Monday, December 14th, 2009
Right now, many government contractors are realizing that changes are in![iStock_000008002627XSmall[1]](http://marketconnectionsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/iStock_000008002627XSmall1.jpg "iStock_000008002627XSmall[1]")
order to better align with the major transitions in the federal government’s priorities and contracting processes. Market research can help with identifying, validating, and prioritizing these changes.
Case in point: our findings from a recent study for a federal IT solutions provider. The client had 6 independent business units but the leaders of each unit rarely interacted or collaborated on customer opportunities. During the client’s annual market perception study, we uncovered a major change in the roles and technology responsibilities of their target audiences. Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments 
Posted by Cynthia Poole in Market Research 
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
With Thanksgiving upon us this week, we at Market Connections extend our gratitude and appreciation to you – our clients and business associates – for your trust, support, and alliance. Best wishes for a happy holiday season!
No Comments Posted by MarketConnections in Events
Monday, November 16th, 2009
Few organizations have come through the past two years untouched by the recession. Even in the government market – one of the more stable sectors of the economy – spending is being more closely watched. Changes to the contracting process mean that established relationships with agencies are not a guarantee of future business. Equally important, competitive landscapes are in flux, as many companies struggling in their core commercial markets vie for a presence in more lucrative government markets.
For some, these new dynamics pose an even greater need for replacing outdated assumptions with accurate and current business intelligence that can drive smarter decision-making.
Market Connections recently completed an Attitude, Awareness and Usage (AA&U) study in which we asked our client’s federal audiences how they perceived the company and its competitors. Interestingly, our client was unaware that it was competing against the company that respondents most strongly perceived as its competitor. Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments Posted by John Kagia in Current Trends
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Research companies can typically submit a relevant and thoughtful proposal without delving into detailed background on the project or the intricate details on implementation strategies. But, once it’s time to get underway on the research, they’ll require a much deeper information dive at the kick-off meeting in order to structure an effective program.
In this initial session, key stakeholders from both your organization and the research firm should do the following: Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments Posted by Laurie Morrow in Market Research
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
Cathy Cromley has joined Market Connections as our new business
development director. She’s charged with identifying and pursing sales opportunities for our research solutions.
Cathy’s impressive career includes sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility at IDC, Secure Computing (acquired by McAfee in November 2008), 3Com, GTSI/Falcon Microsystems, Centel, and Sears Business Systems.
We’re very pleased to welcome her to the Market Connections team!
No Comments Posted by Lisa Dezzutti in Events
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Effectively marketing products or services can sometimes be tricky. Of course, it starts by developing a compelling message. But even a slight change in the message phrasing, emphasis, or even alignment with the company’s brand can make a big difference in how the product or service is perceived.
Research can reveal if the market understands your product or service and if the messaging is effective. For example, last year one of our clients launched a completely new service to its traditional core audience. After sales for the service languished, they came to us to learn why. It was indeed perplexing, as our client was one of the top market leaders.
Our strategy was to conduct focus groups with members of the target audience. Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments Posted by Dave Glantz in Research Methods
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
A research firm must gain a solid understanding of the client’s situation in order to 
develop and execute an effective market study. It is important for the client to provide as much background info as possible to their research provider; especially sharing any prior relevant studies the company has conducted.
The findings from previous research and analyses are critical, whether conducted by other research companies or in-house. This relevant data helps enable us to:
- More quickly get up to speed about your offerings, markets, customers
- Avoid survey redundancies and/or establish benchmarks
- Maximize effectiveness of the survey instrument
- Compare new and prior research findings
- Provide more actionable and relevant recommendations to its client
Reputable research firms are willing to sign non-disclosure agreements in order to have access to confidential information within the client organization that could potentially improve the value of their studies. So, when it comes to providing input to your research partner for your next study, we encourage you to talk to others in the organization and to think outside the box. Your extra efforts could result in new insights that enable meaningful performance improvements.
No Comments Posted by Laurie Morrow in Market Research
Friday, September 4th, 2009
Everyone knows their web site is one of the most important touch points with customers and prospects. Research studies can be immensely helpful during the process of redesigning a web site. The findings can help maximize the value of the site for everyone that touches it including customers, prospects, partners, investors, press, and potential employees.
Research done before and after creating a new website design can help answer:
- Why people visit the site
- How they’re getting to the site
- What would improve the visitors’ experience
- If the site is user friendly
Click here to read more.
No Comments Posted by Dave Glantz in Market Research
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
We were recently asked to gather perceptions around the issue of going green. Companies want to better understand how important this issue is to their current and prospective customers, the best ways to deliver “greener” services and solutions, and how to effectively communicate the ripple effect of those green benefits to their customer organizations.
This issue is of particular relevance to government contractors, as the Obama administration has made it clear that green and alternative energy sources will be a focus over the next four years. Certainly global warming is a primary reason for this focus. But, cost cutting is another important driver, as government agencies and contactors can lower expenses and improve the bottom line through the adoption of responsible resource consumption programs. Equally important, green programs offer contractors a compelling discriminator in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Read the rest of this entry »
No Comments Posted by Laurie Morrow in Current Trends
As of October 1, we’ll be on the GSA AIMS schedule under SIN 541-4A – Market Research & Analysis Services. We look forward to providing our deep government market expertise and full-service research services to federal agencies.