Is There A Right Time for Market Research?

Yes. It’s now.?

Summer is around the corner, which means it’s time to debunk one of the most widespread myths that our clients mention when discussing the research timeline.

?"Summer is not a great season for conducting market research."?

When planning market research, other common stereotypes suggest specific periods—often avoiding summer holidays or the end-of-year festivities—as the worst times. However, these assumptions don't hold as much weight in today's dynamic environment. In fact, you should always assess each scenario based on the business goal and the category.

For example, while it's true that some individuals may be away, for specific industries such as tourism or retail, summer is the most relevant time to gather insights from their audience. Additionally, people who are on vacation might have even more free time and a relaxed mindset, making them more willing to participate in surveys or focus groups.

Our clients usually come to us at the beginning of summer to collect insights from the first half of the year and, if needed, refine the strategy for the second half so that their team has a clear strategic goal once they are back on track after the vacation period. Based on RemCal Insights ’ 12 years of experience, we’ve prepared a few insights that will help you find the best time for your market research activity:

1. Holiday season

Recruitment for surveys, interviews, or focus groups can be more challenging during major holidays like Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, etc. People are often preoccupied with celebrations, travel, and family gatherings, making them less available and less focused on participating in research activities.

But this period can actually be highly beneficial, as consumers are actively engaging with brands, from different cooking ingredients to gifts preparation, making it an opportunity to gauge customer sentiment and behavior.?

2. Start of the year?

The new year often brings fresh perspectives and a readiness to engage. People are back from breaks with renewed energy, making it a good time for certain types of market research, which breaks the myth that people are less responsive at the start of the year due to post-holiday fatigue.

However, at the start of the year, more attention should be paid to the screening process. Consumers who make New Year's resolutions tend to be more proactive than usual, which may result in certain bias or not reflect the real picture.?

3. Back-to-school period

For parents and students, the back-to-school season is busy and may affect their availability. However, this period can be highly fruitful for industries related to education, retail, and family services.

4. Weather-dependent industries

For industries like agriculture or outdoor sports, seasonality and weather conditions play a significant role. Research should align with the periods when the target audience is most engaged with relevant activities.?

For example, if your company manufactures skiing equipment, you may conduct research during the winter season so that consumers’ perceptions of your brand and products are based on recent interactions and their emotions are still fresh.

There are definitely more specifics to consider while choosing the best time to conduct your research. Overall, remember that the effectiveness of market research depends more on the methodology and clear research objectives than the specific time of year. Here’s what you should also keep in mind while planning your research activities:

• Industry context. Different industries have different peak times for consumer engagement. Understanding your category's sales cycle is crucial.
• Audience availability. Knowing your target audience demographics and life stage can help you identify when consumers will be most accessible and responsive, guiding timing decisions.
• Research Goals: Align the timing of your research with your specific goals. For instance, if your brand produces sunscreen and you want to assess the formula's effectiveness, it may make more sense to conduct research when the sun is more active.

If you want RemCal Insights to assist you with your research planning, contact us for a free online consultation and we will provide you with the best solution: https://www.remcalinsights.com/