AboutChris Hawkes Expertise I can help people to understand whether or not market research might help them address the
business decisions that they are facing. I can also help them consider the different types of
research that might be appropriate in their situation, and can help them estimate the costs of
the different methdologies, and the pros and cons of each approach.
Experience I've worked in a Fortune 500 company, as a market researcher for the last 8 years. I've managed dozens of qualitative and quantitative market research. I've conducted extensive market research in the US, and in over 20 other countries around the world as well.
Organizations American Marketing Association
Publications MarketResearch101.com and EzineArticles.
Education/Credentials I have a degree in Finance, which I realy haven't ever used, except to try to understand how my mortgage payments were calculated.
Expert: Chris Hawkes Date: 10/15/2007 Subject: small business
Question QUESTION: We are 2 retired ny detectives who now run a security and investigations co. background checks , due dilligence surveillance etc (private eye stuff)personal security etc. We need more business. how can we best market ourselves. We are only 2 brothers but have access to many workers
ANSWER: Hello Christy,
Is it just that you want to keep you two busy, or do you want to grow a larger business? The other question is where do you get most of your customers right now? Referrals, yellow pages, web searches? Do you have a particular area of focus that you would prefer to focus on? Cheating husbands, bodyguards, insurance claim surveillance...
The other question is how much of your time are you filling right now, without any extra work? Are you and your brother busy 10 of the time or 90 of the time - how far from your ideal mark are we right now?
One more thing - are you looking for a local business or broader than that (region, national...).
Thanks,
Chris Hawkes
www.marketresearch101.com
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: thanks for your input. we are busy 35% of the time with one vip client.. we want to be very busy. when this client is not in NY we are not doing anything...we are very upscale --in our early fifties and dress in Armani,and are told we are very model-like --so we can fit in with the very best clients.that is part of our forte. we have 50 years of experience between us.we can provide many services but cheaters is on bottom of list, although if lucrative we will try it! insurance claim surveillance is ok too.Forensic accounting is a strong point. one on one vip Bodyguarding too. we can partner on the spot with - counter terror measures company- former procsecutor for Gov.-security guard company- we want to grow a large as possible. we want to focus on best clients to market too but not sure how or who!
Answer Christy, that's very interesting. You seem to be at the very top of a very unique industry. However, only having one client must make you feel very vulnerable, so just expanding your customer base would probably help you sleep a lot better (or at least it would for me).
Are you saying that one of you would be willing to step out of the business to be a mananger, at least part time? Part of the plan has to be what goals you have over a certain period of time (growing to 5 people in 5 years or growing to 15 people in 5 years).
Can you tell me anything about your primary competitors? Are they smaller businesses also, or are there larger more organized companies? Can you give me a name and a URL?
I think that a conversation might help move things along faster than e-mail. Maybe we could talk live sometime next week?
Chris Hawkes
www.MarketResearch101.com
chawkes@marketresearch101.com
