The Four Most Common Market Research Questions - And How PCG Can Answer Them!
If you’re looking for new ways to conduct market research, you might want to give PCG a call.PCG (Publishers Communication Group) is a marketing consulting firm that joined Ingenta in 2000. They offer ten years of experience in consortia sales, telepromotion, global telephone non-renewal service, customer service, on-site library visits and more. Often, publishers come to PCG seeking answers to what’s working, what isn’t, and what new programs should be developed. Here’s how PCG can help answer some of publishers' most commonly-asked market research questions:
RESEARCH QUESTION #1: Should we develop that new online service we’ve been talking about for years? And if so, how should we do it?
Whether you’re developing a simple online journal program or a new full-scale research portal, you need to know some basic facts: Is there a demand for what you’re developing? Do librarians have a budget for what you’re offering? And what channels should you use to offer up your service?
PCG’s teleresearch team can help you identify the global library trends that affect your product development decisions. PCG’s teleresearchers will call customers and prospects from around the world and find out any piece of information you need. (PCG’s team speaks six European languages, plus Japanese, allowing them to call practically all around the globe.) During their calls, they will ask libraries about their budget, purchasing habits, interest or ability to access electronic content, and thoughts about your potential new service.
At the end of the project, PCG will provide you with a complete analysis of the results and a detailed sheet of each call. And if you decide to launch the program, PCG can help you sell the service on the phone or through on-site library visits.
RESEARCH QUESTION #2: What are librarians saying about my electronic service? What’s working and what isn’t?
PCG’s teleresearch team will poll libraries on a specific product or service and help you determine any changes you should make. For instance, they can gather feedback on the price, format, and content of your offerings as well as on the usability of your product.
RESEARCH QUESTION #3: Why are subscription sales of my journal declining?
PCG’s teleresearchers can find out why librarians aren’t renewing subscriptions — and help you win them back. For instance, are subscriptions declining in a region as a whole? Did librarians change agents en masse? Or did the order just fall through the cracks? In the process, they can clean up your subscriber database, keep your name fresh in an institution's mind, and keep you in contact with customers who are still subscribing.
RESEARCH QUESTION #4: How can I meet with librarians directly and get their feedback first-hand?
Talking to real people is always the best way to understand your market. With PCG’s Library Advisory Groups and Focus Groups you can talk with librarians directly and hear their real-life concerns, opinions and needs. PCG will arrange all the logistics of setting up meetings, so you can focus on listening, learning and formulating a marketing strategy. PCG will moderate meetings, chair discussions, analyze results and discuss ways you can leverage these findings. As a result, you bring back the most accurate, up-to-date information to your organization, ensuring the decisions you make are intelligent ones.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
PCG can provide the answers to these and many other questions — the answers you need to develop new services, build subscriptions and achieve your sales and marketing goals. Visit PCG's website for more information. Or you can contact Doug Wright, PCG’s Vice President, General Manager at dwright@pcgplus.com.