Every day I hear authors and publishers lament that sales are down, and they don’t know why. Then they continue doing the same things they have always done, and expect different results. However, there is one marketing tool that can make an enormous difference in one’s sales, but it is rarely – if ever – used. It is market research.
People think of market research as a ponderous, expensive technique that must be implemented by professional data gatherers. But you can conduct simple research – often for free – to help you plan and implement new marketing actions that can increase your sales, revenue and profits.
Here are a few simple steps you can take on your own to discover the cause of poor sales, and provide some ideas for taking corrective actions.
1. Identify the problem or opportunity. Let’s say sales for Title A are down in Segment B