4-19-12 The simplest marketing research tool

The most basic information needed when you run a store front business or a business out of your home is where do your customers live.

A simple method to answer this question is to create a system where you get the zip code of every person who comes into your business or contacts you to make a purchase.  This can be done on a computer or by doing listings and hatch marks on a piece of paper near your register (OK, I know this doesn’t sound very high-tech, but it works).

You can keep track of these zip code tabulations by the month or season, or after you have done a new advertisement or promotion.

Once you see the patterns, it can provide you with valuable information about where, geographically, to focus your advertising dollars.