UNIT 1 – MARKET RESEARCH
1.1 MARKET RESEARCH METHODS
VOCABULARY – TERMS IN MARKET RESEARCH
Today it is very common to use online surveys.
o Adjective + noun
Although focus groups are small, it is possible to use them to predict reactions from target
customers.
o Noun + noun
Market research can help a company to find out about the level of customer satisfaction.
o Noun + noun
One method in primary research is to hold in-depth interviews with potential customers.
o Adjective + noun
Secondary research is also known as desk research because it makes use of data that can be
found on the internet or in printed form.
o Noun + noun
Finding out what competitors are doing is helpful when a company plans to launch a product.
o Verb + noun
The main goal of both primary and secondary research is to determine the target audience and
decide how best to communicate with them.
o Noun + noun
If a company needs to find a way to make research more affordable, they can consider making the
sample size smaller.
o Noun + noun
Definitions
Quantitative Relating to research where the results can be shown in the form of numbers,
percentages…
Product tester Someone who tries out something new to determine how well it performs.
Impact The effect or influence that an event, situation… has on someone or something.
Respondent Someone who answers a set of questions, especially in a survey
Gauge Measure how people feel about something or the effect that something is likely to
have on them.
Researcher A person whose job is to study a particular subject to find out new things about it.
Qualitative Relating to the quality or standard of something rather than the quantity.
Gather Collect or accumulate over a period of time.
Viable Used to describe something that is realistic and therefore may succeed.
Data analysis Careful examination of something in order to understand it better.
Focus groups A small diverse group of participants chosen using criteria to represent target
customers for a new product of service. A company brings them together with a
moderator who asks questions to find out what they think to gather qualitative data.
Explanations
Qualitative research gathers information to find out how good a product is.
Primary research consists of new data.
A company can judge the level of customer satisfaction by using market research tools.
A viable product has a good chance of selling well.
A sample size is the number of people used by researchers to get the information they need.
1
, When a company wants to guage how people may respond to a product, they watch their reactions
to.
1.2 WORKING WITH A FOCUS GROUP
LEAD-IN
Diverse Very different from each other
Participants People who take part in an activity or event
Criteria Standards to judge something
Target customers A specific group which a product or service is aimed at
Moderator Someone whose job is to control a discussion between people
LISTENING
Now that you’ve had a look… what’s your general impression?
I like the way it looks and the idea is very appealing.
What specific features are the most interesting for you?
Is there anything about it that doesn’t meet your expectations?
I’d really need to use it for a while before I can answer that question honestly.
I’m not completely convinced yet.
GRAMMAR – QUESTION TAGS (+ VIDEO & EXERCISES)
To change a statement into a question, we can add a question tag to the end. We do this by using be,
an auxiliary or modal verb and the subject from the original sentence.
When the original sentence is positive, we add a negative tag, and vice versa.
o Ex. There isn’t anything like this at the moment, is there?
When the original sentence doesn’t have be, an auxiliary or a modal, we use a form of do.
o Ex. It combines convenience with healthy eating, doesn’t it?
o ! When the subject is I, we use are / aren’t in the tag.
Ex. I am in the right place for the focus group, aren’t I?
When the original sentence contains a negative adverb, like hardly, never, rarely…we add a
positive tag.
o Ex. He’s never on time, is he?
When the original sentence contains this or that, the tag uses it and a singular verb. When the
original sentence contains these or those, the tag uses they and a plural verb.
o Ex. That wasn’t a very good idea, was it?
When the original sentence contains somebody, someone, everybody or everyone, the tag
uses they and a plural verb.
o Ex. Everyone knows about the new product already, don’t they?
When the original sentence contains nobody or no one, the tag uses they and a plural positive
verb.
o Ex. Nobody knows the answer, do they?
When the original sentence contains something, the tag uses it and a singular verb.
o Ex. Something is wrong here with the app, isn’t it?
When the original sentence contains nothing, the tag uses it and a singular positive verb.
2
, o Ex. Nothing is as easy as it looks, is it?
When the original sentence contains Let’s, the tag is shall we?
o Ex. Let’s get started, shall we?
We can also use question tags with imperatives. The tags usually use a form of will.
o Ex. Please speak slower, will you?
o Request, invitation, polite command
GRAMMAR - AUXILIARIES (= HULPWERKWOORD)
Full auxiliaries
To do
To be
To have
=> As auxiliaries
o To do + infinitive
o To be + ing (for continuous tenses)
o To have + past part (for the perfect tenses)
Modal auxiliaries
Can / could
Shall / should
Will / would
May / might
Must / must
Questions and negatives
Auxiliary
Use it
Same form / tense
No auxiliary
“To do” + infinitive
Same form / tense
1.3 CARRYING OUT A NEEDS ANALYSIS – COMMUNICATION SKILLS
LEAD-IN
Leading and open questions
Open question
What do you think about the new printer?
Leading question
What problems have you had with the new printer?
Puts you in a direction
= Are deliberately designed to influence the listener into choosing a particular response. These
questions are “directional” and either guide the person to the answer wanted by the person who is
asking or may try to stop them thinking of alternatives.
VIDEO
3