Marketing analysis of the market: types, methods, analysis tools. Market Analysis in Marketing Sales Analytics Best Practices




Sales analysis is a necessary practice in business to identify the success of a product. By analyzing sales, the entrepreneur learns the volume of products sold and understands what variety has prospects, what consumers want to see on the shelves. In the article, we will consider the types, indicators, stages and effective methods of analysis so that you choose the most optimal one and be able to control sales.


Tasks

Sales analysis helps to solve the following tasks:

  • learn about over-sold products and under-sold products to better understand consumers;
  • draw up a strategic plan to increase sales;
  • understand market changes, identify recessions in order to correct the situation in time;
  • evaluate the work of marketers;
  • rationally distribute efforts: promote more popular products that are in demand, eliminate unpopular positions, or change promotion tactics;
  • reconsider the marketing policy of the goods.

Sales analysis should be carried out regularly so that there are no unresolved problems and there is no misunderstanding with consumers. Experts advise to carry out such a practice once a month or more often, depending on the niche of the product and the volatility of the market.

Kinds

Let's talk about the types of sales analysis. By knowing the species, you will be able to determine exactly what kind of analysis your product range needs.

1. Analysis retail sales . By analyzing this type of sales, we can understand the efficiency of the point of sale and evaluate the work of the staff. When analyzing retail sales, indicators in monetary terms, the number of goods sold, the size of the average check of the buyer, the volume of sales and the names of popular products are important. A good analysis will create the best system for employees to understand the contribution of everyone, and we will be able to find out promising sales positions in order to promote them.

2. Analysis of the sales plan. In order for sales to grow, you need to have a strategy and a sales plan. Analysis will help evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and the success of its implementation. The sales plan is provided to employees, if they can meet or exceed it, then they will be rewarded in the form of a bonus. Such an analysis should be carried out once every 3 months, as often as possible.

3. Factor analysis of sales. This practice reveals the factors that influence the behavior of buyers when they decide to make a purchase. Factor analysis indicators are divided into two groups: external and internal. By analyzing them, you can understand what leads consumers to action and how to use it for your own purposes.

4. Analysis of profitability of sales. Profitability shows the efficiency of the enterprise, the ratio of invested and proceeds. These indicators are very important in order to understand the prospects of a niche, whether capital is properly managed and whether it is worth moving in the same direction.

5. Analysis of sales effectiveness. Efficiency shows the level of achievement of goals and productivity outlet. It is important to remember that it is not the essence of the sale that is important, but customer satisfaction, good service and product quality. If a customer buys a product but is dissatisfied, he will advise friends and colleagues to bypass you, which will have a bad effect on sales if there are a lot of dissatisfied customers. Therefore, think about the future, meet the needs of customers, hire professional staff, give bonuses. Convince the buyer that the value exceeds the price and he will return with his friends.

6. Analysis of the sales department. It is important to analyze not only individual indicators and factors of influence, but also the work of the sales department. Sometimes entrepreneurs spend unimaginable amounts on employees who do not bring value. Analyze the work of the department, its results, efficiency. If they can't cope, change the strategy, invite new specialists, look for extraordinary solutions.

7. Analysis of secondary sales. This type of research allows you to find out if the buyer has contacted your company again. If the customer is satisfied, he can become a regular customer and purchase goods on an ongoing basis. The more such clients, the better.

8. Sales management analysis. These indicators help managers evaluate the performance of sales managers and adjust their actions in time. Plans and strategies can be great, but if you illiterately distribute responsibilities and convey the task to managers incorrectly, then everything will be in vain. Conduct analysis to make sure your strategy and the performance of managers.

Analysis indicators

During the analysis, you will collect statistical data for the study.

To evaluate the work of enterprises and personnel, you will need the following indicators:

  • Quantity and monetary equivalent. Experts recommend monthly collecting data on sales in pieces and revenue for a product of a particular segment. This will allow you to evaluate the profitability of positions, the impact of discounts and bonuses, and develop a further strategy.
  • Number of clients. This indicator tells about the reach of the audience and channels of communication with it. You can find out the number of repeat customers and regular customers, whether the number of customers is growing and what is the dynamics of sales.
  • Product cost. Considered in any sales analysis, helps to develop marketing promotions, conduct competent pricing, evaluate profitability.
  • Sale of goods. The indicator shows the volume of goods sold and the demand for such offers.
  • Sales by segment or region. Allows you to evaluate the level of sales of products in a particular segment or place, to take further measures to improve sales efficiency.

Stages

If you want to independently analyze the sales of your products, then you should proceed according to the following algorithm.

  1. Step 1: Open Excel and fill in the spreadsheet with the sales figures. Rubles, pieces, cost, profitability, average price, profit. Enter all the data for a limited period of time: month, quarter, six months, year.
  2. Step 2: Examine sales performance indicators. One of the main indicators of the effectiveness of the enterprise. To make calculations, you need to evaluate all income, expenses and profits.
  3. Step 3: Analyze sales uniformity. It is better to compare several periods and find out if there is a decline in sales. The numbers will indicate the impact of market conditions on sales. If the quantity of goods sold falls, it is necessary to introduce new methods of marketing, various sales funnels, motivate staff to active work and actively promote.
  4. Step 4: Explore the critical sales volume if you are introducing a new product. Critical volume means the amount of goods sold that covers the initial costs and takes us from minus to zero.
  5. Step 5: Assess the ROI. These numbers will show you what percentage of the total revenue is profit and how effective sales are.
  6. Step 6: Identify the factors influencing buyers' decision making. If you succeed, you will be able to understand the reason for the purchase and return to the store for a new purchase. Such knowledge helps to make customers permanent, increase sales and audience loyalty.

KPI

Consider the most effective methods sales analysis. Having learned the most effective, you can apply them to various situations.

KPI (Key Performance Indicators) is translated from English as key performance indicators. KPI indicators help to establish the quality of work of employees and the whole department, the effectiveness of sales.

There are several types of KPI, depending on what is the subject of research:

  • expenses;
  • functioning;
  • result;
  • performance.

Based on these subjects, the following key performance indicators are distinguished:

  • traffic;
  • volume of sales;
  • middle check;
  • number;
  • conversion;
  • return on investment;
  • the number of complaints.

Sales have their own characteristics, so KPI indicators every business will have several. Find out what exactly you need to calculate and start counting. Such indicators help evaluate the performance of entire departments and draw up further sales strategies. It is recommended not to consider more than 10 different types of KPIs so as not to overload the study.

Situation : You need to evaluate the work of your online store, and you decided to calculate the KPI of buyers from all those who came to the site, that is, the conversion of users. To do this, you need to know the total number of visitors to your store and the number of buyers.

If 5,000 people visit the site, but only 500 buy, then the conversion will be 10%.

ABC

The purpose of this ABC analysis technique is to calculate the share of a certain product in total sales. The final results will help to draw a conclusion about well-selling goods and not so much in order to develop a more effective sales plan, or to revise the product range.

The ABC method is based on the 80/20 Pareto Principle. That is, 80% of the revenue comes from 20% of the products. During the analysis, products are divided into three categories (percentages of the share of sales are indicated on an accrual basis):

  1. A - hot goods that make a profit, the share is up to 80%;
  2. B - goods that are in good demand, but bring only 81-95% of revenue;
  3. C - goods with a share of more than 96, are usually recognized as unprofitable.

Situation : A stationery store decided to conduct an ABC analysis of products to identify slow-moving items and revise their assortment policy. It turned out that of all the goods sold, notebooks account for 53%, pens, pencils and other writing instruments - 24%, adhesives and adhesive tapes account for 3%, various products for applications 11%, paints and objects for drawing 9%. From which we can conclude that category A includes notebooks and writing instruments, category B - goods for applications and objects for drawing, category C - adhesives and adhesive tape. This means that scotch adhesives are unprofitable, and you can refuse to sell them.

SWOT

The Russian name for this method is SSVU and stands for:

  • Strength — Strengths;
  • Weaknesses - Weaknesses;
  • Opportunities - Opportunities;
  • Threats - Threats.

This method of analysis will help you look at your company from all sides, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages, assess the potential and prospects, find out what could threaten development.

To conduct such an analysis, complete the table below:

Positive:

  • Internal strengths;
  • External opportunities;

Negative:

  • Internal weaknesses;
  • External threats;

But it is not enough to fill in, it is still necessary to analyze the received data. Think about how you can build on your strengths so that they help realize opportunities and eliminate potential threats. How to eliminate weaknesses and risks in order to increase efficiency and stay competitive.

Situation : Victoria has graphic design companies. Its employees are engaged in the development of logos, design of business cards, stickers and various printed products to create a brand. She conducted a SWOT analysis and found out that her strengths are: individual approach, reasonable prices, qualified staff. Weaknesses - insufficiently good equipment, the quality is not better than that of competitors.

Opportunities - to increase the average check if you make more types of products. Threats – Customers will refuse products due to print quality. To stay afloat and increase sales, Victoria needs to buy new equipment. This will allow her to raise prices and expand the range of products offered, which will attract new customers and increase loyalty among regular ones.

XYZ

The next method is XYZ. It helps to find out the uniformity of demand for your products. The results of the study will help you understand which products have a stable demand line and are needed by consumers, and which ones can and even should be abandoned.

Open Excel and enter product and revenue data. Using special formulas, the program will calculate the coefficient of variation for you.

  • If the coefficient is from 0 to 10%, then the product belongs to category X.
  • If the coefficient is from 10 to 25%, then the product belongs to category Y.
  • If the coefficient from is more than 25%, then the product belongs to category Z.

The lower the coefficient, the higher the stability of demand, which means that the product is in demand for a long time. If the coefficient is constantly jumping and falling, then the product is losing demand and you can think about excluding it from the general list of products sold in order to increase sales efficiency.

We will analyze ABC analysis in detail theoretically and practically.

ABC sales analysis. Definition

ABC analysis (EnglishABC-analysis) is a method of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of an enterprise's sales system. Most often, the ABC analysis method is used to optimize the product range (range) and its stocks in order to increase sales. In other words, the purpose of ABC analysis is to identify the most promising products (or groups of products) that bring the maximum profit for the company.

This type of analysis is based on the pattern identified by the economist Pareto: "20% of the products provide, 80% of the company's profits." The company's goal in conducting such an analysis is to identify key commodities, and manage this 20% group, which will create control over 80% of cash receipts. Management of sales and cash payments directly affect the financial stability and solvency of the company.

When analyzing products, all products are divided into three groups:

  • Group "A" - the most valuable goods, occupy 20% of the product range, and bring 80% of the profit from sales;
  • Group "B" - low-value goods, occupy 30% of the product range, and provide 15% of sales;
  • Group "C" - not in demand goods, occupy 50% of the range, and provide 5% of sales profits.

The goods of the group "A" company are targeted, and require maximum attention to their production and sale: their availability in warehouse stocks, prompt deliveries, planning and organization of production and quality control of these products.

ABC analysis of product sales. Stages

The stages of conducting an ABC analysis of the product range and sales volume of a company (enterprise) are as follows:

  1. Determination of the product range of the enterprise.
  2. Calculation of the profit margin for each product group.
  3. Determining the effectiveness of each group.
  4. Ranking of goods and their classification (ABC) by value for the enterprise.

Example of ABC product sales analysis in Excel

Let's take a look at how to practically conduct an ABC analysis of product sales in Excel for a cell phone store. To do this, we need to have the name of all goods (groups of goods) and their rate of return. The figure below shows the range of goods and the amount of profit for each of the types.

Product range for ABC analysis in Excel

Next, you need to sort the goods by profitability. Go to the main menu Excel → "Data" → "Sort". The result will be a sorting of product groups by profitability from the most profitable to the most unprofitable.

The next step is to determine the share for each type of product. To do this, we use formulas in Excel.

Share of sales of each type of product=B5/SUM($B$5:$B$15)

Determining the share of products in the company's sales volume

At the next stage, the share of groups is calculated by the cumulative total according to the formula:

Share of goods in the nomenclature cumulative total=C6+D5

Estimation of profit share by cumulative total for a group of goods

After that, it is necessary to define the border up to 80% for the group of goods "A", 80-95% for the group of goods "B" and 95-100% for goods "C". The figure below shows the result of grouping products into three groups for a cell phone store. So brands Samsung, Nokia, Fly and LG account for 80% of all sales, Alcatel, HTC, Lenovo provide 15% of sales and Philips, Sony, Apple, ASUS bring 5% of sales revenue.

After grouping the goods, the company receives an analytical report on which goods provide the main cash flows. The further goal is to increase sales of targeted products from group "A" and reduce the share of ineffective products from group "C". In our example, about ~30% of all products bring the company 80% of the profit.

Benefits of ABC analysis

  1. Ease of use and speed analysis to improve sales efficiency. The ABC analysis technique can be used in any enterprise, since it does not require large computing power and databases. All calculations for the nomenclature of goods can be made in a table in Excel.
  2. Reliability of results. The results obtained are stable over time and allow the enterprise to focus its resources and capital on the development of the most promising products. Managing the nomenclature of the most valuable goods allows you to create the financial stability of the enterprise.
  3. Optimization of resources and time. Using the technique allows you to free up additional resources, both financial and temporary.
  4. The versatility of the analysis. The possibility of applying the ABC-analysis methodology to other areas of the enterprise.

Other ways to use ABC-analysis in the company

The range of use of this method of increasing efficiency in economic systems is extremely wide:

  • Product range optimization.
  • Identification of key suppliers, contractors, customers.
  • Improving the efficiency of the organization of warehouse stocks.
  • Optimization of the production process.
  • Budgeting and management of marketing costs.

Disadvantages of ABC Analysis

In addition to the advantages of the technique, it also has disadvantages:

  1. One-dimensionality of the method. ABC analysis is a rather simple analytical method and does not allow grouping complex multidimensional objects.
  2. Grouping products based on quantities only. The method is not based only on a quantitative assessment of the rate of return for each nomenclature of goods and does not evaluate the qualitative component of each product, for example, goods of different categories.
  3. The absence of a group of unprofitable goods. In addition to goods that make a profit, there are also goods that make a loss. In this method, such goods are not reflected, as a result, in practice, ABC analysis is transformed into ABCD analysis, where group “D” includes unprofitable groups of goods.
  4. Influence of external factors on sales. Despite a fairly stable sales structure according to this model, external economic factors, such as seasonality, uneven consumption and demand, purchasing power, the influence of competitors, etc., strongly influence the assessment of future sales. The influence of these factors is not reflected in the ABC analysis model.

Summary

ABC-analysis of sales allows you to identify target groups of products that provide 80% of the company's profit. This method improves the efficiency of the enterprise, analyzes and optimizes resources, which in turn affects the financial stability and profitability of the company. The analyzed example shows the ease of use of the ABC model for analyzing the assortment of goods and sales. The method can be widely used in other areas of the company to identify target groups: customers, suppliers, contractors, personnel, etc.

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Classmates

Everyone who takes part in economic interaction necessarily functions in some market. The concept of the market is very significant, including in the field of marketing. Often the level of marketing firm does not meet generally accepted requirements. This is usually what causes low sales. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct analytical work and explore the marketing market.

Marketing market and its types

marketing market- this is the total number of all buyers of products (both existing and potential). These subjects have common needs or requests that can be satisfied through the exchange. Therefore, the size of the market is determined by the number of buyers who need any product. They have resources to exchange, as well as the desire to give these resources for the goods in which they feel the need.

The market in marketing must be clear. It is characterized by specific indicators:

    Customer needs that provoke corresponding demand;

  • Geographical position.

In accordance with the needs that generated the demand for specific products, one can name main market types.

    The market of producers (or the market of industrial products) is formed by companies and firms that buy goods / services for their future use in the production process.

    Consumer marketing market (or product market consumer goods) are individuals who buy goods/services for personal use.

    The market for public institutions is represented by state-owned companies that buy goods/services to carry out their work.

    The intermediary marketing market is the legal and individuals who need goods/services for future resale for profit.

    The international market includes all buyers of products that are located abroad (these will include manufacturers, individuals, intermediaries and government organizations).

If we take the market as a combination of buyers with a related geographical location, then we can name the following types of marketing markets:

    Regional - covers the entire territory of a particular country;

    Local - covers one or more areas of the state;

    World - includes all countries of the world.

An essential parameter in the characteristic marketing market is a combination of supply and demand for a particular product. In this case, we can distinguish between a "buyer's market" and a "seller's market".

In the seller's market, the leading figure is, respectively, the seller. This works when the existing demand overlaps the supply. In this scenario, the seller does not need to spend money on marketing. In any case, his goods will be purchased. By organizing marketing research, the seller will only waste money.

In a buyer's market, the buyer sets the tone. This alignment encourages the seller to expend additional forces to sell their products. This is one of the factors that encourage the use of marketing research on the market for services and goods. Rather, it is only in such a situation that we can talk about the implementation of the idea of ​​marketing.

Why does a company need market analysis?

Marketing analysis is an essential moment in the work of a marketing manager. A detailed analysis makes it possible to quickly find unoccupied market niches, choose the most suitable target market, and better understand consumer needs.

Before starting the analysis, it is necessary to specify the objectives of the market research. The following elements need to be clarified:

    Company's products: analysis of market development and share of the company's products in the segment;

    Market structure: analysis of the conjuncture and marketing capacity of the market, assessment of market trends;

    Consumer: analysis of demand, basic needs in the market, close marketing study of the behavior and expectations of the target audience;

    Target segment: analysis of the prospects of market segments for choosing a field of activity;

    Free niches: marketing analysis of market segments to identify free market niches and new sources of sales;

    Rivals: analysis of the activities of rivals to identify the competitive superiority of products and search for weaknesses in the company;

    Prices: Marketing analysis of competitors' price positions as well as the current price structure in the industry.

Clarity in this regard will make it possible to avoid working on unnecessary information. A clear goal will help to correctly develop an analytical plan, to adopt the most productive method of market research. Marketing assessment of the market will allow you to use only the necessary tools for studying, which will reduce the cost of searching and processing information.

After that, you need to correctly build a marketing analytical plan. It looks like a series of thematically grouped questions.

Enlarged stages marketing research The firm's market is as follows.

    Market research, its segmentation and identification of the most significant segments.

    Marketing research of volume, dynamics and potential of market development.

    Study of prices and general economic analysis of the market.

    Competitive analysis.

    The study of the structure of distribution or distribution of goods in the market.

    Identification of key market and consumer trends.

    Study of demand, main needs and nuances of consumer behavior.

This list of questions acts as a universal scheme for organizing marketing research of the market. You don't need to do detailed analysis often. He has a fundamental nature. Such an analysis will provide the necessary information for two to three years of work.

How is a marketing analysis of the market carried out at the enterprise: the main stages

Stage 1. Determine the purpose of the market analysis

Before analytical work, it is necessary to outline the goals of market research. What should be considered:

    company's products;

    market structure;

    Consumer;

    target segment;

    Free niches;

    Competitors;

Specification will weed out unnecessary information and help build the right marketing analytical plan.

Stage 2. Product or service research

Through procedures related to product marketing research, market needs for new types of goods/services are identified. It also clarifies the characteristics (functional and technical) that should be modified in products already on the market. In the course of marketing research, the parameters of products that best meet the needs and desires of customers are determined. Such analytical work, on the one hand, demonstrates to the company's management what the buyer wants to receive, what properties of the product are significant for him. On the other hand, in the course of marketing analysis, you can understand exactly how to present new products to potential customers. Perhaps it makes sense to focus on individual characteristics when improving the product and promoting it on the market. Marketing research of the market of products and services provides information about what new prospects for the buyer provide new products or changes in existing ones.

Product analysis consists in comparing the characteristics of the products supplied by the firm with the parameters of competing products. For a marketing-oriented organization, the key to learning about a product is determining its comparative competitive advantage. It is necessary to get a clear answer to the questions: for what reason will potential customers choose the company's products, and not competitors' products? Who are these potential buyers? The results of marketing analytical work make it possible to identify those sales regions where the company has a comparative advantage in relation to rivals. The study of products is also necessary in the design and organization of sales.

When marketing an analysis of the market for goods, it is always necessary to follow the rule: the product must be where the buyer expects it most - and for this reason, most likely, he will buy it. This process is called product positioning in the market.

Stage 3. Determining the market capacity

Potential market capacity is the total number of orders that a company and its competitors can expect from customers in a particular region during a specified period of time (usually a year is taken). The capacity of the marketing research market is calculated for a separate product for a specific sales region. First of all, it is calculated in physical terms (the number of goods sold for a specific period - quarter, month, year). The marketing assessment of the potential market capacity in terms of value is also essential for the company. This is especially important when studying the dynamics of market capacity. In this case, the management of the company will need to determine:

    Is there an increase in demand for the company's products? Or the demand is falling - and you need to think about re-profiling activities;

    What are the prospects for activities in this regional sales market.

In a marketing study of the potential market capacity, it is important to identify the factors of influence that can provoke both a decrease in capacity and its increase. These factors are fluctuations in the amount of consumer income.

Stage 4. Carrying out market segmentation

This is, without a doubt, one of the most significant components of market research.

A market segment is a group of consumers that has strictly defined common stable characteristics or one quality that determines their behavior in the market. Thus, the essence and purpose of marketing market segmentation is the search for that group (or a number of groups) of consumers who, with the maximum probability, will buy a particular product.

Marketing segmentation of the market makes it possible to:

    Find out the specifics of the most possible buyer of this product; demonstrate the nuances of consumer qualities in different market segments; determine which of the properties of the consumer group are sustainable and therefore more significant for designing the needs and desires of consumers;

    Clarify (correct) the possible market capacity, simplify sales forecasting;

    Understand how to change the properties of the product (device, cost, delivery, appearance, packaging, etc.) when selling in different market segments.

A sign of segmentation is a sign and a system of characteristics that unite any buyers into a stable group. They can be selected by income and social activity, by demographic and geographical characteristics, by nationality, and even by a common historical path. In general, the unifying criterion can be anything.

For the company, in sales, it is important which of the properties of the consumer group are in first place at the moment or will be there in the near future. Based on these properties, it is possible to establish the target market segment - the most significant or promising for the company, the one that meets its specifics. The correct choice of the target segment (that consumer group in which the most likely buyers of a particular product are collected) is a characteristic feature of a marketing-oriented company.

An analysis of the marketing research market shows that it is necessary to clearly understand the difference between a market segment and its niche. These terms should not be confused in practical and methodological terms. A market niche is also a consumer group, but it has a number of differences. First, it is small in terms of numbers. Secondly, niche consumers have several characteristics, each of which can be characteristic of different segments of the same market or different markets and industries. Thirdly, a distinctive feature of a market niche is a significant weakening or complete absence of rivalry in it. Based on these nuances, the process of finding a market niche, as one businessman said, is similar to a neurosurgical operation, since it involves the maximum accuracy of actions.

Stage 5. Study and analysis of the consumer

At this stage, it turns out: who is the potential consumer of the product, what is the structure of the wishes of buyers in the market of a particular company. Here, the management of the company will need to answer many questions.

Work in this direction will help to identify the most vulnerable places in the first place. This applies both to the product and to the variant of its implementation, to the economic tactics of the company as a whole. At this stage, the profile (portrait) of a potential buyer is specified.

In the course of such analytical work, not only the inclinations and customs, habits and preferences of the consumer are considered. It also clarifies the reasons for the behavior of specific consumer groups. This makes it possible to predict the future structure of their interests. At the moment, a serious arsenal of tools is used for marketing research of the behavior of buyers, their subconscious and conscious reactions to certain products and the advertising that accompanies them, to the current state of affairs in the market. Study methods include: questionnaires, surveys, testing. All of them provide an opportunity to find out the opinion of consumers of goods about the changes made to the product or service. With these tools, you can monitor consumer response to release and marketing efforts on an ongoing basis. marketing promotion goods on the market. Building customer feedback and continuous improvement based on feedback from products and manufacturing techniques is one of the characteristics of a marketing-oriented firm.

Step 6. Research marketing methods

Marketing research of the sales market includes the search for the most effective combination of methods and forms of sale of goods / services, their strengths and weaknesses, belonging to a market segment or sales region. It examines the means needed to bring the product to the market. The work of companies directly selling goods/services on the market is being studied. Marketing analytical work involves consideration of the functions and features of activities different types companies that are engaged in wholesale and retail. Their strengths and weaknesses are determined, the nature of the established relations with manufacturers is studied.

As a result, it is specified:

    Who can act as an intermediary (autonomous trade company or the company's own sales department);

    To sell the company's products in a particular market as correctly as possible, with greater benefit.

Along with this, it is necessary to calculate all types of expenses for the sale of goods. It is necessary to think over the ways of implementation with the help of intermediaries and through the organization of your own sales network. It is also required to clarify the percentage of sales costs in the final cost of the goods, etc.

This component of the marketing research of the enterprise market is responsible for analyzing the effectiveness of different types and methods of advertising and promoting the product on the market. It also includes personal selling, company image building, and sales promotion.

In order to master the market, or at least start selling their products, a company needs advertising. It is required to search for and inform customers, form an attractive company image, and collect orders.

    Selection of the most suitable types and means of advertising;

    Finding out the most preferable sequence of using different advertising media;

The importance of advertising and the effectiveness of an advertising campaign are evaluated by the final indicators of the company's economic activity. First of all, this can be seen in the increase in sales volumes. At the same time, certain types of advertising are aimed at the long term. They cannot be quantified.

Stage 8. Develop a pricing strategy

Pricing is one of the key factors for successful competition in the market. While working on the correct pricing policy it will be necessary to think over not only the right pricing strategy and a scheme of attractive discounts for customers. It is also required to determine the price range to increase profits and optimize sales volume.

Stage 9. Research of the level of competition

The study of rivals is one of the key components of marketing at the moment. Its results provide an opportunity not only to work out the right economic strategy and market policy firms. It immediately becomes clear what is done improperly in the goods, sales network, advertising and other elements of the firm's marketing activities.

During the study of rivals, first of all, it will be necessary to identify the main competitors of the company in the market (direct and indirect), to find their strengths and weaknesses. This is especially important when a company enters the market with a new product, develops an unknown area of ​​economic activity, tries to penetrate a new market. To determine the comparative advantages of rivals and evaluate your own resources, it is not enough just to study the products of competitors. You need to get information about other aspects of their work: goals in a particular market, the nuances of production and management, pricing policy and financial situation.

Company leaders need to know:

    What exactly does it consist of;

    The ratio of the cost of your product and the products of rivals;

    What sales channels do competitors rely on when selling goods;

    What branches of economic activity do rivals want to penetrate in the future;

    What types of privileges do competitors offer to customers and regular customers;

    Who do they use as intermediaries in the sale of goods, etc.

At the moment, along with direct competition, the specialization of companies is increasingly deepening. Consumer demand, desires and needs of people are increasingly individualized. In this regard, it is necessary to learn to discover any ways for joint work and alliance (primarily in production and technology) with potential rivals. This is necessary in order to protect yourself from a price war in which no one is likely to win. This goes against the usual division of the market, with the struggle of enterprises to increase the territory in the sales market. Of course, price competition in any case remains (in certain segments of the market, in the production of similar goods, it even increases). However, it does not play a major role in the long-term victory in the competition. The formation of various alliances between companies - potential rivals (joint ventures, strategic coalitions) gives them the opportunity not only to more effectively respond to consumer demand, but also to further increase the market capacity.

Stage 10. Sales forecasting

The basis of planning in a company under market conditions is the development of a sales forecast. That's where planning starts. Not from the rate of return or return on invested capital, but from the sales forecast. This refers to the potential sales volume of a certain type of goods / services for all branches of the company. The primary goal of marketing analysis of the market is to find out what and in what quantities can be sold. Only then can you start building production plan.

With the help of sales forecasts, financial and production work is planned. Decisions are made about where and how much to invest. What (or after what time) the company will need new production resources. It becomes clear what new supply channels need to be found. What design solutions or technical innovations to send to production. Marketing work in this direction allows you to understand how to change the range of goods / services in order to increase the overall profitability of the company, etc.

However, a sales forecast is primarily a forecast. In this case, the influence of uncontrollable, sudden or unforeseen factors is great, their impact on the state of affairs of a company of any type. In this regard, such a forecast must be multicomponent, justified and multivariate to the maximum.

What methods are used for marketing analysis of the market

There are many ways to study the market. All of them are used in specific situations, to solve specific marketing tasks. Methods of collecting information in the implementation of marketing research can be divided into two groups: qualitative and quantitative.

Quantitative market analysis is most often associated with the organization of various surveys. They are based on the use of structured closed-ended questions. The answers are given by a large number of respondents. Distinctive features of such marketing research are: the analysis of the information obtained is carried out in the course of ordered procedures (quantitative in nature predominates), the format of the information collected and the sources of their receipt are strictly defined.

Qualitative marketing analysis of the market consists of collecting, studying and interpreting information by observing how people behave and what they say. Monitoring and its outputs are of a qualitative nature and are carried out outside the standards.

The selection of the study method depends on financial and time resources. The main methods of market research are as follows.

    Focus groups. Round table or discussion, where there is a conversation on a specific topic. The target consumer group takes part. At this event, there is a moderator who leads the conversation on a specific list of issues. This is a qualitative method of market research and is useful for understanding the causes of behavior. Focus groups help formulate hypotheses, explore the hidden motives of customers.

    Polls. They imply a survey of the target market using a strict questionnaire. Sizes are both small and large. AT marketing survey sampling matters a lot. The larger it is, the clearer and more valid the result will be. This is a quantitative marketing method. It is used when you need to get specific indicators on certain issues.

    observation. Monitoring the behavior of a representative of the target audience in a normal environment (for example, video filming in a store). Refers to quality marketing methods study.

    Experiments or field studies. Refers to quantitative marketing methods. They provide an opportunity to test any assumptions and alternatives in real life.

    In depth interviews. Conversation with one representative of the target audience on a specific list of open questions. They provide an opportunity to understand the topic in detail and form hypotheses. Relate to quality marketing methods.

You can name, among other things, a group of analytic and prognostic methods. To conduct market research, apply:

    The theory of probability;

    Linear planning;

    Network planning;

    Methods of business games;

    Economic and mathematical modeling;

    Methods of expert evaluation;

    Economic and statistical methods.

And yet, it is not often that the firm has sufficient funds to carry out a systematic marketing study of the industry market (starting with the development of hypotheses in focus groups, conversations and ending with a large-scale survey to obtain accurate information).

Often, a marketing manager needs to make a personal effort to collect the information about the market that will be useful for developing a marketing strategy for the firm.

Ways to find marketing information about the market

    Social networks and forums. It is worth taking advantage of the network. There you can find out the opinion of buyers in social networks, on forums. Skype and email will also help. All of these channels will reduce the cost of market research.

    Personal conversations. Conduct the interview yourself (5-10 conversations). Engage brand advocates, consumers and non-consumers of the market. Talk to those who make the decision and control the purchase, as well as those who use the purchased products. Such conversations will take less than a week, but they will provide a lot of useful information.

    Organization employees. Ask your questions to the staff of the firm to get their opinion. Pay special attention to the sales department. If you are participating in market research as an independent party, talk to the management of the enterprises.

    Internet resources. Explore information posted on the Web on a given topic. Do not pass by information about adjacent markets.

    Own experience. Try to buy your products and record the impressions.

    Own observation. Take a look at the behavior of people at points of sale for yourself: how they choose certain products.

Stay realistic. Enter into the marketing analysis of the market only the information that can really be collected and processed. Remember that it is not worth analyzing for the sake of the process of analysis itself. Only those results that will be useful in developing the company's marketing strategy matter.

The marketing environment of the market: why it is important to analyze it

The analysis of the marketing environment deserves maximum interest in the implementation of marketing research. It is updated all the time - either due to threats, or due to opening horizons. It is extremely important for any company to monitor such changes and adapt to them in time. The marketing environment is a combination of active actors and processes that operate outside the company and influence the prospects for its successful cooperation with the target audience. In other words, the marketing environment is the factors and forces that determine a company's ability to establish and maintain beneficial relationships with customers. These moments are not all and not always subject to direct management by the company. In this regard, they separate the external and internal marketing environments.

The external environment of the company is most often divided into macro- and microenvironment.

macro environment covers the entire state of affairs in the business space of the city (region, state). Her distinctive features affect the work of all economic entities, regardless of the form of ownership and product differences. This influence will extend to a major food manufacturer, a five-star hotel, and a private beauty salon.

The external marketing environment is characterized by great mobility, so it is most often not subject to active influence from any company.

Microenvironment represented by the properties of a single market taken and the state of affairs in it. This market is of particular interest to the company. Let's say it can be a market for hotel services or a market for cotton fabrics.

The microenvironment includes forces that can influence a company's ability to serve customers:

    Marketing intermediaries;

    The company itself;

    Buyers;

    Competitors;

    Suppliers;

    General public.

Internal marketing environment consists of such components as:

    Organizational and managerial resources of the company;

    Human resources of the company;

    The production potential of the company;

    Design and engineering resources of the company;

    Material and financial capabilities of the company;

    Sales potential of the company.

The functioning of any organization in the market depends on the factors affecting it in the course of performing any actions. These elements form opportunities or threats for the organization, which, respectively, help or hinder the implementation of various actions and the achievement of tasks.

Knowledge of the properties and power of these factors makes it possible to develop such guiding decisions in the field of marketing that will help protect the company from threats and maximize the opportunities that have appeared for the benefit of the company.

Market marketing strategies: types and stages of development

Marketing strategy is a component of the overall strategy of the company. Thanks to it, the main directions of the company's activity in the market in relation to rivals and buyers are formed.

The development of market marketing strategies is influenced by:

    The main goals of the company;

    Its current position in the market;

    Available resources;

    Evaluation of market prospects and expected actions of rivals.

Since the state of affairs in the market is constantly changing, the marketing strategy is also characterized by mobility and flexibility. It can be adjusted all the time. There is no one size fits all marketing strategy. To raise sales of a particular company or promote any type of product, you need your own development of lines of business.

Marketing strategies are most often divided into specific strategies.

    integrated growth. Its goal is to increase the structure of the company through "vertical development" - the launch of the production of new products.

    concentrated growth. It implies a change in the product sales market or its modernization. Often, such marketing strategies are aimed at fighting rivals to gain a larger market share (“horizontal development”), finding markets for existing products, and improving products. As part of the implementation of these types of strategies, the company's regional divisions, dealers and suppliers are monitored. In addition, there is an impact on the final consumers of goods.

    Abbreviations. The goal is to increase the efficiency of the company after a long development. In this case, both the reorganization of the company (for example, the reduction of any departments) and its liquidation (for example, a smooth curtailment of activities to zero while obtaining the maximum available profit) can be carried out.

    diversified growth. It is used if the company does not have the opportunity to grow in the current market conditions with specific type products. The firm can concentrate on the release of a new product, but at the expense of available resources. In this case, the product may not be significantly different from the existing one or be completely new.

Besides, marketing strategy companies can be directed both to the entire market and to its individual target segments. Main strategies for individual segments:

    Differentiated marketing strategy. Here the goal is to cover as many market segments as possible with the release of products specially designed for this purpose (appearance, improved quality, etc.);

    Concentrated marketing strategy. The forces and resources of the company are concentrated on one market segment. Products are offered to a specific target audience. The emphasis is on the originality of any goods. This marketing option is most suitable for companies with limited resources;

    Mass (or undifferentiated) marketing strategy. Aimed at the market as a whole, without any differences in consumer demand. The competitive advantage of goods consists mainly in reducing the cost of their production.

Common mistakes businesses make

Mistake #1. The firm thinks little about the market and is weakly focused on the client.

    Market segments are not prioritized.

    The segments themselves are not clearly defined.

    A large number of employees of the company are of the opinion that customer service is the responsibility of marketing departments, therefore, they do not strive to treat consumers better.

    There are no managers who are responsible for specific market segments.

Mistake #2. The firm does not fully understand its target customers.

    Sales of products do not reach the expected level; rivals' goods are bought better.

    Product returns and customer complaints are exorbitant.

    The last marketing study of the consumer audience was conducted more than two years ago.

Mistake #3. The firm does not effectively detect its rivals and monitors their activities poorly.

    There is no system for collecting and disseminating information about rivals.

    The firm is too focused on its closest competitors. There is a risk of losing sight of both distant rivals and technologies that threaten the well-being of the company.

Mistake #4. The company illiterately builds interaction with all stakeholders.

    Distributors, dealers, suppliers are not the best (do not pay due attention to the company's products, poor quality supplies).

    Investors remain dissatisfied (it looks like an increase in the interest rate of loans and a fall in the share price).

    Dissatisfied employees (there is a high turnover of staff).

Mistake #5. The company is not looking for new development prospects.

    The vast majority of projects implemented by the organization ended in failure.

    Recently, the company has not been striving for new horizons (interesting offers, sales markets, etc.).

Mistake #6. The marketing planning process has significant drawbacks.

    The plans are not related to the modeling of financial results, they do not work out alternative ways.

    The plans do not consider the possibility of unforeseen circumstances.

    AT marketing plan there are no mandatory components or there is no logic.

Mistake #7. Service strategy and product strategy require changes.

    The company offers too many free services.

    The organization does not have the resources for cross-selling (selling products along with additional goods / services - for example, a shirt with a tie, a car immediately with insurance, etc.).

    The list of the company's products is too large, which negatively affects production costs.

Mistake #8. The firm does not make efforts to form a strong brand.

    The budget section between different marketing tools practically does not change.

    The procedures related to the promotion of products do not take into account the indicators of income on invested finances to the required extent (the role of investments is underestimated).

    The target audience does not know the company well. People do not consider specific trademark the best.

Mistake #9 Illiterate organization of the activities of the marketing department hinders the productive marketing of the company.

    Employees of the department do not have the skills required to work in the current conditions.

    The marketing department is in a difficult relationship with other departments.

    The head of the marketing department does not cope with his duties, he lacks professionalism.

Mistake #10. The company does not use to the maximum the possibilities of modern technologies.

    The organization's automated sales system is noticeably outdated.

    The marketing department needs to develop dashboards.

    The company practically does not use the Internet in its work.

With the utmost automation of the sales system, a large number of daily marketing calculations can be carried out not by the employees of the company, but by software. This option makes it possible to optimize these solutions and helps to save a lot of working time.

Attention!

VVS provides exclusively analytical services and does not advise on theoretical issues of the foundations of marketing(capacity calculation, pricing methods, etc.)

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Hello! In this article we will talk about the analysis of the company's sales volume.

Today you will learn:

  • Why is it necessary to analyze the sales volume of an organization;
  • How to conduct sales research;
  • What methods of analysis of sales volume exist.

Purpose of sales analysis

Volume of sales is one of the most important performance indicators of a company. A change in this indicator in one direction or another may indicate changes in market development trends, shortcomings in the work of the organization, which, in the absence of a timely response, can lead to serious problems. In order to avoid “unpleasant surprises”, it is necessary to regularly monitor the sales of your company.

In addition to preventing possible problems, sales volume analysis solves the following tasks:

  • Allows you to get information on the basis of which the manager can make an effective management decision (both tactical and strategic);
  • Identifies "profitable" and "unprofitable" products in the company's product portfolio. Allows you to make the right decision about the development or withdrawal of the product from the range;
  • Allows you to evaluate the performance of your company's departments, for example, department or sales;
  • In many respects determines the marketing policy of the company;
  • Helps.

If you face at least one of the listed tasks, you should monitor sales.

The market today is developing very quickly. New brands are emerging, old products are being replaced by new ones, and the consumer is becoming more and more demanding. It is these factors that determine the frequency of analysis of product sales. Experts recommend monitoring changes in your company's sales at least once a month.

The main stages of analyzing the company's sales

Before we start learning how to analyze a company's sales volume, it is necessary to consider the main stages of this process.

Sales volume analysis- one of the types. Unlike market analysis, when studying sales volume, only secondary intra-company information is used. Gathering this information constitutes the first step in the sales analysis process.

The second stage is the definition of indicators for analyzing the effectiveness of the company's activities. We will analyze them in more detail when considering specific analysis methods.

The third stage is the analysis of the collected information and the evaluation of the result.

The fourth stage is the identification of influencing factors.

Types of sales volume analysis

Depending on the purpose, the analysis of sales volume can take the following forms:

  • Analysis of the dynamics of sales volume. In this case, our task is to determine the change in the company's sales compared to the previous period. This type of analysis is necessary for the timely detection of changes in market trends, as well as the search for problem areas in the work of the organization;
  • Structural sales study is carried out to justify management decisions regarding the product range of the company. If you sell only one type of product, then there is no need to carry it out;
  • Control analysis of sales volume. It is carried out to compare the planned indicators with the actual ones. Needed to take corrective action in a timely manner. It is carried out more often than others.
  • Factor analysis implemented after any type of analysis of sales volume. Allows you to determine the factors of the internal and external environment of the organization that influenced the assessment indicator.

Each of the presented types of monitoring has its own toolkit. Let's get to know him.

Sales analysis methods

Before proceeding to the study of sales analysis methods, it is necessary to get acquainted with such a concept as KPI, since the same method can be based on different KPIs.

KPI - performance indicators of the company.

When evaluating the company's sales volume, we will analyze various indicators, depending on the type of analysis.

Methods for analyzing the dynamics of sales volume

This type of analysis will allow you to assess development trends. You can conduct both complex research and research on individual product categories.

As a result of the analysis, you will receive an increase, decrease or stagnation of the indicator for which the assessment was made, compared with the previous period.

As part of the assessment of the dynamics of sales volume, it is necessary to carry out the following types of work:

  • Analysis of the dynamics of the company's profit - compare revenues for the current and previous periods. Sales volume may increase and revenue fall. This is possible, for example, when the price of a product decreases;
  • Sales Uniformity Assessment. There are seasonal goods, the demand for which needs to be stimulated in unfavorable periods. To identify seasonality will allow the analysis of the uniformity of sales. To do this, plot the volume of sales over several seasons (you can take a year, but do not forget to take into account the impact of changes in product prices, discounts and other incentives) and see in which periods there was a significant increase and decrease in sales (several times). If such fluctuations are observed, then you need to think about sales promotion during unfavorable periods.

Methods of structural analysis of sales

Based on the results of structural analysis, the manager makes a decision to develop or eliminate the product, to expand or expand the range. Let's take a look at the most effective methods structural analysis of sales.

ABC analysis.

This type of research is aimed at assessing the value of each product in the company's product portfolio. The value of a product is determined by the amount of profit that the product brings to the common piggy bank.

According to ABC-analysis, the entire range of the company can be divided into three groups:

  • Group “A”- products that bring the greatest amount of profit;
  • Group “B”- “middle peasants”, they are not so valuable for the company, but still in aggregate they bring a fairly large amount of profit;
  • Group “C”- a heavy burden of the company, these products bring a very modest income.

With the help of ABC-analysis, it is possible to determine the value of product categories not only by the amount of profit, but also by the share of categories in the product portfolio.

The numerical boundaries of each group are presented in the table.

Please note that this table displays the Pareto principle. The Pareto principle says that 20% of the products bring the company 80% of the profits.

At the same time, with the help of ABC analysis, it is possible to evaluate the contribution of not only individual products to the company's profit, but also the value of suppliers, buyers, distribution channels, and analyze production.

Stages of ABC analysis:

  1. Definition of the object of analysis: product, suppliers, buyers, distribution channels or other;
  2. We determine the KPIs by which the object will be evaluated. It does not have to be revenue or the share of a product group in the product portfolio (or the share of deliveries, purchases, sales, depending on what you are analyzing), you can take the volume of sales, sales or any other financial results as an indicator for evaluation. It all depends on your goal;
  3. We collect information for each KPI, determine the share of each object, calculate the indicator on an accrual basis and rank the objects;
  4. We fill the groups, draw conclusions.

At the same time, if any products of your assortment fell into the “C” group, this does not mean that you definitely need to get rid of them. This can lead to the loss of an entire segment of consumers.

Particular attention should be paid to products that fall into category “A”, since if consumers are dissatisfied with the quality of products in this category, the company will lose a large amount of profit.

Let's see how ABC analysis works using the example of a McDonald's restaurant product line analysis.

Nomenclature groups or product names

Sales volume, mln. pieces Share in sales volume, cumulative total, % Profit volume, million rubles Cumulative revenue

Group

Sandwiches

5,184 20 522,08 24,8

Potato

3,856 35 306,216 39,4
3,791 49 305,216 53,9
3,452 62 236,16 65,2
3,279 75 229,53 76,1
2,532 84 221,76 86,6

Milkshakes

2,356 93 200,26 96,2
1,722 100 80,564 100

As we can see, the most profitable products of the company are sandwiches, potatoes, sauces and drinks. These product lines should be expanded.

Desserts and sets fell into group “B”. If desired, these products can be transferred to the “A” category through active promotion and product quality improvement.

Breakeven point.

It is necessary in order to determine the minimum volume of production that a company needs to sell at a certain price per unit of production so that the sales income covers the full costs of the enterprise. This method sales volume analysis is indispensable when introducing a new product to the market.

In order to build a break-even point, the following data is required:

  • Product cost (average check);
  • Sales volume for the period;
  • fixed costs;
  • Variable costs;
  • Complete sales;

Stages of building a break-even point:

  1. Draw a coordinate system. The “x” axis is called the “number of purchases”, and the “y” axis is called “revenue”.
  2. We build two straight lines: product turnover (y=cost*x) and total costs (y=volume variable costs*fixed costs).

The intersection point of these two lines is the breakeven point. On the x-axis, you will see the minimum amount of production that you need to sell in order not to work at a loss.

Profitability analysis.

For the company's existing products, cost-benefit analysis should be carried out. This will allow you to timely calculate products that are no longer profitable.

And if you compare the profitability of your products with the profitability of identical competitor products, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your company's product portfolio.

Control analysis of sales volume

Control is carried out by comparing the planned sales volume with the actual one. If a deviation is detected, it is necessary to conduct a factor analysis and proceed with corrective action.

Factor analysis

You have analyzed the volume of sales and identified a variance. What to do next? It is necessary to identify the factors that affect the indicator, and reduce or eliminate their influence.

To do this, use two formulas that will allow you to evaluate the impact of price and sales volume on the company's revenue:

  • Volume deviation = (Actual volume - Planned volume) * Planned price. The resulting number is the change in profit (in monetary terms), which occurred under the influence of changes in the sales volume of the analyzed product;
  • Price Variance = (Actual Cost - Planned Cost)*Actual Quantity. The resulting number is the change in profit (in monetary terms), which occurred under the influence of a change in the price of the analyzed product.

Excel as a tool for analyzing sales volume

Any financial analysis is a rather time-consuming process, rich in mathematical calculations. In the age of high technology, it would be strange to keep records and analyzes on paper. We will not offer you this, because there is an excellent electronic substitute for a paper sheet - good old Excel.

Excel is the ideal tool for sales analysis because:

  • Provides a quick search for information, just enter the data in the tables;
  • Automatically calculates complex formulas;
  • Simplifies the process of analyzing the results by visualizing them in the form of charts (especially useful when conducting control analysis and analyzing the dynamics of sales volume);
  • Able to build charts (indispensable when building a break-even point);
  • You know how to work with him;
  • Even buying a licensed version of the program will not hurt your wallet.

The concept of marketing market analysis

Definition 1

The market is a meeting place for seller and buyer. This is an established system of relations between the manufacturer or seller of goods / services and the purchaser of the goods / services produced or the buyer.

The needs of consumers contribute to the emergence of demand for certain products. From this emerged the main types of market:

  • market of industrial products (buy goods or services for their further use in the manufacture of finished products);
  • consumer goods market (individuals buy goods/services for personal use);
  • market of state institutions (state organizations that purchase goods/services to conduct their activities);
  • intermediary market (individual consumers and companies that buy goods/services for resale and profit);
  • international market (buyers of goods/services are territorially located abroad: individuals, manufacturers, intermediaries and state enterprises).

Remark 1

A detailed marketing analysis of the market is carried out to identify free market niches, select the appropriate target segment and understand the needs of consumers.

Effective market research is the key to developing a competent business strategy and assessing its prospects. Possessing the skills and abilities of market analysis, a company can develop, reduce entrepreneurial risks and attract investments.

The market research process includes an assessment of consumer demand, competition, opportunities and threats, as well as economic, political, cultural and other environmental factors.

There are two types of marketing analysis of the market:

  • general research;
  • marketing research.

General research concerns directly the markets. It determines which product or service is in high demand, how the purchase process is carried out, how pricing is carried out, whether market segmentation is carried out and the main trends in the market development in dynamics are studied. During the first type of market analysis, potential areas for investment are identified Money and collection statistical information to develop ways to promote goods or services.

Marketing research is carried out within a certain field of activity. They are focused on determining the portrait of the consumer, his behavior model, assessing the activities of competitors and the entire market as a whole. This type of market analysis is carried out to develop a strategy and forecast the development of the company.

Stages of market analysis

In the process of marketing analysis of the market, the study of all aspects that affect the company's activities is realized. A sequence of stages for conducting a market analysis is being developed, which is displayed in a business plan.

Figure 1. General scheme of market analysis. Author24 - online exchange of student papers

The main stages of marketing analysis of the market:

  1. defining the goals of market analysis;
  2. study of a product or service;
  3. determination of the market capacity;
  4. market segmentation;
  5. consumer research and analysis;
  6. study of marketing methods;
  7. evaluation of the effectiveness of advertising and ways to promote goods / services;
  8. development of a pricing strategy;
  9. study of the level of competition;
  10. sales forecasting.

The first step is to clearly define the objectives of the analysis. To do this, study questions regarding the company's products, market structure, target audience, competitors' activities, prices and unoccupied niches in the market. More specific goals allow you to outline a further plan for marketing analysis of the market.

As part of the study of a product or service, the functional and technical characteristics are specified, which should be improved in products on the market. It also determines the parameters of the goods that best meet the expectations of customers.

At the third stage, the market capacity is calculated. This is the total number of orders that the company and its competitors plan to receive from the target audience during a certain time period (usually one year). Capacity is determined by individual product for a specific market in physical terms. But the assessment of capacity in terms of money is also carried out.

A significant stage is considered to be market segmentation to search for a group or groups of consumers who are more likely to become buyers of the company's products. It is important not to confuse the concepts of market segment and market niche. A niche is also a group of consumers, but it has certain differences. It is small in size, and its audience has several characteristics, each of which may be specific to different segments of the same market or different markets. Also, the main feature of a niche is the weakening or complete absence of competition.

The study and analysis of the consumer - the definition of a portrait of the consumer of the company's products, the structure of their needs and desires. The reasons for certain behavior of buyers are also revealed. At this stage, marketing research tools are used: survey, observation and experiment. They allow you to track the reaction of consumers and build feedback with them.

At the sixth stage, the search for the most effective combination of methods and forms of marketing of goods is carried out.

The seventh stage provides for an analysis of the effectiveness of various types and methods of advertising and promotion of goods and services. The significance and productivity of advertising is assessed by the final indicators of the company's economic activity.

The eighth stage is the development of a pricing strategy. It is a key factor in successfully competing in the market.

The study of competitors allows you to choose the business strategy and market policy of the enterprise. If the company is young, then first it needs to identify the main competitors, study their work, products, goals, production features, pricing and financial policies.

The main planning is the development of a sales forecast. The purpose of marketing analysis of the market is to determine the number of goods that can be sold. After that, a production plan is drawn up. Forecasting also allows you to build financial work (direction and volume of investments). It is important to take into account the factors that may affect changes in the course of the company's activities. Therefore, forecasts are built multivariate.

Market Analysis Methods

Remark 2

Each area of ​​market research uses its own assessment methods. First, the materials of previous studies are studied to identify the dynamics or options for solving new problems.

The analysis of secondary information about the market is carried out: static data, materials of state institutions, industry magazines, catalogs and technical materials.

Assessment of the internal and external environment, competition is carried out within the framework of the application of three methods:

  • SWOT-analysis (assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the company's work, opportunities and threats);
  • PESTLE-analysis (market assessment from the position of political, economic, social, technological, legal factors, as well as the environment;
  • Porter's Five Forces (Identification of the forces that most actively influence the attractiveness of the market, analysis of factors: threats of substituting products on the market, threats of new competitors, the level of influence of suppliers of raw materials or products, the level of influence from consumers, the level of direct competition.