The book you need most for your nonprofit isn’t available at your public library or local book store; it is one you need to write yourself. You can write the book on the people you want to reach by doing original research. Doing primary research isn’t just a nice idea, it is vitally important to the success of your organization. Primary research doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but it is not free. To be effective, your organization will have to make an investment in it.
Here are a few benefits gained from doing primary research:
- Helps you while defining the purpose of your marketing.
- Listening can keep you from making stupid mistakes. Ask your spouse.
- Gives you a realistic picture of your present situation.
- Identifies and creates competitive advantage.
- Information fuels creativity.
- Helps identify and segment your target audiences.
- Clarifies your niche in the market.
- Provides insights into how to differentiate your products, programs, and services.
- Keeps you in touch with trends in the changing marketplace.
- Useful in developing your nonprofit’s identity.
- Gives you the outsider perspective, seeing through the eyes of others.
- Gauges perceptions, satisfaction, and awareness.
- Clarifies which marketing mix and media channels are best.
- Changes mistaken assumptions in your organization.
- Beneficial for prioritizing budget planning.
- Makes practical use of response data, sales metrics, membership, and donor records.
This information is awsome will use in a marketing class i will be teaching in the fall- if you have suggestions for me i am open this information is state of the art i am amazed at text books on marketing that are still using a radio and news release approach to marketing – thanks for the site and info- my pastor suggested this site and it is great
Thanks Dr Muilenburg,
One idea, give students an aspect/program of the school to promote using guerrilla tactics. Form teams and have them compete, make it like an episode of the Apprentice.
Just an idea. Please keep us posted during your class!