“I invented nothing new. I simply assembled into a car the discoveries of other men behind whom were centuries of work, and the discoveries of still other men who preceded them…. So it is with every new thing.”-Henry Ford
Ford has always been a visionary. From the founder Henry Ford to the innovative team they have assembled, they still stand apart as the most valued American built motor vehicle. Ford is a legendary car company, best known for automating a production assembly line. Ford is among the leading company in the automotive industry, looking to offer a range of transportation options, not just a company who produces and sells cars. They look to the discoveries of new features, technologies and encourage innovation.
There new guide to lead the way in green technology and pioneering the EcoBoost engine. Ford was the first domestic country to start producing cars with turbocharged eco friendly engines. There use of technology and innovation has led them to score a 9 out of 10 on the performance for this investment in new technology. They have pursued more options in features by listening to there consumers and market research, by making their vehicles compatible with I-Phone and Android. The list of features they have implemented continue to allow them to stand apart from the competition.
Ford is making better vehicles then ever, with their latest lineup in production giving consumers everything they’ve asked for. However, as I prepare to move towards extensive marketing research project, I want to provide what I hope to be Ford’s next most attractive feature. I believe that their lineup is missing what every middle-aged woman and moms are begging for.
I’d like to first paint you a picture to help you imagine this new feature and how it would avail in the automobile industry!
Middle aged women and mothers, are not as limber as before and frankly they’re exhausted. So I will tell you about this woman who has been racing to work, the kids’ activities and the grocery store. She has run to the store in between the kids’ soccer and gymnastics practice filling the car with a plethora of grocery bags, 6 gallons of milk and a much-desired bottle of wine to unwind, for when the kids go to bed. She races home to get dinner on the table, pulls into the driveway scurry’s the kids into the house, and now it’s time to unload the groceries.
She loves her standard size SUV and its fantastic cargo area to hold everything. She gets 90% of the groceries unloaded in record time. But now she stands at the back of the SUV staring at that last grocery bag, a gallon of milk and that elusive bottle of wine, which have slid to the far back of the cargo hold and are comfortably resting against the back seat. She leans in and reaches as far in as she can, her fingers just inches from success. The women and mother of two stands staring into the cargo space feeling nearly defeated, she realizes she can’t jump up into cargo space, and is not able to reach high enough to kneel in, so she does the only thing she can think of in hopes no one is watching.
She thrusts her body forward into the cargo space like a fish out of water, she slides her body to the remaining items and move them closer. If getting in wasn’t bad enough getting out would prove to be even more difficult, she then proceeds to toss her body to and Fro, like a fish on the dock, in order to wiggle free. It’s not easy nor flattering. She manages to free herself, only to look up and see her neighbors staring. She attempts to wave and laugh hiding the embarrassment she feels.
So, what’s missing? What would this women desire? What does she need?
I will tell you about the innovative idea I plan to dive into market research about in hopes Ford get’s wind of this blog and takes action. Because I will let you in on a little secret that women in the painted picture was me, and let me tell you two bruises and three neighbors watching later, I don’t know what was injured more my body or my dignity. Middle-aged women need SUVs to have a built-in retractable step to access the cargo hold. To save women their energy, their body’s and most importantly their dignity.
A good idea is only as good as it’s research, so FORD I’m going to do it for you. And this is how!
The ability to craft a goal-oriented and effective market research plan will be a game changer for this marketing strategy. Beginning with a SWOT analysis will be a guide. I believe that middle-aged women and mothers is our target audience however we need be certain. So, in efforts to obtain a target audience we will rely on
Basic Marketing Research: Basic Marketing Research is the most commonly used form of research used by businesses. Most basic forms of research used in one or more of the following; (Yahoo, 2012).
- Surveys (ex. In-person, telephone, mail, or online)
- Focus Groups
- Personal Interviews
- Observations (study of behavior in research processes)
After we confirm the target audience it will rely on us to narrow in learn everything, we can about them. We can begin with literature review to glean information that already exists. This allows for us to move to fill the gaps in research as it pertains to our audience. So we move to the next step in our Market Research plan.
Applied Marketing Research: Applied Marketing Research is the type of research that is focused on a direct implication and application. This form of research is used in order to solve problems. It is a systematic form on inquiry that relies on science and practical sciences. It allows researchers to investigate the following.
- Theories
- Methods
- Knowledge
- Techniques
All of applied marketing research is in efforts for a specific reason or result desired to make further decisions to move forward with the best information to be applied to make decisions or further research. Often times we will revert back to basic marketing research to get our target audiences insight on approaches, and relying on a scientific method approach to collect analytical data.
In my hopes that Ford Co. does get ahold of this Blog, I want them to see their target audience, practical data based on the product costs and income level of their target audience, all to understand that they can exceed expectations of there consumers while increasing profitability. I’m going to close this Blog saying that I do not believe if my market research does not pan out and this is not a win-win idea Ford you don’t have to pick it up.
I’m the first research subject as well has 5 out of 5 middle-aged moms in my community that I have asked about their experience with this same challenge; and they all agreed they would pay more for a vehicle that offered a retractable step in their SUV. I know I have along way to go so let’s get started! Subscribe to the blog and I will be releasing new information in just a few short weeks.
SUCCESS OF THE MARKETING PLAN IS ONLY AS GOOD AS IT’S RESEARCH!