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Why Market Research Matters for New Product Development?

1. market research for new product development

2. product development and research

3. research in product development

Joining your heads to invent something new? Although it may feel like inventing the next disruptive product is a monumental task, even seasoned teams sometimes struggle. Marketing research can be a game-changer for hitting the dot on the right time and right place. 

Let’s explore the benefits of marketing research for new product development. 

The Relationship Between Product Development and  Research 

Marketing research plays a crucial role in leading to product development. Before any prototypes are even drafted, marketers and analysts study the market to create a target audience, a purpose for the product development, and what solution it will provide to the consumer problems.

  • A detailed analysis is always fruitful. Competitive products are beneficial, which when analyzed in the context of demand identified, can help the product development team as they can develop a  market requirement document  for marketing better than their competitors. Competitive insights can lead to opportunities for enhancing the existing products and help the professional create something more desirable by the consumer.
  • Highlighting the correct news and requirements of the target audience at the initial stage is the most critical task. Nerror or missed signal can lead to a failed plan about the product development process, wasting time and investing money along the way. A Gut checklist is always important to make sure the plan and the product itself will meet the standards and quality of consumer demands.
  • Gut checks are hailed typically from the professional, but it hardly contains a dta informed strategy. The collection of qualitative data is the main method for conducting marketing research for product development. Proper research builds a solid foundation of understanding about the consumer needs and how the product will meet the customer requirements.
  •    Another task of market research is to check the sustainability of a product. Forecasting the life cycle of a product will help businesses to adopt change accordingly and prevent from being influenced by market shifts. Through few proven methodologies, marketing teams can assume the customer’s thinking process and respond to their demands in the form of the product.marketing research team highlights the potential questions and concerns regarding the product to expect its success and achieve better sales and customer satisfaction.

Checklist: Building a Marketing Research Strategy for Product Development

Being careful about the marketing strategy drives everyone to be more productive and efficient regarding product development to avoid costly mistakes. 

Data-informed decisions will reap greater progress-every time. Marketing emails must be tailored and advertised with extreme focus based on the learnings from market research.

Neglected customers must be identified and future engagements must include efforts to fine tune their respective needs.

Below is the quick checkpoint to be careful to keep in mind while developing marketing strategies. This question underscores why marketing research is so important for product development. 

Asking the right questions before customer engagement reduces the risk of hitting the pitfall and mitigate risk

  • Is the product easy to understand and explain to customers?
  • Does the product solve a problem for customers?
  • Which products are similar and will compete with this one?
  • Can we track how customers use this product?
  • Does the expected price of the product match its perceived benefits by consumers?
  • Does this product satisfy a need that other competitive products do not?
  • What ancillary challenges does this product present a solution for outside of its proposed utility?
  • Who are the main customers for this product?
  • How likely are these customers to buy this product?

Co-creation is An Effective Tool for Product Development

It’s quite common that the product development requirement is more crucial than people think of it. This makes co-creation even more difficult. If the customers are included in all the steps of product development to jargon or gravitate the cool technology feature in the product. 

Improving product through co-creation is beneficial for both business and consumer. 

Brainstorming, be it online or in-person, can spark a host of new and innovative actionable insights. In fact, 90% of new product research conducted is valuable for improvements to existing products versus the identification of novel concepts.

Businesses should place high investments on finding a research partner that can gather actionable consumer insights and evaluate their product requirement  which will help the business thrive in a competitive marketplace and formulate an effective marketing research and valuable product development concept. 

The purpose of ideation sessions goes well beyond innovative ideas and customer check-ins as a means of building loyalty and trust. The purpose is to fuel a long-term future and with chances of sustainable product development. 

Constant touchpoints with customers throughout the product development process ensure that teams have the proper guidance to create and maintain a flourishing product innovation pipeline. The products that are created with aligning customer insights have chances of greater growth rate and lasting impact on the business prospects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, market research is the cornerstone of successful product development. It provides invaluable insights into consumer needs, competitive landscapes, and market trends, ensuring that new products are not only innovative but also relevant. By incorporating qualitative and quantitative data from the beginning, businesses can avoid costly mistakes and pivot when necessary. 

Moreover, market research fosters collaboration through co-creation, allowing customers to contribute meaningful feedback that guides the product development process. This approach enhances product value and longevity, equipping companies with the foresight to adapt to market shifts and continuously meet consumer demands. 

Ultimately, a well-executed market research strategy is key to driving product success in today’s competitive environment.

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