Finding unfulfilled market needs and filling them...at a
profit, is what they say 'marketing' is all about. In
order to do this you have to make sure you have a real
need, problem or 'pain' that people want to get rid
of...fast. Certainly this was the case with Ian Campbell, a
30+year veteran of rendering independent business valuation
opinions. In fact, he wrote the definitive books on it.
He managed his own investment portfolio; he was tired of
having to wade through the data overload and the
interminable hours it took. He knew there had to be a
better way to do this.
So he conducted independent market research with qualified
investors located in both the U.S. and Canada. He wanted to
see if they had the same problems, perceptions, and need
for a solution to this data quagmire and the time-consuming
task of trying to manage or have input into the management
of one's own portfolio. Moreover, Campbell was also
concerned about the data the average investor doesn't get
to see when making his/her own investment decisions. He
obtained the help of a long-time market researcher to help
him drill down to discover the real answers to his
concerns. By asking 'open-ended' questions, he was able to
elicit responses and suggestions for his concept.
'Responses that he would never have anticipated.
The proprietary research corroborated his earlier
hypothesis: he reckoned that if he summarized the most
pertinent data, the same way a company acquirer might do,
this might lead to efficiencies and most importantly, the
'accuracy' of the data...just as if you were buying the
company. During the research, he kept hearing two other
words: 'independence' and 'transparent'. Survey respondents
- potential members for his site - told him emphatically,
that they would not trust a site where companies listed
there had paid to be included in the data. They also wanted
the site to be clearly transparent, holding nothing back.
Additionally, he also learned that the site had to be
independent of any outside influences. The need to be
completely independent and obligated to no one was
cemented, right at the beginning. Finally, the site had to
be unbiased; it must not make a recommendation as to what
or when to buy....or sell. Those decisions are up to the
individual member.
The research indicated these were the 'hot buttons' for the
individual investors, their advisers, and analysts who were
looking for a stock research site they could trust.
Campbell then built the special web site providing only the
information required to make independent, informed
decisions.
It has taken Ian Campbell nearly a year to organize his own
initial observations, conduct research, lay out a marketing
and web site plan; to build the site according to what the
market has told him it wants and the gaps he discovered
himself. Today, the proof is in the pudding.
©Copyright, Roy MacNaughton, 2007
----------------------------------------------------
To learn more, go to: http://www.stockresearchdd.com
Roy MacNaughton is a business writer and coach. He's a
seasoned marketer, with more than 25 years of international
experience, including eight years online. His specialty is
finding investment "niches" that can be exploited and/or
added to his own portfolio.
Check his blog at:
No comments:
Post a Comment