We examine your goals, your business environment, what you've done before, and why you have the customers you have. It is the process of turning that information into knowledge so that you can make informed choices going forward.
Effective marketing is both strategic and tactical.
Sure, a lot of other agencies and independent designers will make you a web site or a brochure - but is it really needed to achieve your marketing goals? Is it designed and written with a strategic direction for maximum effectiveness?
Assumptions and instinct can be costly when they are the foundation for strategic and marketing plans. Thorough market research can be validating and revealing, stimulating product and process implementations, sparking innovative company transformations, or stopping a potentially costly investment based upon targeted market and customer feedback.
IMEC works with companies to identify what research is necessary and which methods will be most resourceful, and offers the assistance and resources to implement and analyze the research to meet those needs.
When you work with Inertia, we meet with you and evaluate your situation. What are your goals? What are your obstacles? What has been working? What has failed?
Market and industry research is imperative to decision support related to any customer-focused challenge or opportunity ranging from growth strategies to product development, pricing to distribution strategies, among many others. However, while a crucial part of any business, market research is often overlooked or incomplete, sometimes due to lack of resources or internal expertise.
Inertia will review everything from your business plan, to your current branding and materials, to the methods that you implement from the first contact to closing of a sale, and create a cohesive course of action that will get your business back on track. The result will be a marketing plan consisting of a strategic fusion of design, market analysis, and efficiency. That's right, efficiency. If you don't need a direct mail program to achieve your marketing goals, we won't suggest it to you. It's that simple.
Industry research - General industry analysis provides a broad look at industry size, trends, technology, regulations and marketing strategies. Through a combination of both primary and secondary research, IMEC will look to industry experts to contribute to the information necessary to meet the defined objectives.
Competitive research - A thorough review of competitors, both direct and indirect, is necessary to fully understand a company's position in the market place. Based upon the intent of the research, IMEC looks to seek an understanding of competitors' products, services, distribution and sales strategies, pricing, promotions, competitive position, technologies, etc.
Target customer research - There are a number of tools that can be used to understand the satisfaction, needs and desires of customers including surveys, focus groups and interviews. To balance feedback, research can include a variety of customers such as end-users, sales representatives, distributors, dealers, and buyers, among others. The appropriate research tools are selected based upon the lifestyles and habits of the respondents, the depth of the information sought, and the quality of the business relationship.
Company/business analysis (SWOT) - SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors.
Marketing strategy and planning - Strategic planning is concerned about the overall direction of the business. It is concerned with marketing, of course. The objective of a strategic plan is to set the direction of a business and create its shape so that the products and services it provides meet the overall business objectives.
Integrated marketing plans - This is the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues, functions and sources within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost.
Product launch plans - Too often a product or service is offered because it sounds like a good idea, without the necessary background or research to ensure it meets a true market need or supports business goals. The Product Launch Plan establishes the definition of a new product or service, the release schedule, evolution, position, and distribution. It also drives development efforts, allows marketing to prepare the sales force for the eventual release, and determines the documents and events that will promote the product or service when launched to the market. |
