Business communications has never been as important as it is today. With the internet opening up the world and making it a really small place, it is important to understand how we can make communication work for us. It is, after all, our means of connecting with the public at large and our own work force.
The other facet of this is the growing importance of localizing communication efforts. Businesses are fast realizing that even as we gain access to more and more of the world’s market, their communication strategies should become more localized. This is where Market Research Companies in India play an important role.
An Indian agency brings its expert knowledge on local culture that can have a critical effect on communication strategy. For overseas firms from countries like UK and Singapore they can make a crucial difference. This local knowledge can help them avoid mistakes and tailor their communication for maximum effectiveness.
There are a number of areas that come under business communications. It includes all avenues of interacting with the general public, such as:
Advertising
Memos, manuals etc
Public relation
Direct sales
Signages
Exhibition or trade show experiences
Social media
Flyers, e-mails and other direct communication
Usually an organization’s communication strategy is combination of all these. These are both direct and indirect means. The challenge lies in molding all these channels according to the market, business needs and changing environment. Market research is the only means of achieving that. Some of the way in which market research can make a difference is:
Understanding the language: This is not just important for overseas firm who are unaware of local language nuances. It is also important for established local firms. This is because how we communicate changes with time. In India there is also the added complication of regional languages and cultures. A Market Research Company in India works to understand how people are talking to each other, what are their taboos and the language they use?
Understanding brand positioning: This may come under branding, but it is communication research that tells us how a brand is positioned in the market. Media chatter and direct market research can tell us where the brand is positioned.
Research also tells us about brand identity. How do people see it? Do they understand its philosophy? How good is the brand recall and how effective is the brand development strategy. It is also essential to see how various communication means project a cohesive brand position.
Improving effectiveness of information packages: Businesses often issue public information packages. These could be concerned with the product or service like an instruction manual or communiqués about the company activities. In both cases there are business goals. Research focuses on the effectiveness of these messages. Do the people understand the instructions? Are these easy to follow? Does it answer any query that the user may have?
Evaluating ad effectiveness: Advertisements are essential tools for any business and they spend millions on ad campaigns. But just how effective are these strategies? Advertising research is a vast research field and covers a number of important issues. Do the people understand the message conveyed? How close is it to the company philosophy? Does it generate curiosity? How many people are motivated to go and buy the product after seeing the ad? How many people remember the ad later on?
Gauging social media chatter: The social media has become an important point of communication today. It can give us crucial clues on how people are talking about the brand, product or service. It can be particularly useful for quick research, such as gauging initial reaction to a product launch.
Improving mail communications: The mailers of old have received a new lease of life with e-mails. But the truth is that most people just junk the mail as soon as they receive it. The challenge then lies in keeping the attention of those who do click on your mail. The key is in understanding what people want to read.
For instance, market research for a woman clothing manufacturer shows that the most common past-time for its target users was reading fashion magazines to understand fashion trends. Consequently, the company mailers started including news on the fashion world with tips and trends.
These are just some of the ways and means through which a Market Research Company in India can improve and hone business communication.
The other facet of this is the growing importance of localizing communication efforts. Businesses are fast realizing that even as we gain access to more and more of the world’s market, their communication strategies should become more localized. This is where Market Research Companies in India play an important role.
There are a number of areas that come under business communications. It includes all avenues of interacting with the general public, such as:
Advertising
Memos, manuals etc
Public relation
Direct sales
Signages
Exhibition or trade show experiences
Social media
Flyers, e-mails and other direct communication
Usually an organization’s communication strategy is combination of all these. These are both direct and indirect means. The challenge lies in molding all these channels according to the market, business needs and changing environment. Market research is the only means of achieving that. Some of the way in which market research can make a difference is:
Understanding the language: This is not just important for overseas firm who are unaware of local language nuances. It is also important for established local firms. This is because how we communicate changes with time. In India there is also the added complication of regional languages and cultures. A Market Research Company in India works to understand how people are talking to each other, what are their taboos and the language they use?
Understanding brand positioning: This may come under branding, but it is communication research that tells us how a brand is positioned in the market. Media chatter and direct market research can tell us where the brand is positioned.
Research also tells us about brand identity. How do people see it? Do they understand its philosophy? How good is the brand recall and how effective is the brand development strategy. It is also essential to see how various communication means project a cohesive brand position.
Improving effectiveness of information packages: Businesses often issue public information packages. These could be concerned with the product or service like an instruction manual or communiqués about the company activities. In both cases there are business goals. Research focuses on the effectiveness of these messages. Do the people understand the instructions? Are these easy to follow? Does it answer any query that the user may have?
Evaluating ad effectiveness: Advertisements are essential tools for any business and they spend millions on ad campaigns. But just how effective are these strategies? Advertising research is a vast research field and covers a number of important issues. Do the people understand the message conveyed? How close is it to the company philosophy? Does it generate curiosity? How many people are motivated to go and buy the product after seeing the ad? How many people remember the ad later on?
Gauging social media chatter: The social media has become an important point of communication today. It can give us crucial clues on how people are talking about the brand, product or service. It can be particularly useful for quick research, such as gauging initial reaction to a product launch.
Improving mail communications: The mailers of old have received a new lease of life with e-mails. But the truth is that most people just junk the mail as soon as they receive it. The challenge then lies in keeping the attention of those who do click on your mail. The key is in understanding what people want to read.
For instance, market research for a woman clothing manufacturer shows that the most common past-time for its target users was reading fashion magazines to understand fashion trends. Consequently, the company mailers started including news on the fashion world with tips and trends.
These are just some of the ways and means through which a Market Research Company in India can improve and hone business communication.
