NewVenture Activity 2a Customer Profile Worksheet

Transcription

1 Name: NewVenture Activity 2a Profile Worksheet Identify major customer groups and their distinguishing characteristics. Directions In this activity you will clearly describe your customers and identify the type of market research you need. Step 1 Identify major customer groups. Identify in the chart below which of the distinguishing demographic variables, psychographic variables, and buying behaviors best describe your customers. Not all variables and factors will apply to your situation. If something doesn t apply, skip it. Demographics (age, gender, geographic location) B2C s Age Gender Profession Education level Household income level Marital status Number of children Geographic location B2B s Number of employees Organizational structure Location of headquarters Types of products and services they provide Annual revenue Number, size, and location of branches Year founded Psychographics (why they buy) B2C s Conservative Liberal Conformist Experimental Environment-friendly Socially conscious Growth-oriented Fun-loving Cutting-edge Trend follower Fashion-forward Family-oriented B2B s Market leader Innovative or cutting-edge Liberal Conservative Environment-friendly Employee/family-friendly Fast growing/adopting new ideas Stable/set in their ways 2005 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation FastTrac NewVenture Activity 2a Page 1 of 5

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3 B2C s How many family members are typically in your customers households? B2B s What growth stage is the company in? (start-up, growth, stable, or decline) What hobbies and/or sports do your customers enjoy? What is the type of workforce they employ? (for example, younger, education level, part-time) What types of entertainment do they enjoy? (for example, movies, theater, opera) Who is the decision maker in the business you are selling to? What publications do they subscribe to? Do identifiable common characteristics of managers or executives exist? What do they do in their free time? What is the company s culture? What is the management style? What trade associations do they belong to? What publications do they subscribe to? 2005 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation FastTrac NewVenture Activity 2a Page 3 of 5

4 Buying Behaviors (where, when, what, and how they buy) B2C s What benefit is the customer looking for? B2B s What benefit is the customer looking for? How often will they purchase? How often will they purchase? What is the customer s decisionmaking process? What is the customer s decisionmaking process? What factors are most important to your customers: Price Quality Brand name recognition service Variety of services Discounts and sales Attractiveness of packaging Convenience of store location Store appearance Convenience of product/service use Guarantees/Warranties Technical support Flexible payment terms Financing What factors are most important to your customers: Price Quality Brand name recognition service Variety of services Discounts and sales Attractiveness of packaging Convenience of store location Store appearance Convenience of product/service use Guarantees/Warranties Technical support Flexible payment terms Financing Step 2 Complete the Profile Worksheet. Using the information from the checklist, write a customer profile in the Profile Worksheet on p. 72 for each customer group identified Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation FastTrac NewVenture Activity 2a Page 4 of 5

5 Step 3 Identify research needed on major customer groups. Additional research regarding your customers will help you later when you determine the size of your target market, how to reach potential customers, and how to best sell your products or services. What market research on your major customer groups would be helpful? Note this information in the right-hand column of the Profile Worksheet. Step 4 Complete the research. Verify the draft customer profile by actually conducting primary and secondary market research. Profile Worksheet STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Identify major customer groups Complete the Profile Identify research needed EXAMPLE For a shuttle service to and from the airport, the main customer group is businesses whose sales force and other employees make regular business trips. B2B Medium to large businesses (over $1,000,000 in annual revenue) within forty miles of the airport who maintain a traveling national and/or international sales force or development team. Key motives for choosing a shuttle service include reliability and efficiency. They purchase frequently, one or more times a month, typically by telephone. Need to know the number of businesses in the designated area who fit the customer profile. Library or Internet research of census data for SIC and NAICS codes within a forty-mile radius of the airport would reveal how many businesses meet the criteria. Group A Profile A Needed A Group B Profile B Needed B Group C Profile C Needed C 2005 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation FastTrac NewVenture Activity 2a Page 5 of 5