Quantitative and qualitative research methods

In marketing, quantitative and qualitative research methods are used for market analysis. What questions can marketing research answer?

First, marketing research helps to understand the motivation of the audience when buying a service or product. Secondly, thanks to qualitative and quantitative methods, one can know the consumer's opinion about the quality of the goods. Also, quantitative and qualitative research methods make it possible to analyze and understand the reason why you lose clients, and they want to use the services of your competitors. The conducted researches help to make necessary changes in the goods or service, for the client to buy more and more, and willingly would recommend your company to friends. In short, the quantitative and qualitative methods and organization of research in marketing makes it possible to develop and be competitive.

Quantitative research answers the questions "how many" and "who." This type of research helps to assess the degree of popularity of a brand or brand, identify the main group of consumers, and analyze the prospects for the sale of products. The form of quantitative research is a questionnaire or a survey of a wide audience in the context of a limited range of problems with the subsequent dissemination of research results to all consumers.

In the process of analyzing the results of quantitative research, statistical methods of processing the received information are used and are used to calculate and estimate the structure of supply and demand; Market capacity; Prospects for the development of a single product, as well as various directions for the development of a particular group of goods or a commodity portfolio. In addition, quantitative research is used to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and the effectiveness of advertising, the network of distributors, and also calculates the consumer's response to the potential marketing moves of the manufacturer.

The methods of quantitative research include different types of surveys, tests at home, a desk survey method, hall tests and retail audit.

Qualitative research methods reveal deep psychological reasons, according to which the buyer performs certain actions and characterizes them. It can be free choice, choice under the influence of external factors (for example, aggressive advertising of competitors), or unwillingness to purchase your product, unwillingness to contact your services. Analysis of the reasons for this behavior, the true motivations, moods and views of potential consumers - all this is part of the scope of qualitative research.

Qualitative research methods are subdivided into the most popular in- depth interviews and focus group. In addition, there are mixed methods in the analysis system that allow you to simultaneously receive both qualitative and quantitative information.

Deep interview and focus group, as qualitative research methods, allow to reveal the buyer's attitude to the appearance of the product, its packaging, design, etc. This form of research makes it possible to make sure that, for example, a label or image on it does not offend the religious feelings of the buyer, or does not cause negative emotions of a different nature. It is the qualitative research that makes it possible to detect such factors and eliminate them at the development stage, before launching a specific product into production.

Mixed methods of qualitative research include the method of "secret buyer", which is often used to analyze the level and quality of customer service at various points of retail. This method of identifying shortcomings is most often carried out with the approval of the network management.