Home |
Marketing Research Services | New Product Research
New Product Research
Successful new products are essential to a company's growth and survival. We
believe new products to be one of the most important applications of marketing
research, but one of the most difficult to execute in practice. New products
can be concept-driven or product-driven. The implicit model that underlies the
following paragraphs is concept-driven (i.e., concept followed by product),
but keep in mind that you can also start with a product and work "backward"
to build a concept and positioning.
New product development must have focal points to have any chance of success.
Focal points include definition of the target market, determination of the product
category, and/or definition of the problem to solve or opportunity to exploit.
These focal points are largely managerial judgments. Once some of the basic
focal points are identified, then Decision Analyst can help make the effort
successful.
Once the target audience is identified (even if not totally precise), and
some notion of the product category (or human need) is established, then qualitative
research is the first step. The purpose is to develop in-depth understanding
of the target consumer—their motivations, perceptions, fears, and preferences.
Perceptions of competitive products can be explored. Unmet needs can be identified.
New product ideas can be sought. The qualitative exploration serves to identify
new product possibilities as well as refine the target-market definition for
those possibilities. Qualitative research is also useful in determining the
starting points for ideation.
Building on the foundation of understanding provided by the qualitative research,
Decision Analyst uses its Imaginators® panel of 2,000 exceptionally creative
individuals to help generate new product ideas. These ideation sessions can
be conducted online or offline, following creative processes developed by Decision
Analyst. A typical all-day ideation session of eight Imaginators® produces
from 400 to 600 unique new-product ideas or idea fragments. Decision Analyst’s
Insights & Innovation Team then translates this raw ideation material into
new product concepts. These concepts can then be refined with qualitative research
before going into quantitative testing.
Concept testing identifies potentially successful new products early on, so
that you can focus limited research and development resources (and limited marketing
resources) on the new product concepts with the greatest probability of consumer
acceptance. Decision Analyst provides a suite of concept testing systems and
services.
Selecting a name for a new product is an important step in new product development.
NameScreen® is our online system to identify the best names for final evaluation.
Typically, final names are tested in the context of package, concept, or product
testing, so that all variables are implicitly incorporated into the name test.
Package graphics and copy are critical to new product success. Decision Analyst
offers a suite of package-testing services to help develop a winning package
that can help generate trial of the new product and project the appropriate
brand image.
New products must be optimal to have a reasonable chance for success. Product
testing is an essential step (or series of steps) in the development of a new
product. Decision Analyst offers a range of product-testing services to help
ensure that the new product will be successful.
With our Conceptor® simulation models, year-one
sales of a new product can be forecast, based on concept-testing scores, product-testing
results, marketing-plan inputs, and media spending plans.
Test Market Evaluation
Real-world testing of new products is always recommended, if time and budgets
permit. Actual store tests and/or actual test markets provide the most reliable
evaluation of a new product. Decision Analyst is expert at designing and executing
test markets for new products.
Product Clinics
Our automotive research group conducts static clinics, dynamic clinics, and
3D projection digital imaging clinics. These clinics range in size from small
single city evaluations in the U.S. to large-scale multi-country clinics. Each
clinic is conducted by a dedicated team, led by a senior researcher experienced
in all aspects of conducting clinics. Data is captured using handheld devices
to assure fast delivery of data tabulations. Presentations of clinic results
can be provided within 24 hours of the conclusion of the clinic in-person or
via Web-based meeting.
New Product Research Services
Decision Analyst is a leading global marketing research and analytical consulting
firm, with over 3 decades of experience in new products research and consulting.
Our staff has worked on hundreds of successful new products. With our worldwide
online panels and interactive systems, targeted innovation processes, and analytical
systems, we can bring transformational change and acceleration of pace to your
new product development efforts.
For more information on New Product Research, please contact Jerry
W. Thomas, President/CEO (jthomas@decisionanalyst.com),
or call 1-800-ANALYSIS (262-5974) or 1-817-640-6166.
Additional Resources from Decision Analyst
New Product Research Services
New Product Research Brochures
New Product Research Case Histories
New Product Research White Papers
