Market Research Guide: Types, Methods, Process & Examples

Market Research Guide: Types, Methods, Process, Examples & What a Market Research Study Should Contain

A company wants to launch a new product.

Management believes:

Customers will love it.

The sales team says:

The price should be EGP 15,000.

Marketing says:

Our target audience is young professionals.

The CEO believes:

Saudi Arabia should be our next market.

Everyone has an opinion.

But where is the evidence?

This is where market research begins.

Market research replaces:

We think

with:

The evidence suggests.

It can help a company understand:

• How large a market is.
• Who the customers are.
• What customers need.
• How customers behave.
• What they currently buy.
• Why they choose competitors.
• What they are willing to pay.
• Which segments are most attractive.
• Whether a product concept has potential.
• Which market should be entered first.
• How a brand is perceived.
• Which messages resonate.
• Which commercial risks need attention.

Market research is therefore not simply:

Send a survey.

A professional research project can combine:

Business Question

↓

Research Objectives

↓

Secondary Research

↓

Primary Research

↓

Qualitative Research

↓

Quantitative Research

↓

Sampling

↓

Data Collection

↓

Analysis

↓

Insight

↓

Recommendation

↓

Business Decision

Qualtrics defines market research as the process of gathering, analyzing and interpreting information about a target audience, market or competitors in order to understand what people need, want, think and do.

At Udjat Agency, the purpose of research is not to produce a beautiful 120-page PDF.

The objective is:

Reduce uncertainty before an important business decision.

What Is Market Research?

Market research is the structured process of collecting and analyzing information about:

• Markets.
• Customers.
• Competitors.
• Products.
• Demand.
• Pricing.
• Buying behaviour.

to support business decisions.

The exact research design depends on the decision.

A company considering Egypt market entry needs different research from a restaurant trying to understand why customers are not returning.

A SaaS company testing pricing needs different research from a developer evaluating demand for a new real-estate project.

That is why there is no single universal:

market research template.

The method should follow the question.

Market Research Meaning in Simple Words

The simplest definition is:

Market research is the process of finding reliable evidence about customers, competitors and markets before making business decisions.

It answers questions such as:

Is there a market?

Who needs this?

How large is the opportunity?

What do customers want?

Who already serves them?

Why do they choose?

What will they pay?

How should we compete?

Why Is Market Research Important?

Businesses make expensive decisions.

Examples:

• Opening a branch.
• Launching a product.
• Entering a country.
• Building software.
• Changing prices.
• Rebranding.
• Investing millions in advertising.

Research cannot eliminate risk.

It can reduce avoidable uncertainty.

Without research, a company may discover after launch that:

• The customer problem was not urgent.
• The market was smaller than expected.
• Customers would not pay the intended price.
• A major competitor already dominated the category.
• The wrong segment was targeted.
• Distribution was impossible.
• The product was solving the wrong problem.

Finding these things before scaling is usually cheaper than finding them after.

Market Research Is Not About Proving Management Right

One of the most dangerous research briefs is:

We believe customers want this. Please prove it.

That is confirmation bias.

Good research must be capable of finding:

Customers do not care enough.

or:

This is the wrong target segment.

or:

The market opportunity is smaller than management expected.

A negative research finding can still create enormous value.

It may prevent:

• Product-development waste.
• Failed geographic expansion.
• Bad advertising investment.

Market Research vs Marketing Research

The terms are often used interchangeably, but a useful distinction can be made.

Market Research

Primarily studies the market itself:

• Market size.
• Demand.
• Customers.
• Segmentation.
• Competitors.
• Market trends.

Marketing Research

Can be broader and include research into:

• Advertising.
• Branding.
• Campaigns.
• Product concepts.
• Pricing.
• Customer experience.
• Marketing effectiveness.

SurveyMonkey similarly distinguishes market research around a target market from the broader marketing-research discipline while acknowledging substantial overlap.

In practice, businesses commonly use:

market research

as the umbrella term for both.

The Main Types of Market Research

There are several ways to classify market research.

This is important because people often ask:

What are the types of market research?

and receive only:

Primary and secondary.

That is only one classification.

A more complete view looks at research according to:

Source

• Primary.
• Secondary.

Type of Data

• Qualitative.
• Quantitative.
• Mixed methods.

Research Objective

• Exploratory.
• Descriptive.
• Causal.

Business Problem

• Customer research.
• Competitor research.
• Product research.
• Pricing research.
• Brand research.
• Market sizing.
• Market-entry research.

These categories overlap.

For example:

A pricing study could be:

Primary + Quantitative + Descriptive

while an early product-discovery study could be:

Primary + Qualitative + Exploratory.

Understanding this prevents businesses from treating research methodologies as competing choices when they may actually describe different dimensions of the same study.

Type 1: Primary Market Research

Primary research means collecting new information specifically for the research question.

You are creating original data.

Common primary methods include:

• Surveys.
• Interviews.
• Focus groups.
• Observation.
• Product testing.
• Experiments.
• Mystery shopping.
• Diary studies.

ESOMAR’s guidance on primary research includes both quantitative and qualitative methods involving direct interaction with participants, such as surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, ethnographic work and observational techniques.

Primary Research Example

Imagine Udjat is studying Egyptian CEOs’ attitudes toward AI adoption.

There is no existing dataset answering the exact questions required.

The research team could:

• Interview 25 CEOs.
• Survey 400 business decision-makers.
• Analyze the results.

That is primary research.

Advantages of Primary Research

Specific

Designed around your actual business problem.

Current

Data can reflect today’s market.

Proprietary

Competitors may not have access to it.

Detailed

The research can investigate highly specific questions.

Limitations of Primary Research

Primary research can require more:

• Time.
• Budget.
• Recruitment.
• Methodological expertise.

Poorly designed primary research can also produce:

confidently wrong conclusions.

A bad survey does not become reliable because 1,000 people completed it.

Type 2: Secondary Market Research

Secondary research analyzes information that already exists.

Possible sources include:

• Government statistics.
• Industry publications.
• Financial reports.
• Academic research.
• Trade associations.
• Company reports.
• Competitor websites.
• Public databases.
• Regulatory publications.

SurveyMonkey describes secondary research as the analysis of previously published information, including government publications, industry reports and competitor information.

Secondary Research Example

Suppose an international technology company is evaluating Egypt.

Researchers might analyze:

• CAPMAS statistics.
• Central Bank data.
• GAFI investment information.
• ITIDA sector data.
• Competitor presence.
• Government policy.
• Company filings.

Before interviewing a single customer, the team can develop a substantial understanding of the market.

Why Secondary Research Usually Comes First

A good principle is:

Do not pay to discover something that reliable existing data already tells you.

Secondary research can help:

• Refine hypotheses.
• Estimate market size.
• Identify competitors.
• Understand terminology.
• Design primary research.

Then primary research fills the remaining information gaps.

Advantages of Secondary Research

• Faster.
• Often less expensive.
• Useful for market sizing.
• Useful for economic context.
• Useful before primary research.

Limitations of Secondary Research

The data may be:

• Outdated.
• Too broad.
• Collected for another purpose.
• Methodologically unclear.
• Based on a different market definition.

Researchers should always check:

• Source.
• Date.
• Method.
• Definitions.

Primary vs Secondary Market Research

Factor	Primary Research	Secondary Research
Data	Newly collected	Already exists
Specificity	High	Varies
Cost	Usually higher	Often lower
Speed	Slower	Faster
Ownership	Can be proprietary	Usually public/licensed
Best use	Specific unanswered questions	Market context and existing knowledge

Strong studies frequently use both.

Qualitative Market Research

Qualitative research focuses mainly on understanding:

Why?

It investigates:

• Motivations.
• Perceptions.
• Emotions.
• Experiences.
• Language.
• Attitudes.
• Unmet needs.

Qualtrics describes qualitative research as depth-oriented and exploratory, useful for uncovering motivations, perceptions, language and unmet needs rather than producing statistically representative estimates.

Common Qualitative Methods

• In-depth interviews.
• Focus groups.
• Ethnography.
• Observation.
• Diary studies.
• Open-ended responses.

Qualitative Research Example

A property developer wants to understand why buyers abandon property purchases after an initial enquiry.

Interviews reveal:

Buyers do not understand the real total payment commitment.

That insight might never appear clearly inside website analytics.

Qualitative research discovers the reason behind behaviour.

When to Use Qualitative Research

Use qualitative methods when you need to:

• Explore a new problem.
• Understand customer motivations.
• Discover unmet needs.
• Understand language.
• Test early concepts.
• Explore objections.
• Generate hypotheses.

It is especially powerful at the beginning of research.

Quantitative Market Research

Quantitative research focuses on numerical measurement.

It answers questions such as:

• How many?
• How often?
• How much?
• What percentage?
• Which segment?
• How strong is the preference?

Qualtrics describes quantitative research as structured research designed to measure patterns, relationships and tradeoffs at scale.

Common Quantitative Methods

• Surveys.
• Polls.
• Experiments.
• Transaction analysis.
• Large behavioural datasets.
• Analytics.

Quantitative Research Example

After interviews identify price as an issue, a company surveys:

600 target customers

to measure:

• Price acceptance.
• Purchase intention.
• Feature preference.

Qualitative research found the issue.

Quantitative research measures how widespread it is.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

Qualitative	Quantitative
Explains why	Measures how much
Smaller samples	Usually larger samples
Flexible questions	Structured questions
Interviews/groups	Surveys/data
Rich detail	Statistical patterns
Exploratory	Measurement-oriented

Neither is inherently better.

The correct method depends on the decision.

Mixed-Methods Market Research

Many of the strongest research projects combine both.

A common sequence is:

Qualitative Exploration

↓

Develop Hypotheses

↓

Quantitative Validation

For example:

Stage 1

Interview 20 customers.

Discover five major purchase drivers.

Stage 2

Survey 500 customers.

Measure how important each driver is across the market.

Now the business receives:

depth

plus:

scale.

Exploratory Research

Exploratory research is used when the problem is not yet clearly understood.

You may know:

Sales are falling.

But you do not know:

Why.

Exploratory research helps discover possible explanations.

Methods often include:

• Interviews.
• Focus groups.
• Desk research.
• Observation.

Its objective is often to generate:

hypotheses.

Exploratory Research Example

Problem:

Customer churn increased.

Research might discover possible reasons:

• Pricing.
• Support.
• Onboarding.
• Competitor offers.
• Missing features.

Then further research can determine which factor matters most.

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research aims to measure or describe a market accurately.

Examples:

• Brand awareness.
• Customer demographics.
• Market share.
• Purchase frequency.
• Customer satisfaction.

Question:

What percentage of customers recognize Brand X?

This is fundamentally descriptive.

Causal Research

Causal research attempts to determine whether changing one factor causes a change in another.

Example:

Does reducing the subscription price increase conversion?

A controlled test could compare:

Group A

Original price.

Group B

New price.

Then measure outcomes.

Causal evidence generally requires stronger experimental design than simply observing correlation.

Exploratory vs Descriptive vs Causal

Type	Main Question
Exploratory	What might be happening?
Descriptive	What is happening and how much?
Causal	Does X cause Y?

A mature research programme may use all three.

The Major Market Research Methods

Now we can move from research types to actual techniques.

Surveys

Surveys use standardized questions to collect structured information from respondents.

They are useful for measuring:

• Awareness.
• Behaviour.
• Preferences.
• Satisfaction.
• Purchase intention.
• Pricing.

SurveyMonkey notes that surveys can quantify patterns discovered through qualitative work and are frequently combined with interviews and focus groups.

Survey Advantages

• Scalable.
• Comparable.
• Quantifiable.
• Relatively fast online.

Survey Risks

• Poor sampling.
• Leading questions.
• Respondent fatigue.
• Misunderstood questions.
• Self-report bias.

The tool is easy.

Good survey design is not.

In-Depth Interviews

In-depth interviews are one-to-one conversations with carefully selected participants.

They allow the researcher to ask:

Why?

and:

Tell me more.

They are valuable for:

• Complex B2B decisions.
• Executive research.
• Customer journeys.
• Product discovery.
• Win/loss research.

B2B Interview Example

Interview:

• CEOs.
• Procurement managers.
• IT directors.

about how enterprise software is selected.

The research may reveal hidden buying factors such as:

• Implementation risk.
• Internal politics.
• Vendor credibility.

These may never appear in a generic survey.

Focus Groups

Focus groups bring several target participants into a moderated discussion.

They can be useful for:

• Concept testing.
• Messaging.
• Packaging.
• Reactions.

They also allow researchers to observe:

group dynamics.

But group influence can create bias.

Not every research question belongs in a focus group.

Observation

Observation studies what people actually do.

This can be valuable because:

what customers say they do

and:

what customers actually do

are not always identical.

Possible uses:

• Retail behaviour.
• Store navigation.
• Website behaviour.
• Service experience.

Ethnographic Research

Ethnography studies customers within their natural environment.

Instead of asking:

How do you prepare meals?

the researcher might observe how families actually prepare food.

This can reveal:

• Workarounds.
• Context.
• Hidden needs.

Diary Studies

Participants record experiences over time.

Useful for:

• Long customer journeys.
• Health routines.
• Financial behaviour.
• Product usage.

Diary research can reveal behaviour that a single interview misses.

Mystery Shopping

Researchers act as customers and evaluate:

• Sales.
• Service.
• Branch experience.
• Competitor experience.

Useful in:

• Retail.
• Hospitality.
• Banking.
• Automotive.
• Healthcare service environments where appropriate.

Product Testing

Potential customers use or evaluate a product.

Researchers can measure:

• Usability.
• Satisfaction.
• Preference.
• Problems.
• Purchase intention.

Product testing is especially valuable before a large launch.

Concept Testing

A concept can be tested before the full product exists.

Present:

• Idea.
• Value proposition.
• Mock-up.
• Prototype.

Then measure:

• Relevance.
• Appeal.
• Differentiation.
• Purchase intent.

This is often much cheaper than building first.

A/B Testing

Two versions are compared.

Example:

Version A

“Book a Demo”

Version B

“Get a Free Assessment”

Measure:

• Conversion.

A/B testing can provide causal evidence when designed appropriately.

Social Listening

Social listening analyzes public discussions around:

• Brands.
• Categories.
• Trends.
• Customer problems.

Useful for:

• Language.
• Sentiment.
• Emerging topics.

But social users may not represent the total target market.

Search Data Research

Search behaviour can reveal:

• Demand.
• Problems.
• Brand awareness.
• Competitor interest.

Search data is especially useful for:

• SEO.
• Product research.
• Market-entry research.

But search volume represents:

search behaviour

not automatically:

total market demand.

Customer Data Research

Existing internal data is frequently underused.

Potential sources:

• CRM.
• Sales.
• Transactions.
• Customer support.
• Website analytics.
• Reviews.

Research may reveal:

• Highest-value segment.
• Best lead source.
• Most profitable product.

Sometimes the first research project should begin inside the company’s own database.

Major Business Types of Market Research

The method is only one dimension.

Research can also be classified by the business question.

Market Sizing Research

Market sizing estimates:

How big is the opportunity?

Common frameworks include:

• TAM.
• SAM.
• SOM.

TAM

Total Addressable Market

Maximum theoretical market.

SAM

Serviceable Available Market

The part the company can realistically serve given its offering and geography.

SOM

Serviceable Obtainable Market

The portion the company could realistically capture in the foreseeable future.

Example of TAM, SAM and SOM

Imagine CRM software.

TAM:

All relevant businesses across MENA:

EGP 20 billion.

SAM:

Egyptian and Saudi businesses matching the current product:

EGP 4 billion.

SOM:

Realistic first-stage target:

EGP 300 million.

The SOM is usually more useful operationally than an impressive TAM slide.

Top-Down Market Sizing

Start with a large known market estimate.

Then narrow.

Example:

Total restaurant technology market.

↓

Egypt.

↓

Independent restaurants.

↓

Target segment.

Advantages:

• Fast.

Limitations:

• Can depend too heavily on broad assumptions.

Bottom-Up Market Sizing

Build the estimate from customer-level economics.

Example:

Number of realistic target customers:

10,000

Average annual spend:

EGP 20,000

Market:

EGP 200 million

Bottom-up estimates can be more operationally useful when reliable inputs exist.

Customer Research

Customer research investigates:

• Needs.
• Motivations.
• Behaviours.
• Pain points.
• Satisfaction.
• Decisions.

It can support:

• Product.
• Marketing.
• Sales.
• Customer experience.

Customer Segmentation Research

Segmentation identifies groups with meaningfully different:

• Needs.
• Behaviour.
• Economics.

Udjat’s STP Marketing framework explains how segmentation then feeds Targeting and Positioning.

Buyer Persona Research

Buyer personas examine specific individuals involved in purchase decisions.

In B2B:

• CEO.
• CFO.
• Marketing Director.
• Procurement.

But personas should be based on evidence.

Not fictional biographies such as:

Ahmed enjoys coffee and Netflix.

unless those details materially affect purchasing.

Jobs-to-Be-Done Research

Instead of focusing only on demographics, ask:

What progress is the customer trying to make?

Example:

A customer does not buy CRM because:

they want CRM software.

They may buy it because:

sales leads keep disappearing.

That distinction improves product and messaging decisions.

Competitor Research

Competitor research evaluates:

• Competitors.
• Products.
• Prices.
• Positioning.
• Distribution.
• Reviews.
• Strengths.
• Weaknesses.

Include:

Direct Competitors

Same category.

Indirect Competitors

Different solution to same problem.

Status Quo

Doing nothing.

The status quo is often the largest competitor.

Competitor Research Questions

• Who dominates?
• Why?
• What do customers like?
• What do customers dislike?
• What do they charge?
• Which segments do they target?
• Which claims do they own?
• Where are gaps?

Do not copy competitors.

Understand the competitive system.

Product Research

Product research can include:

• Need discovery.
• Feature prioritization.
• Concept testing.
• Prototype testing.
• Product-market fit.

Udjat’s Product Marketing Agency Egypt capability connects customer research with commercial product decisions.

Pricing Research

Pricing research answers:

• What will customers pay?
• How price-sensitive are they?
• Which package works?
• What is perceived as cheap or expensive?

Methods can include:

• Direct willingness-to-pay questions.
• Price sensitivity studies.
• Conjoint analysis.
• Choice experiments.

Never rely on a single question:

How much would you pay?

Customers are not always accurate predictors of their own future behaviour.

Conjoint Analysis

Conjoint analysis asks respondents to evaluate different combinations of:

• Features.
• Prices.
• Brands.

Researchers infer which attributes drive preference.

This can be valuable for:

• Pricing.
• Packaging.
• Product design.

Brand Research

Brand research can measure:

• Awareness.
• Recall.
• Associations.
• Consideration.
• Preference.
• Brand perception.

Questions might include:

Which companies come to mind when you think of digital marketing agencies in Egypt?

That measures:

unaided awareness.

Then:

Which of the following agencies have you heard of?

measures:

aided awareness.

Positioning Research

Positioning research asks:

How does the customer perceive competing brands?

Potential methods:

• Interviews.
• Surveys.
• Perceptual mapping.

This can show whether the intended position matches customer reality.

Advertising Research

Advertising research may test:

• Creative concepts.
• Messages.
• Recall.
• Persuasion.
• Purchase intent.

It can happen:

Pre-Campaign

Concept testing.

During Campaign

Optimization.

Post-Campaign

Effectiveness measurement.

Customer Satisfaction Research

Common measures include:

CSAT

Customer Satisfaction Score.

NPS

Net Promoter Score.

CES

Customer Effort Score.

Each measures a different aspect of experience.

Do not use one score as a complete customer strategy.

Customer Experience Research

CX research maps:

Discovery

↓

Purchase

↓

Onboarding

↓

Usage

↓

Support

↓

Retention

The objective is to identify:

• Friction.
• Expectations.
• Failure points.

Market Entry Research

Before entering Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE or another market, study:

• Market size.
• Customers.
• Competition.
• Regulation.
• Pricing.
• Distribution.
• Localization.
• Sales.

This research should directly support the Go-to-Market Strategy.

Location Research

Useful for:

• Restaurants.
• Clinics.
• Retail.
• Branches.

Variables may include:

• Population.
• Traffic.
• Competitors.
• Income.
• Catchment.
• Accessibility.

The busiest location is not automatically the most profitable.

B2B Market Research

B2B research presents specific challenges.

Markets can be:

• Smaller.
• More specialized.
• Harder to recruit.

Relevant participants may be:

• CEOs.
• Engineers.
• Procurement directors.

That means a study with:

20 carefully selected interviews

may be more valuable than:

1,000 random consumer responses.

Research quality depends on:

who is asked

not only:

how many.

Consumer Market Research

Consumer research may include:

• Surveys.
• Focus groups.
• Social listening.
• Retail observation.
• Behavioural data.

Large consumer markets may justify more extensive quantitative sampling.

How to Conduct Market Research Step by Step

A professional market research process should follow a structured sequence.

Step 1: Define the Business Decision

Do not begin with:

We need market research.

Begin with:

What decision are we trying to make?

Examples:

• Should we enter Egypt?
• Which Product should we launch?
• What should we charge?
• Which segment should we target?

The decision determines the study.

Step 2: Write the Research Objectives

Translate the business decision into questions.

Example:

Business decision:

Should we launch Product X?

Research objectives:

• Measure customer need.
• Understand alternatives.
• Test concept appeal.
• Estimate willingness to pay.
• Identify target segment.

Now the research has boundaries.

Step 3: Define Hypotheses

Possible hypothesis:

Mid-sized manufacturers have greater demand than small manufacturers.

Research can test it.

Hypotheses prevent random data collection.

But the team must remain open to disproving them.

Step 4: Conduct Secondary Research

Investigate what already exists.

This should help refine:

• Questions.
• Market definitions.
• Competitors.
• Sampling.

Step 5: Choose Research Methods

Ask:

Do we need:

Why?

Use qualitative.

Do we need:

How many?

Use quantitative.

Do we need both?

Use mixed methods.

Step 6: Define the Target Population

Who actually has the information?

If researching ERP purchase decisions, your participants may need to be:

• CFOs.
• Operations Directors.
• IT Managers.

Do not survey:

anyone who works in a business.

Population quality matters.

Step 7: Develop the Sampling Plan

Sampling determines:

Who from the population participates?

Probability Sampling

Participants have a known probability of selection.

Examples:

• Simple random.
• Stratified.
• Cluster.

Useful when statistical inference matters.

Non-Probability Sampling

Selection probabilities are not fully known.

Examples:

• Convenience.
• Purposive.
• Quota.
• Snowball.

Very common in practical business research, especially B2B.

But conclusions should reflect the sampling limitations.

Step 8: Determine Sample Size

There is no magical sample size appropriate for every study.

For a large population, a frequently used simple proportion estimate at:

• 95% confidence.
• 5 percentage-point margin of error.
• Maximum variability assumption.

produces approximately:

385 completed responses

under probability-sampling assumptions.

That does not mean:

every survey needs 385 people.

Sample size also depends on:

• Population.
• Segments.
• Expected incidence.
• Confidence.
• Precision.
• Research method.
• Budget.

And non-probability samples do not magically gain statistical representativeness simply by becoming large.

Step 9: Design the Questionnaire or Discussion Guide

Every question should connect to a research objective.

If a question will not influence:

• Analysis.
• Decision.

consider removing it.

Good Survey Question

Which of the following factors most influenced your most recent purchase?

Weak Survey Question

Don’t you agree that our innovative product offers excellent value?

That is leading.

Avoid Double-Barrelled Questions

Bad:

How satisfied are you with our pricing and customer service?

What if:

pricing = good

service = bad?

Separate the questions.

Avoid Ambiguous Terms

Bad:

Do you purchase frequently?

What does frequently mean?

Use defined periods.

Example:

How many times have you purchased during the last 30 days?

Step 10: Pilot the Research

Test the questionnaire with a small group.

Look for:

• Confusing questions.
• Broken logic.
• Excessive duration.
• Missing answers.

A pilot can prevent expensive errors.

Step 11: Collect Data

Maintain consistent procedures.

For interviews:

• Same key themes.
• Neutral probing.

For surveys:

• Quality controls.
• Duplicate detection.
• Speeding checks.

Research quality depends on the fieldwork.

Step 12: Clean the Data

Remove or investigate:

• Duplicates.
• Impossible responses.
• Straight-lining.
• Fraudulent responses.
• Incomplete data.

Data collection is not the end.

Step 13: Analyze the Findings

Good analysis moves from:

Data

to:

Pattern

to:

Insight

to:

Implication.

Example:

Data:

68% of customers mention delivery time.

Insight:

Speed is a major category decision factor.

Implication:

Distribution may deserve more investment than promotion.

That final step is what management needs.

Step 14: Segment the Findings

The overall average can hide important differences.

Perhaps:

Overall purchase intention:

45%.

But:

Segment A:

72%.

Segment B:

19%.

Now the study produces a strategic targeting insight.

Step 15: Create Recommendations

Recommendations should answer:

What should the company do differently because of this research?

Examples:

• Prioritize Segment A.
• Delay market entry.
• Reduce price.
• Change positioning.
• Add feature X.
• Test distributor model.

A report without recommendations may simply transfer the analytical burden to management.

What Should a Market Research Report Contain?

A professional report can contain:

1. Executive Summary

Most important findings and decisions.

2. Business Context

Why the study exists.

3. Objectives

What the research aimed to answer.

4. Methodology

How the research was conducted.

5. Sample

Who participated.

6. Market Overview

Size, trends and structure.

7. Customer Findings

Needs and behaviours.

8. Segmentation

Major customer groups.

9. Competitors

Competitive landscape.

10. Product Findings

Need and concept fit.

11. Pricing

Price sensitivity and benchmarks.

12. Opportunities

Where the company could win.

13. Risks

What could fail.

14. Recommendations

What management should do.

15. Action Plan

What happens next.

16. Appendix

Questionnaire, technical detail and supporting data.

Executive Summary Example

Weak:

423 respondents completed the survey and the charts are shown below.

Stronger:

Mid-market manufacturers represent the most attractive initial segment because they report materially higher operational pain, stronger willingness to change systems and higher expected contract value than smaller businesses. We recommend prioritizing this segment during the first GTM phase.

Management needs:

meaning

not just:

data.

What Should a Market Research Proposal Contain?

Before research begins, a proposal should usually define:

• Business problem.
• Objectives.
• Methodology.
• Target population.
• Sample.
• Recruitment.
• Questionnaire/interview design.
• Fieldwork.
• Analysis.
• Deliverables.
• Timeline.
• Responsibilities.
• Limitations.

This protects both:

client

and:

research team

from scope ambiguity.

What Is a Research Brief?

The client-side research brief should explain:

Business Context

Why now?

Decision

What will management decide?

Existing Knowledge

What do we already know?

Knowledge Gaps

What do we still need?

Audience

Who matters?

Geography

Which markets?

Deadline

When is the decision?

Budget

What resources exist?

A good brief dramatically improves research quality.

What Does a Market Research Questionnaire Contain?

Typical sections could include:

Screening

Is this person relevant?

Behaviour

What do they currently do?

Needs

What problems exist?

Awareness

Which brands do they know?

Consideration

Which brands would they consider?

Purchase Drivers

What matters?

Competitors

What alternatives exist?

Product

Which features matter?

Pricing

What do they pay?

Intent

Likelihood to purchase.

Profile

Relevant segmentation variables.

Question order matters.

Do not reveal the sponsor too early if doing so could bias responses.

Market Research Questions for Customers

Examples:

• What problem were you trying to solve?
• What triggered your search?
• What alternatives did you consider?
• Which factors mattered most?
• Why did you choose this provider?
• What nearly prevented purchase?
• What would improve the experience?

These can generate far richer insights than:

Do you like our Product?

Market Research Questions for Lost Customers

Win/loss research can ask:

• Why did you consider us?
• Which other companies did you evaluate?
• What mattered most?
• Where were we strongest?
• Where were we weakest?
• Why did you ultimately choose someone else?

These answers can improve:

• Positioning.
• Product.
• Pricing.
• Sales.

Market Research Questions for Competitor Customers

Ask:

• Why did you choose them?
• What do they do especially well?
• What frustrates you?
• What would make you switch?
• What do you wish they offered?

Competitor research becomes customer research.

How to Analyze Competitors

Build a structured matrix.

Factor	Us	Competitor A	Competitor B
Target Segment
Positioning
Product
Pricing
Distribution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Reviews

Then identify:

• Parity.
• Differentiation.
• Gaps.

Market Research and STP Marketing

Market research provides evidence.

STP Marketing turns it into customer strategy.

Research

↓

Segmentation

↓

Targeting

↓

Positioning

For example:

Research discovers five segments.

STP determines:

Which segment deserves priority?

Market Research and the 4Ps

Research can inform every element of the Marketing 4Ps.

Product Research

What should we offer?

Price Research

What should we charge?

Place Research

Where should we sell?

Promotion Research

What should we communicate?

The 4Ps are stronger when they are based on evidence.

Market Research and the 7Ps

For services, research can also inform the 7Ps Marketing:

• Product.
• Price.
• Place.
• Promotion.
• People.
• Process.
• Physical Evidence.

Customer interviews might reveal that:

Process

rather than:

Promotion

is the main problem.

That changes the marketing investment decision.

Market Research and the Ansoff Matrix

The Ansoff Matrix identifies growth directions.

Research validates them.

Market Penetration

How much opportunity remains?

Market Development

Is the new market attractive?

Product Development

What unmet needs exist?

Diversification

Is there evidence supporting a completely new direction?

The Matrix creates options.

Research tests the assumptions.

Market Research and the BCG Matrix

The BCG Matrix requires evidence about:

• Market growth.
• Relative market share.

Market research can provide the market-side data needed for portfolio analysis.

Market Research and SOSTAC

Research primarily strengthens the Situation Analysis stage of SOSTAC.

Situation

What is happening?

↓

Objectives

What should change?

↓

Strategy

What will we do?

Bad Situation Analysis creates bad Strategy.

Research improves the foundation.

Market Research and Go-to-Market Strategy

A Go-to-Market Strategy should rarely be built entirely from assumptions.

Research can validate:

• Market.
• Customer.
• Competitors.
• Pricing.
• Positioning.
• Distribution.

A better sequence is:

Research

↓

GTM Strategy

↓

Launch

rather than:

Launch

↓

Discover assumptions were wrong.

Market Research in Egypt

Companies conducting research in Egypt can combine primary research with authoritative secondary sources.

Useful official sources include:

CAPMAS

The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics provides official Egyptian demographic, economic, labour, trade and establishment data.

CAPMAS describes itself as a key official source of data and information supporting planning, studies and decision-making.

GAFI

The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones provides:

• Investment data.
• Company incorporation data.
• Investment-zone information.

GAFI currently reports 50,607 companies incorporated in FY2025/26 and 1,159 companies expanding, demonstrating the continuing movement within Egypt’s business environment.

ITIDA

For technology research, ITIDA provides information about Egypt’s ICT and offshoring environment.

Its 2026 industry outlook reports ICT-sector annual growth around 14–16% and more than 270 global service-delivery centres serving clients across more than 100 countries.

Central Bank of Egypt

Useful for:

• Inflation.
• Interest rates.
• Financial-sector information.
• Monetary conditions.

Government Ministries and Regulators

Useful for sector-specific information.

Secondary sources should always be evaluated for:

• Date.
• Definition.
• Methodology.

Egypt Research Requires Local Context

An international research report might say:

Consumers prefer digital purchasing.

But that does not answer:

• Cash vs cards?
• WhatsApp vs website?
• Cairo vs Alexandria?
• Arabic vs English?
• Distributor vs direct?

Local primary research can reveal the layer global reports cannot.

Researching Egypt for Market Entry

International businesses should investigate:

Demand

Is there actual demand?

Segments

Who should be targeted first?

Price

What will customers pay locally?

Competition

Who owns the category?

Localization

What needs adapting?

Route to Market

How will customers buy?

This directly feeds an Egypt GTM strategy.

How Much Does Market Research Cost?

There is no universal research price.

Cost depends on:

• Geography.
• Sample.
• Audience difficulty.
• Method.
• Number of interviews.
• Survey length.
• Reporting complexity.

A consumer online survey may be significantly less expensive than recruiting:

30 Egyptian hospital CEOs.

Research budget should follow:

decision importance

and:

required confidence.

Cheap Research Can Be Expensive

Suppose a business plans to invest:

EGP 50 million

in a new project.

Saving:

EGP 100,000

by skipping proper research may create false economy.

The more expensive the decision:

the more valuable uncertainty reduction may become.

How Long Does Market Research Take?

Timing varies.

Rapid Desk Research

Days.

Small Interview Study

Potentially weeks.

Quantitative Market Study

Several weeks.

Complex Multi-Country Research

Longer.

Do not compress research so heavily that recruitment or quality suffers.

But also avoid research paralysis.

The goal is:

enough evidence to improve the decision.

Common Market Research Mistakes

Starting With a Survey

Method before question.

Asking the Wrong People

Large bad sample.

Leading Questions

Research becomes validation theatre.

Using Only Existing Customers

They may not represent prospects.

Ignoring Lost Customers

These respondents may reveal major weaknesses.

Confusing Opinions With Behaviour

People do not always do what they say.

Tiny Segments

Results become unstable.

Ignoring Methodology

Management treats weak evidence as fact.

Collecting Too Much Data

Huge report.

No decision.

Cherry-Picking

Only reporting findings management likes.

Confusing Correlation and Causation

Two variables moving together does not prove one caused the other.

Treating One Study as Eternal Truth

Markets change.

Research Biases to Watch

Potential biases include:

• Selection bias.
• Response bias.
• Social desirability.
• Confirmation bias.
• Moderator bias.
• Non-response bias.
• Question-order effects.

Researchers should design studies to reduce these risks and disclose important limitations.

Research Ethics

Professional research should respect:

• Informed participation.
• Privacy.
• Appropriate data handling.
• Research transparency.

ESOMAR publishes international guidance covering responsible primary data collection and research practices.

Trust in the research process matters as much as methodological sophistication.

How to Know if Market Research Is Good

Ask:

Relevant?

Does it answer the business decision?

Representative Enough?

Does the sample fit the intended conclusions?

Neutral?

Were questions designed fairly?

Transparent?

Can we understand the methodology?

Current?

Is the data still relevant?

Actionable?

Does it change a decision?

A highly technical study that management cannot use may still fail commercially.

Market Research Quality Checklist

Question	Clear?
What business decision are we supporting?
What are the research objectives?
What is already known?
What information is missing?
Who is the correct target population?
Do we need primary research?
Do we need qualitative research?
Do we need quantitative research?
Is the sample appropriate?
Are questions neutral?
Has the questionnaire been piloted?
Are data-quality checks defined?
Can findings be segmented?
Are limitations disclosed?
Will results lead to decisions?

Market Research Project Template

Business Decision

We need to decide:

____________________________

Research Objective

We need to understand:

____________________________

Existing Knowledge

We already know:

____________________________

Knowledge Gap

We do not know:

____________________________

Market

The market is:

____________________________

Target Population

We need to hear from:

____________________________

Secondary Research

Sources:

____________________________

Qualitative Research

Method:

____________________________

Sample:

____________________________

Quantitative Research

Method:

____________________________

Sample:

____________________________

Key Questions

____________________________

Analysis

We will compare:

____________________________

Decision Criteria

Management will use the findings to decide:

____________________________

Market Research Deliverables

Depending on the study, Udjat can structure deliverables including:

• Executive research report.
• Market size.
• Market-growth analysis.
• Customer segmentation.
• Competitor landscape.
• Customer insights.
• Pricing analysis.
• Product findings.
• Positioning map.
• Market-entry assessment.
• Opportunity scorecard.
• Recommendations.
• GTM implications.
• Management presentation.
• Supporting dataset.

The exact deliverable should reflect:

the business decision.

Not a standard report template.

How Udjat Approaches Market Research

Udjat’s Market Research Company Egypt approach can connect research directly with commercial strategy.

A typical process can be:

1. Define

Clarify the decision.

2. Diagnose

Review existing data.

3. Research

Collect secondary and primary evidence.

4. Analyze

Find patterns and differences.

5. Segment

Identify attractive opportunities.

6. Interpret

Explain what the findings mean commercially.

7. Recommend

Define decisions.

8. Activate

Connect research with:

• Marketing Strategy.
• Product Marketing.
• GTM.
• Sales.

The objective is not:

research for research’s sake.

It is:

evidence that improves commercial decisions.

What Market Research Should Ultimately Answer

A strong research project should leave leadership clearer about:

Market

Where is the opportunity?

Customer

Who matters?

Need

What do they care about?

Competition

What are they using today?

Product

What should we offer?

Price

What will they pay?

Positioning

Why should they choose us?

Strategy

What should we do next?

If those answers remain unclear after the study:

more charts are unlikely to solve the problem.

Market Research Quick Facts

Primary research collects original data.

Secondary research analyzes existing information.

Qualitative research explains motivations and context.

Quantitative research measures patterns and magnitude.

Exploratory research discovers possible explanations.

Descriptive research measures what is happening.

Causal research tests cause-and-effect relationships.

Market research can support segmentation, pricing, Product development, branding, GTM and market entry.

Surveys are only one market research method.

A large sample cannot fix a badly designed questionnaire.

The correct respondent matters as much as sample size.

Market research should end in decisions, not only charts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Market Research

What is market research?

Market research is the systematic collection and analysis of information about markets, customers and competitors to support business decisions.

What are the main types of market research?

The two fundamental source categories are:

• Primary research.
• Secondary research.

Research can also be classified as:

• Qualitative.
• Quantitative.
• Exploratory.
• Descriptive.
• Causal.

What is primary market research?

Primary research is original research conducted specifically for the current business question.

Examples:

• Surveys.
• Interviews.
• Focus groups.

What is secondary market research?

Secondary research uses information that already exists.

Examples:

• Government statistics.
• Industry reports.
• Academic studies.
• Company data.

What is qualitative market research?

Qualitative research explores:

• Motivations.
• Opinions.
• Experiences.
• Language.

Common methods include interviews and focus groups.

What is quantitative market research?

Quantitative research uses numerical data to measure patterns across a population or sample.

Surveys are one common method.

What is mixed-method research?

Mixed methods combine qualitative and quantitative techniques to generate both depth and measurement.

What is exploratory market research?

Exploratory research is used when the problem is still unclear.

Its purpose is often to discover possible explanations and generate hypotheses.

What is descriptive market research?

Descriptive research measures characteristics or behaviour.

Examples:

• Awareness.
• Purchase frequency.
• Customer satisfaction.

What is causal market research?

Causal research investigates whether changing one variable causes another to change.

Experiments and controlled tests can support causal analysis.

What are the most common market research methods?

Common methods include:

• Surveys.
• Interviews.
• Focus groups.
• Observation.
• Ethnography.
• Product testing.
• Experiments.
• Secondary research.

What is a market research survey?

A structured questionnaire used to collect information from a target group.

What is a focus group?

A moderated discussion involving several members of the target market.

What is an in-depth interview?

A one-to-one conversation designed to explore experiences, motivations and decisions deeply.

Which is better: surveys or interviews?

Neither universally.

Use interviews for:

depth.

Use surveys for:

measurement.

Many projects use both.

How many people do I need for a market research survey?

It depends on:

• Population.
• Required precision.
• Segmentation.
• Sampling method.

There is no universally correct number.

Is 100 respondents enough?

Sometimes.

Sometimes not.

It depends on the decision and intended conclusions.

Sample quality is more important than using an arbitrary threshold.

What is sampling in market research?

Sampling is the process of selecting participants from the target population.

What is probability sampling?

Participants have a known chance of selection.

What is non-probability sampling?

The probability of selection is not fully known.

This includes purposive and convenience sampling.

What is market sizing?

Market sizing estimates the economic scale of an opportunity.

What are TAM, SAM and SOM?

TAM: Total Addressable Market.

SAM: Serviceable Available Market.

SOM: Serviceable Obtainable Market.

What is top-down market sizing?

Starting with a large existing market estimate and narrowing it to the relevant opportunity.

What is bottom-up market sizing?

Estimating the opportunity from customer counts and realistic customer-level economics.

What is competitor research?

The systematic analysis of competing offers, positioning, pricing, customers and strengths.

What is customer research?

Research designed to understand customer:

• Needs.
• Motivations.
• Behaviour.
• Problems.

What is product research?

Research used to understand product need, concepts, features and product-market fit.

What is pricing research?

Research used to evaluate:

• Willingness to pay.
• Pricing structures.
• Customer price sensitivity.

What is brand research?

Research measuring:

• Awareness.
• Perception.
• Associations.
• Preference.

What is market-entry research?

Research conducted before entering a new:

• Geography.
• Segment.
• Country.

What research should be conducted before entering Egypt?

A typical Egypt market-entry study can investigate:

• Market size.
• Customers.
• Competition.
• Pricing.
• Regulation.
• Distribution.
• Localization.
• GTM.

What official sources can be used for market research in Egypt?

Depending on the question:

• CAPMAS.
• GAFI.
• Central Bank of Egypt.
• ITIDA.
• Government ministries.
• Sector regulators.

Can Google Trends be used for market research?

Yes—as one data source.

It can indicate relative search-interest patterns.

It should not be treated as a complete measure of total market demand.

Can social media be used for market research?

Yes.

Social listening can reveal:

• Language.
• Sentiment.
• Trends.

But social-media audiences may not represent the full market.

Can AI conduct market research?

AI can assist with:

• Desk research.
• Coding.
• Analysis.
• Summarization.

But professional research still requires judgment around:

• Source reliability.
• Sampling.
• Bias.
• Methodology.
• Interpretation.

AI-generated assumptions should not be mistaken for customer evidence.

What does a market research report include?

A professional report typically includes:

• Executive summary.
• Objectives.
• Methodology.
• Findings.
• Segmentation.
• Competitive analysis.
• Opportunities.
• Recommendations.

What should a market research brief contain?

At minimum:

• Business problem.
• Decision.
• Objectives.
• Audience.
• Geography.
• Existing knowledge.
• Timeline.

How long does market research take?

From several days for focused secondary research to weeks or longer for complex primary or multi-market studies.

How much does market research cost?

The cost depends on:

• Method.
• Audience.
• Sample.
• Geography.
• Study complexity.

Is market research worth it for small businesses?

It can be.

The appropriate research does not need to be massive.

A small company could begin with:

• Customer interviews.
• Competitor analysis.
• Existing sales data.

Research should be proportional to the decision.

Do startups need market research?

Yes, particularly around:

• Customer need.
• Product-market fit.
• Pricing.
• Initial segment.

Research can prevent premature scaling.

What is B2B market research?

Market research focused on organizations and professional decision-makers rather than general consumers.

Why is B2B market research difficult?

Relevant respondents can be:

• Scarce.
• Senior.
• Specialized.

Recruitment therefore requires greater precision.

How is market research used for marketing strategy?

Research provides evidence about:

• Customer.
• Market.
• Competition.

Then Marketing Strategy translates those findings into decisions around:

• Targeting.
• Positioning.
• Channels.
• Customer journey.

How is market research used for Go-to-Market Strategy?

It validates the assumptions underneath:

• Market selection.
• ICP.
• Positioning.
• Pricing.
• Route to market.

Can Udjat conduct market research?

Yes.

Udjat can conduct and coordinate research across areas such as:

• Market sizing.
• Customer research.
• Competitor research.
• Segmentation.
• Pricing.
• Product.
• Market entry.
• Brand.
• GTM research.

The specific methodology depends on the business question.

How do I start a market research project with Udjat?

Begin with one question:

What business decision are we trying to make?

Then provide:

• Market.
• Product.
• Existing customers.
• Existing data.
• Competitors.
• Geography.
• Deadline.
• Business objective.

Meet Udjat Agency to convert that decision into an appropriate research methodology.

Conclusion: Good Research Does Not Give You More Data—It Gives You Better Decisions

A company can have:

hundreds of charts

thousands of survey responses

and:

dozens of competitor pages

and still have weak market research.

Because the purpose of research is not:

data collection.

It is:

uncertainty reduction.

The real process is:

Business Decision

↓

Research Question

↓

Research Method

↓

Right Respondents

↓

Reliable Evidence

↓

Insight

↓

Recommendation

↓

Action

That distinction matters.

If leadership wants to know:

Which market should we enter?

do not simply collect customer satisfaction scores.

If leadership wants to know:

What should we charge?

do not rely only on competitor websites.

If leadership wants to know:

Why are customers leaving?

do not begin with demographic segmentation.

The method must follow the question.

The strongest research programmes combine:

Secondary Evidence

Primary Research

Qualitative Understanding

Quantitative Measurement

Commercial Interpretation

and then connect the findings to:

STP

4Ps / 7Ps

Ansoff

Product Marketing

Go-to-Market Strategy

and:

Marketing Strategy.

Market research therefore sits near the beginning of the strategy process.

Because before asking:

How should we advertise this?

management should know:

Is this the right market, the right customer, the right offer and the right problem to solve?

If your business is preparing to launch a product, enter a market, change pricing, reposition a brand or make another significant commercial investment, meet Udjat Agency.

Before increasing the investment:

improve the evidence behind the decision.

Sources

1. ESOMAR / GRBN — Guideline for Primary Data Collection
   https://ana.esomar.org/documents/esomar-grbn-guideline-for-researchers-and-client-involved-in-primary-data-collection
   International research guidance covering surveys, interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research, observation and responsible primary-data collection.
2. Qualtrics — Market Research: Definition, Types and Analysis
   https://www.qualtrics.com/articles/strategy-research/market-research-guide/
   Current 2026 guide covering market research, qualitative and quantitative methodologies and research design.
3. SurveyMonkey — Market Research Guide
   https://www.surveymonkey.com/learn/market-research/
   Covers primary and secondary research, surveys, interviews, focus groups, product research and market-research planning.
4. CAPMAS — Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics
   https://www.capmas.gov.eg/
   Official Egyptian source for demographic, economic, employment, trade, establishment and statistical research.
5. GAFI — General Authority for Investment and Free Zones
   https://www.gafi.gov.eg/
   Official investment and business environment information for Egypt.
6. ITIDA — Egypt ICT Sector Outlook
   https://itida.gov.eg/English/Programs/Industry-Outlook/Pages/default.aspx
   Official sector information on Egypt’s technology, digital-services and offshoring ecosystem.
7. Udjat Agency — Market Research Company Egypt
   https://www.udjatagency.com/market-research-company-egypt/
8. Udjat Agency — Marketing Strategy Agency Egypt
   https://www.udjatagency.com/services/marketing-strategy-agency-egypt/
9. Udjat Agency — Go-to-Market Strategy Egypt
   https://www.udjatagency.com/go-to-market-strategy-egypt/
10. Udjat Agency — Product Marketing Agency Egypt
    https://www.udjatagency.com/product-marketing-agency-egypt/