Research and Visitor Statistics

Mary Tebje gives some tips on how to use research and how to get started.

Market research is definitely the poor relation within the marketing mix. Rarely used, barely understood and under funded.

The Tourism Network's own survey found that many of you struggle to find information and statistics or to understand how to use research. We’ve done some of the work for you and found some useful websites and suggestions for some cost effective ways of putting research to good use, whether you are trying to evaluate your marketing activity or attempting to find out what your customers really think of your products or services.

Why research?

In an ideal world research should be an integral component. It can be hugely helpful, and avoid headaches (and job losses) further down the line, if your supposedly well-thought out campaign doesn’t quite deliver the numbers you were expecting. These are just a few reasons why research is important:

• to monitor business performance;
• to explain to your sceptical director why they should support your initiatives by giving you a budget;
• to assist in the definition of target markets, segments, geography, key customers and competitors;
• to help you understand how and why people make their buying decisions;
• to help determine likely demand for a new product;
• to establish baseline data to help set targets and performance standards;
• benchmarking;
• to gather intelligence on barriers to purchase, product image, product mix, price perceptions, expectations and communications.

Getting started

Imagine you need to complete your marketing plan and ask for new resources to fund planned promotions. What sort of evidence can you use?

Here are some simple methods to get you started:

1. Pick up the telephone and talk to your neighbours, your competitors and colleagues. You will be amazed at the response you get, provided you are upfront about what you are after and why. You may even find that your industry colleagues are in the same boat as you, and are so grateful to speak to someone with whom to exchange news, views and statistics. Cultivating professional relationships and networks go a long way.

2. Leave your office. Sounds drastic, but if you take your sandwiches and go off and pretend to be a tourist on your patch, and your competitors’, you will be amazed at what you can pick up, just from simple observation. Take a camera and notebook with you.

3. There is an abundance of free research and visitor statistics on the internet, so lock your office door and spend the day checking out these websites.

Mary has also prepared a list of some frequently used market research jargon

We're looking for case studies where you're used market research to improve your campaigns. If you would like to share your experiences or perhaps find out why something went wrong please email Mary Tebje.