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Marketing Research/Questions Answered by Expert Alex J. Caffarini

SubjectDate Asked
Small Business & Marketing Research6/1/2011
  Q: I am creating and planning to start a VERY small Internet based business. I most likely will have no ...
  A: If your business is very small and you're only looking to do a simple poll, you might be better off ...
Rental business4/26/2011
  Q: Mr. Caraffini I am an entrepreneur who is very interested in starting a "rental business" but i ...
  A: Claude-Stephane, The best approach is to think about the things people rent or borrow for short ...
research4/3/2011
  Q: I'm doing some research and would like to know how do I find out what businesses have closed up in ...
  A: That's a tough one Jim. Unless a business declares bankruptcy (which is a public record), it's very ...
market analysis4/1/2011
  Q: I am currently writing a business plan for an online gift store, and I am wondering how to determine ...
  A: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Consumer Expenditure Survey each year. They list ...
Introduction of new shampoo3/27/2011
  Q: If I want to introduce a new shampoo(with a competitive advantage of natural ingredients and ...
  A: Arogin, You should take into account the people to whom you want to sell the shampoo. You need to ...
ATM Research3/7/2011
  Q: I don't know if this is a question you can answer but I was looking for current (2010) statistics ...
  A: William, You might be able to find this information from the Federal Reserve's website, or that of ...
Market Research1/30/2011
  Q: Caffarini, I am an 18 year old interested in creating a company that sells unique school supply ...
  A: Noah, People don't buy what they cannot touch, hear, see, or experience. In your case, since your ...
Consumer decision process in China12/9/2010
  Q: I'm currently doing research on the buying decision process of the Chinese and I'm having trouble ...
  A: Pim, Performing marketing research in China is actually outside my expertise, but I can refer you ...
Marketing Research11/29/2010
  Q: i would like to know the management hierarchical structure in a Marketing research company and their ...
  A: Noushad, There are several statistical research tools used in marketing research and not all are ...
export to uk or research on products10/8/2010
  Q: I am from india and want to start export to uk but confused about the product having demand in uk ...
  A: Umang, The first thing you need to do is research sales within the toiletry category in UK ...
Marketing9/7/2010
  Q: Hi and thanks in advance for taking my question. I would like to help my family mom and pops service ...
  A: For marketing on the Internet, the first thing you should ask is how many of your customers are ...
Marketing Research Analyst6/8/2010
  Q: My question is not pertaining to an actual marketing inquiry, but rather the career itself. I was ...
  A: There is no required discipline for going into market research - and I think that's a good thing. ...
Marketing plan (urgent answer needed, please.)6/1/2010
  Q: Alex, I have to present my marketing plan for my class today. I am presenting the marketing plan ...
  A: W., You have all the right components. Breakeven analysis would belong in your Product section, if ...
buy rate5/20/2010
  Q: Can you please tell me if there is an accepted percentage regarding the number of people who buy ...
  A: Pearl, There are no good or comprehensive sources on this information, largely because e-commerce ...
Research on Architect Marketing5/5/2010
  Q: We follow your recommendation for SRDS and were able to find several publication and sites that has ...
  A: Hsiang, This will require some detective work. I would start by calling the publication's ...
Market Research4/24/2010
  Q: I would like to ask some advice regarding on what marketing strategy I should implement. My ...
  A: Guido, I feel your pain. When I started my business, one of the biggest challenges I faced when ...
Thesis Market Research4/20/2010
  Q: I am a Dutch International Business student and I have to do my graduation assignment at a company. ...
  A: Johan, I see where your university is coming from. The answers to your subquestions will tell you ...
What should I charge for speaker fees?3/31/2010
  Q: I hope you can help me out. I own a market research company and have worked in the business for 19 ...
  A: Chip, I would charge your standard hourly rate for your expertise. In fact, because the meeting is ...
Transport3/26/2010
  Q: I am an activist interested in campaigning around the issue of improved public transport. Basically ...
  A: Frank, I'm not familiar with the reseach sources in Australia, but you should be able to find such ...
measure of marketing promotions2/21/2010
  Q: i am working in a animation college as a sales officer,we do lots of promotional activities,kindly ...
  A: Kaniyoor, The first thing you need to do is understand what it is you want your promotions to do ...
mkt. strategy2/19/2010
  Q: alex, how are you? I would like to ask some advice regarding on what marketing strategy should I ...
  A: adequate, It is vitally important that your company not make drastic distribution, advertising, or ...
identification of proper tools1/25/2010
  Q: is there any any way to know which statistical tools appropriate for different type of question ...
  A: Nitin, Likert scales are often good for questions that deal with levels of agreement or ...
Market Research in Finance Accounts Legal & HR10/13/2009
  Q: Please tell me how do i search Data about our competitors based on financing Accounts Legal and ...
  A: Manmohan, The business news and your industry's trade publications and trade associations are good ...
Website feedback survey10/8/2009
  Q: I need to design a questionairee to submit to our corporate clients to get feedback about our ...
  A: Mark, If you're asking clients to give you feedback about your current website, you need to make ...
marketing research10/4/2009
  Q: sir/mam,i am working in an animation skool as bdm ,our main source of customers is students 1.how ...
  A: Kaniyoor, To answer your questions: You can apply marketing research in many ways. But you must ...
Market Research fail9/17/2009
  Q: Sometimes managers commission Marketing Research but find that the data gathered is not useful. What ...
  A: Marketing research data can be useless for many reasons, the main cause being that the managers ...
marketing9/15/2009
  Q: How would you reply to the small business person who says, “Marketing Research is too expensive, so ...
  A: I would first ask the small business person what insight he/she is seeking from marketing research ...
market research8/27/2009
  Q: what the basic difference(if there any) between the two, if we do market research for a specific ...
  A: Anshul, In terms of market research concepts, there is no real difference. Market research is ...
Price Elasticity8/21/2009
  Q: I am looking for a resource that can provide price elasticity numbers for various consumer ...
  A: Mette, I know there are a lot of broad essays on price elasticity on the Internet, as well as ...
Cramps8/13/2009
  Q: I am having trouble finding sources for statistical data related the # of Americans that suffer from ...
  A: John, This is definitely one of those niches where market information may be in short supply. The ...
Estimating the number of U.S.A. retailers8/8/2009
  Q: Approximately how many retailers are there in America? If this is not impossible to estimate, a ...
  A: Dave, You can find this information by going to the Web site of the U.S. Census Bureau. Every five ...
MARKET SIZE --- MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT7/11/2009
  Q: I am currently in the process of feverishly constructing a marketing plan. I would like to know what ...
  A: Jamaal, The U.S. Census Bureau conducts an Economic Census of industries every 5 years (the most ...
marketing7/5/2009
  Q: How does positing analysis can help a marketing manager identify target market oppertunities?
  A: Positioning analysis helps marketing managers understand how their product can be presented to their ...
Business Startup6/18/2009
  Q: Within the next 2-3 weeks I will be launching my new website business that comes with a difference ...
  A: Adam, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The first thing to do is identify what makes ...
market research plan6/18/2009
  Q: How can i propose a market research plan for an organization and a schedule for the study? And what ...
  A: Meena, A good market research plan starts with a definition of the problem. Sit down with those in ...
Business Startup6/17/2009
  Q: Within the next 2-3 weeks I will be launching my new website business that comes with a difference ...
  A: Adam, Congratulations on taking the plunge! Typically, with any product or service, you should ...
reliability of data gathered6/10/2009
  Q: my question is how can we conduct post market research techniques to test the reliability of the ...
  A: Sarz, I see two approaches you can use. The first approach is to take a sample of some of the ...
statistical tools5/8/2009
  Q: Briefly, what are the main 'statistical tools' used in market research today? To what extent does a ...
  A: Mary, There is a wide breadth of statistical tools used in market research. Hypothesis testing is ...
strategic marketing plan5/6/2009
  Q: 1. In setting up an evaluation and control system for the purpose of strategic marketing ...
  A: Katie, Performance should be assessed as often as the information the system provides is needed. ...
Promotion of a New Product5/4/2009
  Q: Just a quick question what would be the best form of Marketing Research if I was trying to identify ...
  A: Jason, The best way to research messages would be to start with qualitative research methods and ...
Surveying young managers4/30/2009
  Q: I am in the process of designing a survey (you can see it at ...
  A: I would recommend using a convenience or referral sample - one where you can network to get the ...
circulation numbers for market research firms4/5/2009
  Q: I would like to determine the subscription numbers for market research firms (examples: Gartner, ...
  A: Glenn, One thing you can try is Dun & Bradstreet Million Dollar Database and ReferenceUSA. Look up ...
circulation numbers for market research firms4/5/2009
  Q: I would like to determine the subscription numbers for market research firms (examples: Gartner, ...
  A: I guess I'm not understanding what you mean by the circulation numbers for Gartner, IDC, et. al. Do ...
circulation numbers for market research firms4/4/2009
  Q: I would like to determine the subscription numbers for market research firms (examples: Gartner, ...
  A: I don't know what you mean by subscription numbers for market research firms, but to the other part ...
Market Research: Where to find REF source for Multi-thousand location companies?4/2/2009
  Q: I have searched the Net, InfoUSA, reference librarian... no success yet. What Internet resources ...
  A: Alan, Sorry about the delay to your follow-up. Some other sources you might consider include: ...
Market Research: Where to find REF source for Multi-thousand location companies?4/1/2009
  Q: I have searched the Net, InfoUSA, reference librarian... no success yet. What Internet resources ...
  A: Alan, I've yet to find one source that can get you exactly what your looking for in the form you're ...
How do I charge?3/8/2009
  Q: Alex thanks in advance I hope this helps. BACKGROUND I am the President of a small strategic ...
  A: Mike, There is not one "right" way to price consulting services. Typically, your consulting ...
Demand3/5/2009
  Q: when a student buys goods on credit (that is to pay later)did he demanded for it
  A: In economics, demand for a product or service exists when a person is both willing and able to ...
Marketing Asian Noodles3/2/2009
  Q: I am a business professor and my students and I are doing a research project to gauge the viability ...
  A: Mark, I get the impression that the manufacturer of the Asian noodles is based outside the U.S., ...

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Alex J. Caffarini

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Alex Caffarini is the President and founder of Analysights, LLC, a marketing analytics firm that enables companies to enhance their marketing performance through sophisticated data analysis. Alex has nearly 20 years of marketing research and data analysis experience, specializing in survey research, predictive modeling, and data analysis. Alex’s experience spans several industries, including banking, insurance, retail, consumer packaged goods, and non-profit. Alex has developed statistical models for Harris Bank, NCH Marketing Services, Hammacher Schlemmer, and other companies. He has also designed and managed survey projects for the Schaumburg Business Association, Brocade Communications, and the American Medical Association. Alex has also designed and published a number of market-sizing reports for the coupon and food retailing industries. Alex holds a B.B.A. in Economics and an M.B.A. in Marketing and Quantitative Methods, both from Loyola University Chicago, where he also teaches database theory.

Experience

I have nearly 20 years of marketing research experience across several different industries, including banking, insurance, retail, and non-profit.

Organizations
American Marketing Association American Statistical Association Marketing Research Association Schaumburg Business Association

Publications
"10 Costly Marketing Research Mistakes" was cited in "Principles of Marketing" by Jeff Tanner and Mary Anne Raymond. Also: eZinearticles.com RIS News

Education/Credentials
M.B.A. in Marketing and Quantitative Methods, and B.B.A. in Economics, both from Loyola University Chicago.

Past/Present Clients
Elgin Community College, Harris Bank, Brocade Communications, Schaumburg Business Association

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