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Finding the information you need to determine your marketing plan can involve two types of research, primary and/or secondary.
Primary market research is undertaken by, or for, companies and entrepreneurs for their own purposes. It consists of information collected from potential customers through surveys, interviews, focus groups, direct observation, field testing and any other method that provides first-hand data. The purpose of primary research is to obtain information about customer attitudes, preferences, buying habits, tastes and behaviour - information that is not otherwise available.
Secondary market research involves searching existing information, such as demographic data and industrial statistics, that has already been collected and possibly analyzed by public or private agencies. Sources for this type of information will include our
Library Research Facilities for Business and databases government departments responsible for economic development or trade, industry associations, community economic development agencies, local Chambers of Commerce, conventional banks and other private financial institutions.
Contents
- Preparing a Marketing Plan
- Market Research, Statistics and Analysis
- Electronic Resources
(1) Preparing a Marketing Plan
Successful businesses have extensive
knowledge about their customers and competitors. Acquiring accurate and specific information about your customers and competitors is a critical first step in market investigation and development of a marketing plan.
If your ready to begin a marketing plan for your business, visit the Marketing Plan section of our Links database and the
Marketing Plan Outline on our website.
(2) Mar ket Research, Statistics and Analysis
The Business Gateway' Business Statistics and Analysis section is a valuable resource for any entrepreneur or business looking for a wide variety of business statistics or market analysis. Select an option below for more information.
Canadian and International Trade Data
Economic Indicators and Business Conditions
Electronic Commerce
Industry Statistics
Invest in Canada
Labour Markets
Science and Technology
Starting a New Business
Market Research and Statistics
For information on the labour market, demographics, industry and sector statistics on a regional, national and international level, visit the Statistics section of our Links database and the
Guide to Market Research and Analysis on our website.
(3) Electronic Resources
The following is a list of databases that are useful for market and statistical research. You can access these and other databases on the Public Computer Terminals available for use within the C/NSBSC. For a more complete list of databases available for use, see the
Library Guide
| Business & Company Resource Centre |
Use it to find company details, industry news & research reports, consumer marketing data, acquisitions & mergers, international trade, emerging technologies & products, local & regional business trends. |
| Canadian Business Disc |
To find information on a specific company, companies in a type of business or companies in a geographic area to locate suppliers or generate leads.
Limit of 50 records per client. |
| CBCA |
To locate information on a wide variety of business topics including companies, industries and business people. Also use it to locate consumer interest topics. |
| Detailed Average Household Expenditure |
These tables present average expenditure per household, percentage reporting, average expenditure per household reporting and percentage of total expenditure for detailed expenditure categories. |
| PCensus |
PCensus provides you with market data and statistics that can be used to determine target markets and evaluate market potential, through the analysis of Canadian population and consumer spending statistics attained from the 2001 census.
C/NSBSC staff will use this program on your behalf. |
| RDS Business Reference Suite |
Use TableBase to locate statistics such as market size, market share, sales, and industry trends. |
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