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Conducting Market Research

 
When researching potential business ideas, it’s important to look at the competition and the marketplace. Due diligence is key, as are early adopters who can promote a great idea, product or service.

Learning About Your Customers 

In order to gain a thorough understanding of your market and customers, you must collect and analyze information that’s relevant to your business plan. Start by answering these questions:

  • Market Size (How many potential customers are in my area?)
  • Economic Stats (What are the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistics and employment rates?)
  • Location (Where do my customers live, and where can I do business?)
  • Supply (How many comparable options are currently saturating the market?)
  • Cost (What do my prospective customers pay for those options?)
Direct-to-consumer research can help you gain insight into your target audience. Through questionnaires, surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews, you can learn specifics about your customers, from their buying habits to how they respond to your branding.

Utilizing Free Resources

It’s also important to stay up to date on the most recent industry trends and customer demographics. In addition to resources like the Library of Congress, universities’ online learning courses, and TED Talks, there are dozens of trustworthy web resources available free of charge (and right at your fingertips).

This information won’t necessarily align with your specific market, but it’s an efficient way to get general questions answered, and enhance the content of your future business plan.


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Watch

“BELIEVE IN YOUR VISION”

— J. BRUCE BUGG, JR. TO NEW ENTREPRENEURS


One of J.Bruce Bugg’s favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein: “An idea without execution is hallucination.” He encourages entrepreneurs to not only have great ideas, but to act on them.
 
In his episode of the San Antonio Business Heroes podcast, Bruce talks about how he learned to communicate with clients at the beginning of his career and how that skill enhances his current position as Chairman of the TxDOT and The Bank of San Antonio.