Definition of a Marketing Research Analyst
Marketing research analysts or market analysts are usually college-educated professionals who work for marketing research agencies or manufacturers, such as food and consumer packaged goods corporations. Marketing research analysts are responsible for handling a variety of research projects for clients or internal customers such as their company's brand, advertising or business development departments. Marketing research analysts must be highly organized, analytical and excellent writers and presenters.
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Significance
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One of the marketing research analyst's primary responsibilities is to design questionnaires that can be used with research studies like phone surveys. The marketing research manager will usually meet with clients or internal customers and determine the type of information that these individuals need to procure from the survey. The marketing research analyst will then write a questionnaire that will best help the client or manager obtain the necessary information.
Identification
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Marketing research managers who work for manufacturers will often hire marketing research agencies to field surveys for them. When dealing with agencies, the marketing research analyst tells the agency when the surveys need to be completed and manages the data collection process. The agency will usually send the marketing research analyst data tables of the tabulated survey results after the surveys are completed.
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Function
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Once the marketing research manager has the data tables, she will usually make sure that all of the tabulated results correspond with the questions on the questionnaire. She will then analyze the data and study key findings that may explain why a product is not selling or provide insight into consumer preferences and buying behavior, according to CNN Money. The marketing research analyst will write a report that summarizes the results and recommends various strategies for the management team.
Other Responsibilities
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The marketing research analyst often helps the marketing research manager coordinate and complete other projects, such as assembling focus groups, conducting competitive analysis, responding to ad hoc information requests from senior management or addressing secondary research needs. Secondary research usually entails requesting information from outside vendors like Nielsen, Forrester Research or the NPD Group about the condition of a company's industry. That way the marketing research analyst can determine whether sales and profits in the industry are expanding or declining and use that information in his overall analysis.
Considerations
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The marketing research analyst may present her findings to other departments and senior management at meetings. The analyst will usually show transparency slides of her research results or present the information from her laptop. The marketing research analyst can also serve on a number of marketing teams to help analyze the sales and financial performance of new product introductions.
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References
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