Marketing on the Cheap: Market Research using NC LIVE and Free Web Resources

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Marketing on the CheapMarket Research using NC
LIVE and Free Web Resources
NCLA/SELA Conference 2004BLINC Business
Librarianship in North Carolina Susan Wolf
Neilson and Steve Cramer
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Scenario Lauren wants to open an Internet café
in Charlotte in the 28202 zip code area. She
needs the librarys help with market research!

• Laurens Business Plan Outline
• Executive Summary
• Company Overview
• Services and Products
• Market Analysis
• Strategy and Implementation
• Management
• Financial Plan

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Primary Research

• Direct Mail
• Personal Interviews
• Experience

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Secondary Research

• Public sources (usually free)
• Government
• Libraries
• Commercial sources (rarely free)
• Subscription or fee based
• Market researchers, Trade associations, DB,
  Reference USA
• Academic sources (usually free)
• Colleges Universities

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Market Analysis the 4 Ps
ProductPlacePricePromotion
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4 Ps the Marketing Mix
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PRODUCT Market Trends

• Trade Associations
• Gateway to Associations
• http//www.asaenet.org/cda/asae/associations_searc
  h/

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GATEWAY TO ASSOCIATIONS
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SPECIALTY COFFEE ASSOCIATION
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1) PRODUCT Market Trends

• Trade Associations
• Gateway to Associations
• Google search
• coffee market trends

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(No Transcript)
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National Coffee Association
http//www.ncausa.org/
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http//www.beantrends.com/news.html
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PRODUCT Market trends

• Trade Associations
• Articles from NC LIVE databases (ABI-INFORM,
  Business Source Elite, InfoTrac Onefile)
• Example search
• (internet or wireless) and cafe and
• market and trend

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ABI/INFORM Database (NC LIVE)
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(No Transcript)
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35 of restaurants and cafes will provide
wireless internet access to customers by 2007.
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Not surprisingly, today's most devoted coffee
shop patrons are 18- to 34-year olds and those
with annual incomes over 75,000. Forty-two
percent of 18- to 34year-olds and 46 percent of
those who earn more than 75,000 say that when
they drink coffee away from home, they head
straight for Starbucks-like shops, compared with
just 32 percent of all away from-home coffee
drinkers. The younger folks are attracted to
the coffee-bar atmosphere, music selections and
what tends to be a younger customer base,
according to the report, while the wealthy simply
want the best. Forty-two percent of adults in
the highest income bracket agree that coffee
shops sell better coffee than other places,
compared with 34 percent of the total adult
population. But these demographics make up just
a sliver of the potential coffee shop consumer
market. Almost 7 in 10 Americans (66 percent)
drink coffee away from home at least
occasionally, according to Mintel's survey, while
only a third frequent gourmet java shops. The
report does not suggest that the coffee shops'
young, wealthy core consumer group is going to
jump ship anytime soon, but instead implies that
to grow business, coffee shops may want to cater
to other demographics or socioeconomic
groups. --American Demographics
ABI/INFORM (NC LIVE)
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Business Source Elite NC LIVE
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Business Source Elite Thesaurus
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InfoTrac Onefile NC LIVE
NC LIVE New York Times thru ProQuest
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1) PRODUCT Market Trends

• Trade Associations
• Articles from NC LIVE Databases
• Web Directories for Industries
• Competia Express
• About.com Retail Industry

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http//www.compedia.com/express
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http//retailindustry.about.com/