Customer Reviews

Strategic Market Research: A Guide to Conducting Research that Drives Businesses

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This is a terrific little book. I say little only because it is concise and won't bog you down with unnecessary detail. It gets right to the point, and the value it delivers is anything but small.

There are literally dozens of market research techniques. Dr. Beall does a great job of explaining, in clear, direct language, which ones to use when, and how to use them to generate the strongest, most useful insights possible. That, after all, is the point of market research.

I've seen many research studies that were commissioned by large, sophisticated companies and that obviously were very expensive, and yet produced no actionable insights. Reading this book is a great way to make sure that doesn't happen to you. I'm sure it will be valuable to research providers, but I think it will be most valuable to users of market research, especially those who are about to commission a study. If you're in that position, this book will help you be an active participant in the research design, and will help ensure that you actually get the decision-making information you're paying for.

I use this book for a research methods course I teach at Cambridge College School of Management. Most marketing research textbooks are both too dense and expensive. Students are likely to forget or not ever apply 80% of what they read in a typical text book. This does not provide any information on statistics or measurement perse, but it is a practical, accessible, and wonderfully priced book for learning basic research concepts students/readers are likely to remember long term.

This is an introduction into the idea of conducting research. It is not at all a guide. If you are looking for a how-to this is definitely not it. I was rather disappointed based upon the description. It's not a bad book if you are new to research concepts and don't know why you would conduct qualitative research over quantitative, but if you are looking for insight into specific techniques, you'd be better off buying a stat textbook or a book specialized on one aspect of research. Again, not a bad book for someone new to the field, but definitely not a guide.

I picked up this book at the recommendation of a professor - it's a great place to start for anyone who thinks they might be interested in market research but doesn't really know what it is. The book is short, clear and stays on topic, covering big ideas in a very digestible way for people who want an initial exposure to the field without being overwhelmed. As a first-time student of market research, I was particularly pleased to find a table in the book that paired different market research tools with different scenarios. This book would probably be too simple for someone with extensive market research experience, but for a beginning student, I think it's ideal. It would also be great for a business owner who is thinking of buying market research for their business but doesn't know how to get started.

Have you ever received a research report and after reading it thought: - I already knew this, - I still don't know what to do, - there is not enough detail to make a decision, - what do I do now?

You are certainly not alone, but if you were the sponsor of said research you should be looking yourself squarely in the eye and wondering why you did not read Dr. Beall's book first. Because then you would have considerable insight into why your research effort failed.

Anyone who is thinking about how to best utilize market research should read this book; and keep it handy when then considering their next research project. It is concise - and best of all actionable - and will help anyone seeking to leverage customer insight determine how to structure the research. While Anne provides an overview of research techniques and how to use them, the core of the book and its most valuable point is the strategic framework she outlines early on (see page 3).

The strategic framework outlined and explained in this book will help anyone from marketing managers to research specialists get better results. Any businessperson who is responsible for understanding consumers, customers, prospects....should be thinking about the questions Anne outlines and incorporating her insights to help make their research efforts more effective and more useful.

I should note that I have had the opportunity to work with Anne on previous research projects where this framework was applied. The effort in question was a very large research project that could have easily spun out of control. However, by clearly identifying the core questions we needed to answer and continually focusing on this core we generated a very rich and very valuable set of data and insights. We generated an actionable research study that allowed our business to make decisions.

I highly recommend this book to anyone involved in market research efforts.

Anne Bell is quite experienced solving clients' problems and finding opportunities through strategic research. This book offers a great overview and real-life examples of how strategic analysis is connected to insightful research. This book also presents her methodology of how to interpret the non-verbal reactions from respondents. WOW!
I fully recommend this concise book to researchers and clients who want to make strategic decisions through research and who want to contribute to their companies' sustainable growth.

I've been in market research for 14 years and I wish I had this book 14 years ago. It would have made a big difference at the start of my career as I had to learn firsthand of many of the pitfalls that Anne mentions. Following Anne's advice will help you sidestep all of those common mistakes and issues when you're just getting started in market research. It is also a great refresher for senior researchers. For me, the chapter on non-verbal communications was a wonderful bonus - something I don't typically find in a market research publication, and entirely appropriate given the nature of qualitative research. Given that all of this is in an easy to read format (I read it cover to cover on one flight), it's a no-brainer for those in the market research field as well as for anyone that relies on market research for decision making. And shouldn't that be everyone???!!!

I love the concise nature of this book. It is not bogged down with research jargon or statistics. It's a very clear and concise overview on how to conduct quality research. It would be helpful for both managers conducting their own in-house research and those who outsource. Well worth the price.

Dr. Beall writes an outstanding book on the intricacies of doing high quality market research. This book should be read by and on the shelves of every researcher in the field. She does a great job of blending experience with theory that really demonstrates her depth of knowledge and expertise. Looking forward to more of her publications.

Strategic Market Research is a refreshingly straight forward account on how valuable research can be if done right. Anne Beall provides real-life examples throughout the book injecting credibility and bringing to life an applicable research guide.

An absolute must read for any practicing researcher, marketer, or business professional hoping to gain an edge on their competition through strategic research.