Guide to Market Research, Ottawa

Market research is an ongoing process of gathering and analyzing information related to getting your products/services to the consumer. Understanding the wants and needs of your customer and the opportunities in the market is essential for business success.   BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) offers an overview of how to conduct market research. 

Emphasis in this guide is on resources that are free.

Primary Market Research

Primary Market Research is the data you gather yourself, about your market, your potential customers, and your future business prospects. You must decide what information you’re looking for and how you will contact your target group. The following are resources to learn the various techniques involved in conducting Primary Market Research along with the most commonly used tools. Also check out our topic guide on primary market research.

Surveys and Questionnaires

Surveys and questionnaires allow you to obtain information directly from your potential.

  1. Sample Questions and Templates Creative Research Systems provides free Research Aids on survey design, a sample size calculator and formula as well as survey templates.

Online Surveys

These are examples of services that allow you to create free surveys online. 

  1. QuestionPro 
    Click on Examples on the Question Pro website to access survey templates, articles and video tutorials.
  2. SurveyMonkey
    Survey Monkey provides survey templates as well as examples of online polls, market research surveys and customer satisfaction surveys.

Interviews

Web-based video and audio conferencing tools enable you to gain access to a larger pool of individuals at low cost; however, both parties will need to install the required software. 

  1. Skype Skype is a video calling service that also allows you to have conference calls and send documents.
  2. Google+ hangout Google+ hangout enables you to share documents and presentations while video chatting.

Focus Groups

Focus groups are planned discussions designed to elicit specific information, thoughts, or opinions from a targeted group of potential clients (6-15 people) you have gathered together. 

  1. Focus Groups Tips This website links to numerous articles on moderating focus groups as well as techniques, methods and planning.
  2. Basics of conducting focus groups The Free Management Library provides information about the basic steps involved in organizing and running a focus group.

Product or Service Sampling

Product or service sampling entails letting potential customers sample (taste, feel, smell, or try with an introductory free offer) your product or service.  Sampling gives customers a sense of understanding and experience with an unknown product or service before they commit to buying it.  Gather feedback from customers.

  1. Guide to using Samples to promote a product Inc. outlines six steps involved in promoting your product with samples.
  2. Example of online samples websites MySavings acts as a directory of free samples. 

Mystery Shopping

As a startup, you can conduct your own mystery shopping.  InTouchInsight offers an outline of why and how you should conduct mystery shopping of your own business and of your competition. Mystery shopping enables you to gather ideas of what your competitors are doing as well as understand what a particular customer experience is like and the types of products or services your competitors are selling. Be aware of direct and indirect competition.

Generating Responses to Your Survey

There are several advertising tools that can help you promote your survey.

  1. Google Adwords
  2. Meta for Business
  3. LinkedIn Groups

Viral Marketing Techniques

Present catchy or interesting information worth sharing by word-of-mouth, or use a push strategy, offering a discount, or a special offer for completing the survey, to drive traffic to your website.

  1. Search Engine Optimization makes a website more visible in a search engine’s search results.  Google has created an SEO starter guide that details how to make it easier for search engines to index and understand your content.
  2. Email   Create an email campaign to notify potential customers of your survey or to market your free samples. Be aware of Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) rules regarding establishing email contacts with specific consent.
  3. Social Networks Integrate social networking into your website and link to a high-traffic social networking sites to reach a large audience.

Secondary Market Research

Secondary Market Research is finding published research material, articles, and statistics, and analyzing it for your market, your business area. For example, find contact details and financial records of companies (e.g., potential corporate sponsors, donors; competitors), find social and industrial trends, learn of new trends. Below are resources that you can access free of charge.

Ottawa Public Library Online Resources

Free access to any resident of Ottawa, from the Ottawa Public Library’s website. All you need is an active Library Card. Click on Make a Booking on the OPL website and Book an Appointment for a business consultation to learn how to use these online resources.

  1. Market Research – Secondary Topic Guide prepared by Business Services at OPL.
  2. Reference Canada Searchable directory of 2.1 million Canadian businesses.  Locate existing competitors in any industry and potential customers to do business with from across the country. Choose > Custom Search; fill in the criteria, e.g., > Business Type (& Keyword) & > Geography; > View Results; > Download as Excel file.
  3. Gale eBooks Click on Business Plans Handbook and use Tool to search the series by a keyword for downloadable real business plans of actual companies from the multi-volume Business Plans Handbook. Also a sample “Business Plan Template” from Volume 20 of the Business Plans Handbook.

Population and Demographics

Census information provides data on the national, provincial and local levels about population, income, education, language, ethnic origin, and many other categories, as well as trends. 

  1. Statistics Canada     
  • Census 2021 Census data searchable by place name.
  • Subjects lead to various types of studies and anaylyses; Key Indicators offer an overall view of data. 
  • Data covers a wide range of Canadian socio-economic topics and derived from Census figures and from annual Statistics Canada surveys. Limit your search using the choices on the left.  The tables can be manipulated and can be downloaded for use in an Excel spreadsheet.  The microdata can be ordered.  Some data is displayed visually. 
  • Industrial classifications to use in searching information: NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes and SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes.
  1. Ottawa Neighbourhood Study Neighbourhood maps include demographics, housing, civic engagement, food and recreation environment, and health and financial services.
  2. ​Locate Ottawa An interactive internet mapping program designed for finding a location for a business in Ottawa by providing public access to a range of valuable information. This site also serves the purpose of generating demographic and business reports for specific locations.
  3. City of Ottawa Statistics and Demographics resources and Ottawa Census data.

Directories of Organizations and Businesses

Find your competitors, suppliers, and companies to market to.  The following lists lead to many resources for finding other companies.

  1. Business Directories - Canadian   Topic Guide prepared by Business Services, OPL
  2. Business Directories – International   Topic Guide prepared by Business Services, OPL
  3. Locate Ottawa  Click on one of the Map tools, and select a region, then choose the Business report.
  4. 211 Ontario   Helpline and online database of Ontario's community and social service.
  5. Ottawa Business Journal  Scroll down to view latest issue of Book of Lists, a buying guide for Ottawa companies.
  6. Hoovers Directory of companies  (primarily American). Use the free trial to obtain more details in profiles
  7. Manta Searchable data on companies  in US and worldwide  (basic information free; more detailed information available for a fee)
  8. Profile Canada
  9. KOMPASS
  10. Canadian Trade Index (CTI) – Canadian Manufacturers Association
  11. Fraser's Canadian Trade Directory
  12. Thomasnet
  13. Charity Village  Includes a directory of Canadian charitable organizations.

Other Free Resources

To choose a source, ask yourself:  Who would be interested in gathering the information I am looking for? 

  1. Government Departments (federal and provincial)  and Crown corporations e.g., Health Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data and research, Transport Canada
  2. Associations and Interest Groups e.g., Canada Real Estate Association, Restaurants Canada
  3. The Fraser Institute Canadian independent research body with studies of particular interest to the non-profit sector
  4. Canadian Federation of Independent Business
  5. US  Census  Bureau
  6. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  7. MaRS Startup Toolkit Resources ffor startups.
  8. The Balance.com Small Business Information  Canadian advice to small business: blogs, tutorials, guides
  9. U.S. Export.gov Country Commercial Guides