Chicago AMA | For Marketing Professionals

Using Marketing Research to Add Depth to the Not-for-profit Marketing Plan

"NOT-FOR-PROFITS are realizing more and more that good marketing research in the context of good marketing planning is essential," says Dan Stolze of Metro Chicago Information Center. Research, he explains, can help the not-for-profit marketer better understand the customer's needs and wants, noting that "It doesn't matter what the executive director, board of directors or volunteers think. What matters is what the customers think."

In addition, research can

validate assumptions
build credibility for your plan
quantify demand
evaluate alternative marketing programs
fine-tune product/service offerings
maximize the effect of advertising and PR
quantify funding needs ("more and more foundations are asking for quantified needs")
provide ongoing evaluation

Stolze suggests that there are three key times when research should be done:

when developing the marketing plan (to back-up the plan and provide focus)
before launching new products and services
when evaluating products and services

Types of research not-for-profits can consider include secondary data such as US Census information and data supplied by MCIC, a member organization which surveys individuals in the 6-county Chicago region through telephone and face-to-face interview on such topics as arts, culture, leisure, charitable giving, volunteering, the environment, health care, financial assets, employment, housing, education and information technology, among others survey research of individuals via telephone, mail or face-to-face, intercept interviews, etc. qualitative research such as focus groups, one-on-one interviews and other specialized techniques geographic research -- data mapping, site selection or geographic analysis

In summary, Stolze emphasizes, "Use research to help direct and validate your plans. Plan for research early. Consider secondary data, surveys, qualitative and geographic analysis. Do what you can afford. Utilize the Internet as a research tool."

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