For most businesses, the concept of market sizing is readily understood but not easily accomplished.  Many get stuck on establishing boundaries or defining the market before they even get to the data analysis and implications of their research. Determining market size can answer strategic questions about levels of investments in the business and profitable growth targets. Market sizing can also serve as a quick understanding of the potential for a B2B market opportunity in terms of volume or value, and is therefore pertinent to business strategy and decision making.

Market research clients and suppliers have what seems to be a long-standing relationship where each wishes the other would just be nicer, faster, and more realistic. There often seems to be tension between the two sides when it comes to schedules, deliverables, decisions, and even resource capacity. This tension ends up manifesting itself in internal discussions on the client side, “I have no idea why it’s taking them so long to get me my data,” and on the supplier side, “They’re being so unrealistic with their schedule!”

The internet remains a great source of free information for people to use on a daily basis. You can find the answers you need on a wide variety of topics, and you don’t even need to leave your desk or make a phone call to get it.

In the current environment where fake news sites are popping up all over, it is more important than ever to decide what business information you can reliably obtain from the web and what you are better off purchasing from a professional publisher of market research.