Guerrilla Marketing Research: Marketing Research Techniques That Can Help Any Business Make More Money
By: Robert J. Kaden
Speed Reading Stats
Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Read the book 4 times front to back and completed Mind Map. I will separate out the read time and the mind mapping next time.
5 "Must Take-Aways" (MTAs)
- For successful market research, you must dig and probe to understand your customers. It is worth it.
- To start market research, set your purpose. Do you want to increase profits, increase the market, convince customers to buy more often, and/or attract competitors' customers? Be sure you know what you want to get out of the research.
- ALWAYS track customer satisfaction. First and foremost, keep your existing customers.
- Focus your market research. Asses your large competitors first, than small competitors.
- Data by itself means nothing. The story will be discovered in how the data is analyzed. Use a professional if you are inexperienced. It will be worth the money.
Based on the title, I expected a focus on about 10 market research techniques with detailed instructions and references to some outside sources/websites. Instead, Guerrilla Marketing Research is a very high-level review of marketing research and marketing research techniques. Even though the title and the content don't jive for me, it was a worthwhile read. A reader will get a very good understanding of the importance of customer attitudes and how to drill down question(s) for market research (Chapters 1, 2). Kaden successfully segues and introduces standard market research jargon, such as strategic vs. tactical market research and qualitative vs. quantitative research types. My favorite section was how to save money on focus groups and telephone surveys (Chapter 6). Definitely check out the mind map (BAMM) for those lists. I enjoyed the read until Chapter 12.
I was not enthralled by Kaden's explanations for writing questionnaires, sampling, how to conduct surveys, and statistical techniques (Chapters 12, 13, 14, and 16, respectively). Up to this point, Kaden discussed what a business owner needed to know, not how to do these services themselves. These are very complex topics and a novice will be overwhelmed with Kaden's explanations. Kaden repeatedly mentions the importance of hiring a professional throughout the book. I completely agree, which is why the content of these chapters did not sit well with me. The information provided is just enough that a novice might attempt their own market research. Hey you, DO NOT attempt this on your own. It will likely waste your time and your money. People do this for a living, really. Hire them.
"Brilliant Articulate Mind Maps" (BAMM)
http://www.xmind.net/share/perusalocity/perusalocity-mind-map-guerrilla-marketing-research/
Kaden, R. J. (2006). Guerrilla Marketing Research: Marketing Research Techniques That Can Help Any Business Make More Money. Philadelphia: Kogan Page. (ISBN: 0-7494-4574-2).
