Market Intelligence: Application, Importance & Steps for Development Process

Information is a precious thing, as long as you are informed about a thing, you know the next steps. For example, if you are a businessman and plan to start a new venture, you ought to be informed about the needs of the present market. Then only you will be able to select all the requirements for the new venture. Now, if the same thing is done on a large scale by big organizations, then we can call it Market Intelligence.

 

One of the most significant factors influencing a company's ability to stay ahead of the competition is having a thorough grasp of its rivals, the condition of its industry, and the changing consumer environment in general. Marketers may use this data to assess their methods and optimize future efforts based on their observations as well as those from around the industry.

 

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In this blog, we will dive into market intelligence and explore its world colours.

 

 

Market Intelligence

 

Market intelligence refers to data gathered by a firm regarding the market in which it presently works or wishes to participate. This data aids the firm in determining its target market group, penetration, and total opportunity.

 

Competitor intelligence, which focuses on information on a company's specific competitors, is frequently included in marketing intelligence. This information may help executives make educated company decisions by indicating current market share, price levels, and consumer patterns.

 

Market intelligence is much different from Business Intelligence. 

 

Market intelligence gives firms a broad picture of the market in which they sell. Business intelligence, on the other hand, relates to internal data such as productivity, corporate sales, procedures, and other comparable data. Market intelligence and business intelligence are increasingly being integrated to provide executives with a more full view of their target market.

 

For example, a firm needs to know who the best target demographic is for a new mobile phone that will be released shortly. A profiling survey can assist a firm in narrowing down its target demographic based on the sort of mobile device it is releasing. 

 

For example, if the phone's colours are bright and its features are set up to promote it as a gaming mobile device, a survey will narrow down participants who enjoy gaming, are younger, and have a certain income range. This information enables the firm to concentrate its efforts on the appropriate people, therefore saving money and time.

 

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4 Applications of Market Intelligence

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Steps involved in the development of Market Intelligence

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1. Market Reports

 

Small businesses frequently want to know how they are doing in certain areas. As a result, organizations like Nielsen or Forrester Research may be contacted for secondary research reports. 

 

Market share, which shows a firm how much of the market it controls in both units and money, is an essential part of market statistics. Small-business entrepreneurs may also utilize the data to see if particular markets have expansion opportunities.

 

2. Competitive Information

 

Competitive information is another use of marketing intelligence. Industry reports, publications, newsletters, and personal observations are commonly used by business owners to research their rivals. They may also gather competitor brochures or research their websites. 

 

Competitive information is used by small businesses to understand more about their rivals' investments, organizational changes, and plans. They might even buy competing items to research different features and technologies. Marketers may also look at competitor data to figure out who their target consumers are.

 

3. Databases that are used internally

 

Customers' market intelligence is also used by marketing managers. This information extends well beyond a customer's name, address, and email address. A marketing manager, for example, may have extensive information about key clients, such as their average age, income, education, and the average amount they spend every visit. 

 

This enables businesses to develop profiles of typical customers, which they may then use to target non-customer consumers.

 

4. Competitive Intelligence (CI)

 

Competitive intelligence is frequently used by small businesses to perform evaluations of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). A SWOT analysis is commonly used to evaluate a company's strengths and weaknesses against those of significant rivals. It then employs these advantages to discover various market opportunities. 

 

A plumbing firm, for example, may have more robust distribution channels. It may then employ those distribution channels to increase product visibility, such as showrooms and retail outlets. Similarly, a small business that prides itself on excellent customer service may mention it on its website, brochures, and other printed materials.

 

Importance of Market Intelligence

 

Market intelligence is critical to every company's success since it serves as the foundation for all marketing efforts. Market intelligence requires the gathering of data, analysis, and application of the information. 

 

Market intelligence enables you to become more customer-centric, gain a better understanding of market demands and consumer views, gather real-time relevant data, increase upselling chances, minimize risks, increase market share, and gain a competitive edge. These advantages are critical to the success of any firm, and market information is one of the most important components in implementing good business strategies. 

 

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To further appreciate why market intelligence is so important to every organization, consider the following points.

 

• To have a better understanding of your market position 

 

You may gain a thorough understanding of the industry by collecting market information through surveys. It will provide you with information on what your competitors are doing, market demand, and who your target audience will be, among other things. Analyzing this data will allow a firm to assess its market position and formulate plans appropriately.

 

• To Assess the Quality of Your Goods 

 

Marketing intelligence surveys will provide you with practical information into market product trends, desire for certain features, and product specifications that are currently in demand. Such data aids in the evaluation of your goods and the making of sound business decisions.

 

• To be Aware of Your Target Audience 

 

Gathering market intelligence will enable a firm to comprehend the audience's demands, and businesses may use surveys to narrow down their target population for certain products/services.

 

• To carry out competitive research

 

The field of market intelligence is broad. In today's business world, conducting surveys to gain knowledge about your rivals is critical. Businesses may use this information to alter their goods depending on market demand, analyze rivals' successes and failures, and develop strategies based on the competitor's position.

 

Steps to Develop Market Intelligence System

 

Market intelligence enables businesses to focus on their target market's requirements while also gaining a better grasp of their rivals and the business environment.

 

Setting up a market intelligence research program will allow you to acquire current data, which will help you make better judgments, gain market share, and enhance brand positioning.

 

1. Decide on a goal

 

Beginning with the end in mind is a good way to go. What are your objectives for doing market intelligence research? There are several benefits to this sort of study, but to get the most out of it, you must first define its scope.

 

Your aim, for example, may be to undertake various studies to assess new or existing goods and markets. Typically, these investigations concentrate on a mix of the following:

 

• Products that already exist in markets that already exist. You'll want to know how your brand stands out from the competition. Competitive intelligence, brand positioning, and market segmentation studies can all be beneficial in this regard.

• Existing items are being sold in new markets. You should concentrate on creating a market for your items. Market analytics, market entry, and market expansion. Studies may all be utilized to gain a better understanding of areas where you don't already operate.

• New markets, new goods. Do you want to start something completely new? To reduce the danger of making a bad decision, you should do idea testing and market entry research.

• Existing markets get new goods. Consumer requirements evaluations, market segmentation studies, and idea testing studies will all benefit from product development research.

 

2. Establish metrics

 

You may decide the metrics to employ to assess the outcomes once you've determined the scope of your investigation. Metrics will differ based on the research aim of each organization.

 

The following are some metrics that might be used to assess your research:

 

• Several rivals, as well as market share for each.

• Annual revenue, number of prospective consumers, and projected growth are all factors to consider when determining market size.

• Customers' average age, income, and yearly product expenditure.

• Average price per product in each market group.

 

Another key statistic to consider is the project's return on investment. Each research endeavour in most firms has a budget. They want to know that their market intelligence research projects will pay off. Internet research and online surveys are fantastic ways to obtain the data you want and ensure that your project has a favourable return on investment.

 

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3. Develop a research strategy

 

There are various options for gathering market intelligence data, depending on your budget.

 

You can access trade publications, industry experts, consumer reviews, and more through online research. Some research websites charge a fee, particularly for competitive data like yearly sales, client count, and profitability.

 

Online surveys are a low-cost approach to collect customer input for brand positioning, market research, and product concept testing. From vast databases of real customer purchases, product intelligence and data analytics may give insights and trends.

 

Expert market intelligence consultants are frequently hired to help firms navigate multi-million dollar product launches. They may give extensive information, statistics, and advice—for a fee. The amount of data you may collect for your study will be determined by your research aim, required metrics, and budget.

 

4. Collect and evaluate information

 

Data will be gathered through competitor information, market intelligence, web research, and consumer surveys. The next stage is to transform that data into information that your company can utilize to make choices. How are you going to handle it all?

 

• Begin with your project's initial aim. What exactly were you attempting to prove? Did you have any inkling that your new product concept might be successful in a different market? Sort through the data to see if your product is a hit or a miss.

• Competitive intelligence is really important. What did you discover? Who are your main rivals? Are they retaining a solid market lead or are they losing ground?

• Make suggestions based on your findings. What is the best plan of action now that you've done a thorough analysis of rivals, market segmentation, customer preferences, and other relevant factors?

• Include the project's return on investment. Have you identified a market opportunity that will create a profit greater than the study's cost? Make certain to include it in your report.

• In a concise report, write out your observations. Your organization's leadership team will be interested in hearing about your suggestions. If you have an executive sponsor for your research study, make sure they are aware of the findings.

 

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5. Act on the insights

 

The data you gathered throughout your market intelligence study should not be stored on a shelf. Your management team will want to know how they can put your findings into practice. Business leaders may develop educated and meaningful plans using competitor research, consumer insights, product intelligence, and other important information.

 

Marketing Intelligence is often confused with Market Research, but they are not the same. Let us try to look at how Market Intelligence is Different from Market Research.

 

 

Market Intelligence vs Market Research

 

Market research and market intelligence are both important components of creating a strong marketing plan. Neither is disposable, but they are not interchangeable. People have come to use the phrases interchangeably, as they have with many other marketing terms. 

 

The most common occurrence is when someone uses one phrase to refer to the other activity. Perhaps the ideas are more significant than the words themselves. Although the words are similar, the methods for gathering research and the data needed for each activity are distinct and serve different goals.

 

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When evaluating and developing a marketing plan, market research is widely used. It's also an important component of product creation, and it'll frequently be at the heart of branding decisions. Market research should be a significant component of the due diligence in planning for producing goods and services for newly established firms.

 

Market intelligence is a broader understanding of the market. This involves understanding the competition as well as the intended audience. Market information is crucial to building your marketing stance and forming a marketing plan.

 

Market information covers a broader range of topics and provides you with an overview of current trends and prospects. Market information may be used by a flexible firm to introduce new offerings that satisfy expanding requirements. It's easy to understand why these, along with a slew of other marketing phrases, are frequently employed together. Although the procedures differ, both market research and market intelligence are necessary for developing a marketing plan.

 

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Conclusion

 

To summarize, we can say that Building a world-class Market Intelligence team requires many key components. And it isn't an easy task. The establishment of a world-class Market Intelligence team is, nevertheless, feasible given time, money, and patience. And this group has the potential to be a valuable addition to the firm.