POB Stage 2 Seminar 5

1. Principles of Business: Stage 2 Marketing
Seminar:
Developing a research brief
Topic Number:5

2. Overview
You have been brought in by the CMO of a company of your
choosing to put together a research brief. The company has
recently developed a new product and is looking to understand if
it is appealing to consumers.
You have been brought in to initially develop the brief, covering
the following key areas:
• Overview, context and customer landscape
• Who the core target audiences are?
• What are their defining characteristics?
• Key information to find out
• Research techniques to use
• What output is required?
• How will it be used?
Thereafter, you are tasked with presenting your brief to the
management team at the company. Note that in the following
session you will be tasked with answering another group’s brief.

3. 3
Learning outcomes of this seminar
• Develop and articulate the key stages that are used in a
research brief.
• Describe the key issues, context and areas of focus for an
organisation.
• Critically define and describe the types of output you are
looking for from a research brief.
• Make robust and coherent recommendations for an
organisation to move forward to implement a brief.

4. Agenda for this seminar
Describe the context for the research that includes: the company
context, research objectives and the product that will be researched.
Describe the target audience for the research: including key
characteristics that need to be in the research sample.
Discuss the key things you are looking to get out of the research and
recommend the research technique that you would use.
List any practical information you would expect in the brief.

5. Structure for the session
You will have
15 minutes to
discuss each
question.
We will have a
debrief at the
end of each 15
minutes to hear
your thoughts
on each area.
Feel free to ask
questions but
please do not
have separate
conversations
‘we are all in
this together’!

6. Market Research
I believe in innovation and
that the way you get
innovation is you fund
research and you learn the
basic facts.
Bill Gates
Research is formalised
curiosity. It is poking and
prying with a purpose.
Zora Neale Hurston

7. Describe the context for
the research that
includes the company
context, research
objectives and the
product that will be
researched.

8. Discuss

9. Describe the target
audience for the
research including key
characteristics that
need to be in the
research sample.

10. Discuss

11. Discuss the key things
you are looking to get
out of the research and
recommend the
research technique that
you would use.

12. Discuss

13. List any practical
information you would
expect in the brief.

14. Discuss

15. End of Seminar
Note: This recording is for your
personal use only and not for further
distribution or wider review.
© Pearson College 2013