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OVERVIEW Marketing research analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data in order to determine potential demand for a product or service. By examining the buying habits, wants, needs, and preferences of consumers, research analysts are able to recommend ways to improve products and services, increase sales, and expand customer bases. There are approximately 6,000 marketing research analysts employed in the U.S. telecommunications industry. HISTORY Knowing what customers want and what prices they are willing to pay have always been concerns of manufacturers and producers of goods and services. As industries have grown and competition for consumers of manufactured goods and services has increased, businesses have turned to marketing research as a way to measure public opinion and assess customer preferences. Marketing research formally emerged in Germany in the l920s and in Sweden and France in the 1930s. In the United States, emphasis on marketing research began after World War II. With a desire to study potential markets and gain new customers, U.S. firms hired marketing research specialists, professionals who were able to use statistics and refine research techniques to help companies reach their marketing goals. By the 1980s, research analysts could be found even in a variety of Communist countries, where the quantity of consumer goods being produced was rapidly increasing. Today, marketing research analysts are employed in many industries including the telecommunications industry. The marketing research analyst is a vital part of the marketing team. By conducting studies and analyzing data, research professionals help telecommunications companies address specific marketing issues and concerns. THE JOB Marketing researchers in the telecommunications industry collect and analyze all kinds of information in order to help companies improve their products and services, establish or modify sales and distribution policies, and make decisions regarding future plans and directions. In addition, research analysts are responsible for monitoring both in-house studies and off-site research, interpreting results, providing explanations of compiled data, and developing research tools. One area of marketing research focuses on company products and services such as cell phones or cable television subscriptions. In order to determine consumer preferences, research analysts collect data on brand names, trademarks, product design, and packaging for existing products, items being test-marketed, and those in experimental stages. Analysts also study competing products and services that are already on the market to help managers and strategic planners develop new products and create appropriate advertising campaigns. In the sales methods and policy area of marketing research, analysts examine firms’ sales records and conduct a variety of sales-related studies. For example, information on sales in various geographical areas is analyzed and compared to previous sales figures, changes in population, and total and seasonal sales volume. By analyzing this data, marketing researchers can identify peak sales periods and recommend ways to target new customers. Such information helps marketers plan future sales campaigns and establish sales quotas and commissions. Advertising research is closely related to sales research. Studies on the effectiveness of advertising in different parts of the country (for example, a mailing in the Midwest that advertises services provided by Comcast) are conducted and compared to sales records. This research is helpful in planning future advertising campaigns and in selecting the appropriate media to use. If the mailing fails to generate an increase in sales, for example, then the company might try to reach potential customers via a television ad campaign the next time it seeks to advertise its products. Marketing research that focuses on consumer demand and preferences solicits opinions of the people who use the products or services being considered. In addition to actually conducting opinion studies, marketing researchers often design the ways to obtain the information. They write scripts for telephone interviews, develop direct-mail questionnaires and field surveys, and design focus group programs. Through one or a combination of these studies, market researchers are able to gather information on consumer reaction to the need for and style, design, price, and use of a product (for example, a new cell phone model). The studies attempt to reveal who uses various products or services, identify potential customers, or get suggestions for product or service improvement. This information is helpful for forecasting sales, planning design modifications, and determining changes in features. Once information has been gathered, marketing researchers analyze the findings. They then detail their findings and recommendations in a written report and often orally present them to management as well. A number of professionals compose the marketing research team. The project supervisor is responsible for overseeing a study from beginning to end. The statistician determines the sample size—or the number of people to be surveyed—and compares the number of responses. The project supervisor or statistician, in conjunction with other specialists (such as demographers and psychologists), often determines the number of interviews to be conducted as well as their locations. Field interviewers survey people in various public places, such as shopping malls, office complexes, and popular attractions. Telemarketers gather information by placing calls to current or potential customers, to people listed in telephone books, or to those who appear on specialized lists obtained from list houses. Once questionnaires come in from the field, tabulators and coders examine the data, count the answers, code non-categorical answers, and tally the primary counts. The marketing research analyst then analyzes the returns, writes up the final report, and makes recommendations to the client or to management. Marketing research analysts must be thoroughly familiar with research techniques and procedures. Sometimes the research problem is clearly defined, and information can be gathered readily. Other times, company executives may know only that a problem exists as evidenced by a decline in sales. In these cases, the marketing research analyst is expected to collect the facts that will aid in revealing and resolving the problem.
REQUIREMENTS High School Most employers require their marketing research analysts to hold at least a bachelor’s degree, so a college preparatory program is advised. Classes in English, marketing, economics, mathematics, psychology, and sociology are particularly important. Courses in computing are especially useful, since a great deal of tabulation and statistical analysis is required in the marketing research field. Postsecondary Training A bachelor’s degree is essential for careers in marketing research. Majors in marketing, business administration, statistics, computer science, history, or economics provide a good background for most types of research positions. In addition, course work in sociology and psychology is helpful for those who are leaning toward consumer demand and opinion research. Since quantitative skills are important in various types of industrial or analytic research, students interested in these areas should take statistics, econometrics, survey design, sampling theory, and other mathematics courses. Many employers prefer that a marketing research analyst hold a master’s degree as well as a bachelor’s degree. A master’s of business administration, for example, is frequently required on projects calling for complex statistical and business analysis. Graduate work at the doctorate level is not necessary for most positions, but it is highly desirable for those who plan to become involved in advanced research studies. Certification and Licensing The Marketing Research Association offers certification for marketing research analysts. Contact the association for more information. Other Requirements To work in this career, you should be intelligent, detail oriented, and accurate; have the ability to work easily with words and numbers; and be particularly interested in solving problems through data collection and analysis. In addition, you must be patient and persistent, since long hours are often required when working on complex studies. As part of the market research team, you must be able to work well with others and have an interest in people. The ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, is also important, since you will be responsible for writing up detailed reports on the findings in various studies and presenting recommendations to management. EXPLORING You can find many opportunities in high school to learn more about the necessary skills for the field of marketing research. For example, experiments in science, problems in student government, committee work, and other school activities provide exposure to situations similar to those encountered by marketing research analysts. You can also seek part-time employment as a survey interviewer at local marketing research firms. Gathering field data for consumer surveys offers valuable experience through actual contact with both the public and marketing research supervisors. In addition, many companies seek a variety of other employees to code, tabulate, and edit surveys; monitor telephone interviews; and validate the information entered on written questionnaires. You can search for job listings in local newspapers and on the Web or apply directly to research organizations. If you are interested in working in the telecommunications industry, it is a good idea to learn as much as you can about cable providers, wireless and traditional phone companies, and other service providers. Study their marketing materials on television, radio, the Internet, and in the U.S. mail to learn more about the products and services they offer. Try to determine which company has the best advertising campaign and identify the reasons why you believe that company has a superior campaign. Write your own marketing materials for companies that did not impress you. EMPLOYERS Approximately 6,000 marketing research analysts are employed in the U.S. telecommunications industry. Large corporations including those that specialize in telecommunications, industrial firms, advertising agencies, data collection businesses, and private research organizations that handle local surveys for companies on a contract basis employ marketing research analysts. While many marketing research organizations offer a broad range of services, some firms subcontract parts of an overall project out to specialized companies. For example, one research firm may concentrate on product inter-• views, while another might focus on measuring the effectiveness of product advertising. Although many smaller firms located all across the country out- source studies to marketing research firms, these research firms, along with most large corporations that employ marketing research analysts, are located in such big cities as New York or Chicago. Approximately 90 percent of salaried marketing research analysts are employed in private industry, but opportunities also exist in government and academia, as well as at hospitals, public libraries, and a variety of other types of organizations. STARTING OUT Students with a graduate degree in marketing research and experience in quantitative techniques have the best chances of landing jobs as marketing research analysts. Since a bachelor’s degree in marketing or business is usually not sufficient to obtain such a position, many employees without postgraduate degrees start out as research assistants, trainees, interviewers, or questionnaire editors. In such positions, those aspiring to the job of research analyst can gain valuable experience conducting interviews, analyzing data, and writing reports. Use your college career services office, the Web, and help wanted sections of local newspapers to look for job leads. Another way to get into the marketing research field is through personal and professional contacts. Names and telephone numbers of potential employers may come from professors, friends, or relatives. Students who have participated in internships or have held marketing research- related jobs on a part-time basis while in school or during the summer may be able to obtain employment at these firms or at similar organizations. Finally, CTAM: Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing offers job listings at its Web site, http://www.ctam.com. ADVANCEMENT Most marketing research professionals begin as junior analysts or research assistants. In these positions, they help in preparing questionnaires and related materials, training survey interviewers, and tabulating and coding survey results. After gaining sufficient experience in these and other aspects of research project development, employees are often assigned their own research projects, which usually involve supervisory and planning responsibilities. A typical promotion path for those climbing the company ladder might be from assistant researcher to marketing research analyst to assistant manager and then to manager of a branch office for a large private research firm. From there, some professionals become market research executives or research directors for industrial or business firms. Since marketing research analysts learn about all aspects of marketing on the job, some advance by moving to positions in other departments, such as advertising or sales. Depending on the interests and experience of marketing professionals, other areas of employment to which they can advance include data processing, teaching at the university level, statistics, economics, and industrial research and development. In general, few employees go from starting positions to executive jobs at one company. Advancement often requires changing employers. Therefore, marketing research analysts who want to move up the ranks frequently go from one company to another, sometimes many times during their careers. EARNINGS Beginning salaries in marketing research depend on the qualifications of the employee, the nature of the position, and the size of the firm. Interviewers, coders, tabulators, editors, and a variety of other employees usually get paid by the hour and may start at $6 or more per hour. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that in 2006, mean annual earnings of marketing research analysts employed in the telecommunications industry were $74,350. Salaries for marketing research analysts employed in all fields ranged from less than $32,250 to more than $112,510. Experienced analysts working in supervisory positions at large firms can earn even higher earnings. Market research directors earn up to $200,000. Because business or industrial firms employ most marketing research workers, they receive typical fringe benefit packages, including health and life insurance, pension plans, and paid vacation and sick leave. WORK ENVIRONMENT Marketing research analysts usually work a 40-hour week. Occasionally, overtime is necessary in order to meet project deadlines. Although they frequently interact with a variety of marketing research team members, analysts also do a lot of independent work, analyzing data, writing reports, and preparing statistical charts. While most marketing research analysts work in offices located at the firm’s main headquarters, those who supervise interviewers may go into the field to oversee work. In order to attend conferences, meet with clients, or check on the progress of various research studies, many marketing research analysts find that regular travel is required. OUTLOOK Despite the fact that the U.S. Department of Labor predicts slower- than-average growth for marketing research analysts employed in the telecommunications industry, opportunities should still be good since telecommunications companies are constantly looking for ways to gain the competitive edge and attract more customers. While many new graduates are attracted to the field, those individuals who hold a master’s degree or doctorate in marketing research, statistics, economics, or computer science will be in a superior position to obtain the most attractive jobs and the highest salaries in this occupational employment market. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for marketing research analysts employed in all industries will grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Increasing competition among producers of consumer goods and services and industrial products, combined with a growing awareness of the value of marketing research data, will contribute to opportunities in the field. Opportunities will be best for those with graduate degrees. FOR MORE INFORMATION For information on college chapters, internship opportunities, and financial aid opportunities, contact American Advertising Federation 1101 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005-6306 Tel: 202-898-0089 Email: aaf@aaf.org For information on graduate programs, contact American Association for Public Opinion Research P0 Box 14263 Lenexa, KS 66285-4263 Tel: 913-895-4601 Email: info@aapor.org For information on advertising agencies, contact American Association of Advertising Agencies 405 Lexington Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10174-18 01 Tel: 212-682-2500 For career resources and job listings, contact American Marketing Association 311 South Wacker Drive, Suite 5800 Chicago, IL 60606-6629 Tel: 800-262-1150 For industry information, contact CTAM: Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing 201 North Union Street, Suite 440 Alexandria, VA 223 14-2642 Tel: 703-549-4200 Email: info@ctam.com For comprehensive information on market and opinion research, contact Council for Marketing and Opinion Research 110 National Drive, 2nd Floor Glastonbury, CT 06033-1212 Tel: 860-657-1881 Email: information@cmor.org For information on graduate programs in marketing, contact Council of American Survey Research Organizations 170 North Country Road, Suite 4 Port Jefferson, NY 11777-2606 Tel: 631-928-6954 Email: casro@casro.org For information on education, training, and certification, contact Marketing Research Association 110 National Drive, 2nd Floor Glastonbury, CT 06033-1212 Tel: 860-682-1000 Email: email@mra-net.org For information on careers and the cable industry, contact National Cable and Telecommunications Association 25 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington, DC 20001-1434 Tel: 202-222-2300 For information on educational programs and job opportunities in wireless technology (cellular, PCS, and satellite), contact Personal Communications Industry Association 901 North Washington Street, Suite 600 Alexandria VA 22314-1535 Tel: 800-759-0300 For career information, visit Careers Outside the Box: Survey Research: A Fun, Exciting, Rewarding Career PREV: Line
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