Library Guides: MKTG 440: Content Dev. & Inbound Mktg: Persona Development

Target Market & Consumer Research

With any research endeavor, it is crucial to ask yourself as many questions as possible to ensure you are thinking critically about the subject. For target market research, consider not just the age, but the lifestyle, gender, household size, location, culture, and other factors that would influence that market's consumer tendencies. Alternate your focus between the company/product and the consumer (who would buy X product? would person Y buy it? what prevents them from doing so? what could the company/product do to change this?).

As you research, look for data/information that answers these questions. If you have trouble finding data/information to support your theory, you may be asking the wrong questions, or are trying to shoehorn data to support an answer that you created from the start. Let the research process guide you to the answer rather than begin your research with an answer in mind.

Statista This link opens in a new window
Library database - will require SU credentials for off-campus access.

Statista.com, by Statista, Inc. provides data on over 60,000 topics from over 18,000 sources, categorized into 21 market sectors. Statista.com provides quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas.

Consumer Expenditure Survey (bls.gov)
This survey provides data about American consumer expenses. The most recent survey is for 2016. The survey can be viewed in a variety of formats, including tables, news releases, and reports. Select the type of resource you would prefer from the top paragraph.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (census.gov)
Summary statistics on just about any topic (often for a range of years) - lacks detail to lower levels of geography (ie. counties, etc.) but is a good pointer to other sources. Covers up to 2012. Annual editions beyond this are now published by ProQuest. The latest edition is in the 1st floor Reference collection.
Data.gov
"The home of the U.S. Government's open data...Here you will find data, tools, and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more."
United Nations Statistics Division - Demographics and Social Statistics (un.org)
Demographic Yearbook and other publications; Demographic and social topics; Statistical Databases; and more!
American Customer Satisfaction Index (.org)
Organization that analyzes and ranks certain economies, industries, companies, and governments based on customer satisfaction. Created by University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.
The National Retail Federation (.com)
This industry association website provides great insights into consumer behavior, spending habits, trends, and more. Start with the "Resources" page.
NPD Group (.com)
Check out the Industries tab to find overviews, insights, reports, and infographics relating to an industry and its consumers. Note that some content may only exist behind a paywall.

Marketing Plan Toolkits & Guides

SBA Learning Center: Marketing "Courses"
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers short (30 min.) introductory online courses on a variety of topics. Examples include business plans, pricing models, employee recruitment and retention, social media marketing, and crowdfunding.
Small Business USA.gov
Resources for starting a business or non-profit organization; financing; exporting or importing; federal government contracts; and state business resources.
Marketing & Sales (SBA.gov)
Resources on marketing and developing a marketing plan. From the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Business Guide.
Marketing Plans & Marketing Strategy Guides (Mplans.com)
100+ free sample marketing plans, marketing articles, and more
Marketing Strategies & Ideas For Your Business (Entrepreneur.com)
Guides on marketing basics, sales, online marketing, finding customers, social media, branding, SEO, and networking, in addition to recent articles on the topics of marketing.
Marketing Small Business Guide (BizFilings Toolkit)
Sections include: Marketing Overview; Market Research; Product Development; Packaging & Pricing; Internet Marketing; Marketing Plans; Advertising & PR

Trends, Reports via Marketing Trade Associations

Browse these association websites for trends, updates, and reports on the marketing industry. While the information may not pertain to your company's industry, it may spark ideas for your marketing plans.