Marketing Principles - Understanding Consumer Needs - Keeping Ahead of Competition - Communicating Effectively with Consumers - Utilising New Technology. E.g. Internet marketing and sales.

What is Market Research? Market Research can be defined as the collection, examination and data relating to marketing and consumption of goods and services. A Business will carry out Market Research to find out about Markets, Customers and Competitors.

Types of Market Research Primary (Field) Research Methods include: Interviews Questionnaires Focus Groups Analysing purchase records Secondary (Desk) Research Methods include: electoral rolls Yellow Pages internet research journals.

Quantitative Research Quantitative Research looks at WHY customers buy. In particular: Customer Behaviour, Motivation, Tastes and Preferences.

Qualitative Research Qualitative Research is made up of “WHO” and “WHAT” type of questions Qualitative Research examines the: 1.Attitudes 2.Feelings 3.Motivations of product users

Task 1 – Planning and Conducting Market Research The first task requires you to describe the marketing activities of a selected sports business, Gloucester Rugby Club, drawing upon, and using specific examples (P5). How Gloucester Rugby Club markets now compared to earlier years. Consider all the Heritage items you have just been looking at.

Task 2 – Planning and Conducting Market Research Plan (P3) and conduct (P4 / M3) market research for a Gloucester Rugby Club. The research should involve both primary research and secondary research, to allow you to draw specific conclusions. You may like to focus it around shirt sales.

Areas to consider Reasons for conducting the research What you want to find out. E.g. Price range, facility, opening times Secondary Methods to be used – Internet research etc. Primary Methods to be used. E.g. Questionnaires? Size of Sample group that you will conduct the research with (P4 / M3)

What is Marketing all about…? Fundamentally, marketing is all about identifying and meeting customer needs. Another way to understand marketing is through the marketing mix.

Task 3 You have been appointed head of marketing for the following products 2009/10 Gloucester Rugby Shirt Apply the following marketing principles to your product. Consider the current market, financial climate, and where your product already exists.

The Marketing Mix The 4 Ps

Product Product – Who are our customers and what do they want to buy? How are you going to find out this information? What new products are we planning to offer?

Price Price? How much should we charge? Should we reduce the price at the start to attract interest? Can we charge different prices to different customers?

Promotion Promotion – How can we tell people about our products? Where should we advertise to attract the attention of our key customers. Should we give free samples or run a competition?

Place Place – How can we distribute our products? Should we sell direct to our customers or through retailers? How can the internet help us to sell more? Where is the best location for us to set up our business?

Task 3 Recap – Planning and Conducting Market Research Your task is to produce a marketing plan, using the ‘4 Ps’ (Price, Place, Product, Promotion and People. Your plan should be presented through a PowerPoint presentation, which you will present to the module leader. Areas to consider Using the research that you have already conducted, you must decide on how this will shape the following (P5), justifying each section (M4). Price Place Product Promotion Once completed, you may include a concluding slide to evaluate the marketing plan, identifying possible areas for improvement (D2)