Market Research - Tapping The Power Of the Hidden Persuaders

Knowledge is power, in all branches of marketing. Research is an established tool of consumer marketing, but the construction industry has been slow to adopt market research as a means of tapping this knowledge. Now shower manufacturers are blazing a new trail. Business research specialist, B2B International, runs the Shower Brand Preference Monitor, a twice-yearly survey that canvases the opinions of 500 installers throughout the country.

"In many branches of construction and industrial marketing, there are key trades and professional who play a critical role in directing the choice of materials, fittings and components," explained B2B's Matthew Harrison. "In the two years that we have been running the shower survey we have seen how brand preferences have moved and how new developments such as the emergence of digital showers has impacted on the market."

The monitor has around 40 questions, some open ended and some nominated by manufacturers. Subscribers to the survey include the three leading UK shower brands, who account for around 75 percent of the market. The survey looks at all types of showers and provides feedback on the pivotal issues that affect the installers recommendations.

B2B believe the same panel can provide key data on other major plumbing decisions, such as boilers, fires and bathroom fittings and are happy to discuss this with manufacturers and distributors. Moreover, the technique can be extremely useful for other business-to-business marketing areas where suppliers have a common need for deeper understanding of market dynamics and how trade and professional intermediaries influence product selection.


More information: Nick Hague, B2B International Ltd, Tel. +44 (0)161 440 6000 Fax. +44 (0)161 440 6006 E-mail: info@b2binternational.com Web: www.b2binternational.com