strengths to neutralize threats;
• Intersection of weaknesses and opportunities: how to overcome weaknesses using opportunities;
• The intersection of weaknesses and threats: how to minimize the impact of threats.

Business Portfolio Analysis

After we have researched the market and the company, we can evaluate the various lines of business of the organization or, more simply, the products it produces.

On the this moment There are a fairly large number of different methods for analyzing portfolio analysis, but the simplest and most popular of them - the matrix BCG . Let's immediately visualize this tool.

Thus, we identified the most promising products in the range and chose a strategy for each of them.

The second component of portfolio analysis is staging life cycle each product range . This analysis allows you to select a product marketing strategy and eliminate unprofitable products.

Most often there are four stages:

• Product birth or market entry. These products are new to the market, have consistently positive sales growth rates, but either have no profit or have negative profit. As a rule, such a product has few competitors;
• Growth. Products at this stage of the life cycle have the highest sales growth rates, but almost no profit. The competition at this stage is quite high;
• Maturity. The phase of the life cycle, when sales growth rates are falling, and profits and the level of competition in the market reach maximum values;
• recession. Sales growth rates are approaching zero, profits are declining, and there are practically no competitors.

Marketing analysis of the enterprise on the example of the company "Gruzovichkof"

Let's analyze the activities of one of the real-life Russian companies. On the example of the cargo transportation company "Gruzovichkof". At the same time, we will be able to see how to correctly understand and read the marketing analysis of the enterprise.

Stage 1. We start with a PESTEL analysis, that is, we describe only the influencing factors (by questions) and put points. At the same time, we reduced the number of influencing factors by excluding the economic one, since it does not have any influence at all, and by combining the political and legal ones, since they are closely interconnected in this industry.

As we can see, the technological factor has the greatest positive impact, and the economic one has the negative one.

Stage 2. Conducting analysis using Porter's 5 Forces of Competition model.

We paint the parameters for each factor and put down points. Within a report, it's best to do this in a table.

Thus, the strength of suppliers and the strength of consumers have the greatest negative impact.

Stage 3. Conducting analysis through the application of the "Value Chain" model.

For Gruzovichkof, it will look like this:

Stage 4. Conducting a SWOT analysis, as a result of which we will receive general results and conclusions for all three analyzes.

We write out the strongest threats and opportunities from the PEST analysis and highlight the strengths and weaknesses based on the analysis using the Porter's 5 Forces of Competition and Value Chain models. We get a small plate.

On this, the general marketing analysis of the enterprise is over and we can summarize.

As a result of marketing analysis, we received:

• Full assessment of the attractiveness of the industry (market);
• Evaluation of the position of our company in this market;
• Revealed competitive advantages our product (company);
• Determined ways to apply our competitive strengths against competitors;
• Identified the main competitors, their strengths and weaknesses;
• Assessed the level of competition in the market;
• Received information base to determine the future strategy of the organization (marketing strategy).