Observation in marketing is a method of collecting primary marketing information about any object under study through organized and purposeful perception with further fixation of the data obtained on any medium. The objects of observation in marketing can be people or groups of people, enterprises, competitors, the market or its individual systems and states.
Goals and objectives of observation as research
Surveillance in marketing is used for various purposes and purposes, such as:
- Generating hypotheses about behavior, motives, attitudes and perceptions of consumers
- Development of business algorithms to improve the product, price, distribution or promotion
- Checking information from other sources (for example, questionnaires or interviews)
- Obtaining additional information about the object under study (for example, about the reaction to a new product or advertising)
Types of surveillance in marketing
Marketing observation can be classified according to different criteria, such as:
- The degree of awareness of the subjects: open (when the participants are aware of the observation) or covert (when the participants are not aware of the observation)
- The degree of structure of the study: structured (when the observation is carried out according to a clear plan) or unstructured (when the observation is carried out without a pre-prepared plan)
- Method of recording information: mechanical (with the help of special equipment, such as video cameras or voice recorders) or human (with the help of an observer)
- Type of observation environment: field (in natural conditions) or laboratory (in artificially created conditions)
- Type of registered objects: complete (all possible manifestations) or selective (only pre-selected parameters, phenomena and states)
- Type of observed behavior: direct (observation of the human behavior itself) or indirect (observation of the consequences of human behavior)
How to conduct surveillance in marketing
To conduct surveillance in marketing, you must complete the following steps:
- Determine the purpose and objectives of the study. At this stage, you need to clearly articulate what exactly you want to learn from observation and how this will help solve the marketing problem.
- Select the type and method of observation. At this stage, it is necessary to determine which type of observation is suitable for the purpose and objectives of the study, as well as to choose the method of recording information, the type of observation environment, the type of objects recorded and the type of observed behavior.
- Make a plan and monitoring tools. At this stage, it is necessary to develop an observation plan, determine the number, criteria and methods for selecting objects of observation, and prepare the necessary tools for recording information (for example, video cameras, voice recorders, forms or tables).
- Conduct an observation. At this stage, it is necessary to organize the observation process in accordance with the plan and method, as well as record the data obtained on the selected medium.
- Record and analyze results. At this stage, you need to write down or decipher data from the media, highlight key facts and phenomena, group them by topic or category, identify common trends and insights.
Conclusion
Observation in marketing is a method of collecting primary marketing information about any object under study through organized and purposeful perception with further fixation of the data obtained on any medium.
To carry out observation in marketing, it is necessary to determine the purpose and objectives of the study, choose the type and method of observation, draw up a plan and tools for observation, conduct observation and record, and analyze the results.
Surveillance in marketing has its advantages and disadvantages. It provides objective data on consumer behavior, but it requires more time, money and effort to organize and implement.