What is a market research analyst?

A market research analyst makes it possible for companies to ascertain the target consumers for their goods or services. These people study market trends in connection with their target customers’ shopping patterns and demographics to help guide companies on improving products, selecting their advertising channels, and determining price points.

Marketing research includes collecting particular information about a company’s current consumers, existing marketing conditions, and the company’s current rivals.

Marketing analysis takes place when this available information is used to make reasonable predictions about who would buy a particular good, how to advertise the product to the target customers, and what the price range should be.

Market research analysts utilize both of these skills to produce useful strategies for how to best market and sell a specific product. One of the most crucial questions for those interested in this field is how to become a market research analyst.

How to become a market research analyst?

Here are some steps you can take to launch your career as a market research analyst; In other words, these steps explain how to become a market research analyst. 

Pursue higher education in a related field

Many employers necessitate market research analysts to have at least a bachelor’s degree in a field such as marketing. A marketing degree assists potential marketing research analysts to learn about marketing principles, customer behavior patterns, macroeconomics, and business communications.

Some marketing research analysts would rather receive degrees in social sciences, such as psychology or business administration, so as to better understand customer behavior.

Other marketing research analysts pursue mathematics or computer science to acquire more technical knowledge of data and economics. Pursuing higher education is one of the key steps in how to become a market research analyst.

Those interested in higher-level or managerial market research analyst positions might be engaged in earning a master’s degree. Some universities present graduate programs particularly in marketing research and analysis. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) might also be a helpful degree in gaining a leadership role as a market research analyst.

Acquire fundamental work experience

Most market research analyst jobs need foundational work experience. Companies generally would rather employ market research analysts with experience in the marketing industry.

Think about working first as a marketing research intern, marketing assistant, account representative or another relevant position that can give you knowledge of the industry and become a more competitive candidate for market research analyst jobs. Obtaining functional work experience is another essential step in how to become a market research analyst.

Gain certifications

Certifications can help show your efficiency in market research analysis to future employers. However, as with most market research analysis jobs, most of these certifications need former experience in the marketing industry.

One of the most usual certifications among market research analysts is the Professional Researcher Certification (PRC). Potential market research analysts acquire the PRC by taking the Marketing Research Association (MRA) exam. Certified applicants must have completed 12 hours of courses and worked in the marketing field for at least three years.

Key soft skills for a market research analyst

• Communicate: Market research analysts must convey their findings to team members and management. Analysts also need to translate complicated data into layman’s terms.
• Work Under Pressure: Companies that offer products or services are reliant on market analysts’ research. Analysts work under pressure to ascertain prices, sales, and marketing approaches that influence their company’s bottom line.
• Pay Attention to Details: Market research analysts inspect information from customer surveys, interviews, and questionnaires. They must focus on the details to make the best suggestions for their company.
• Present Findings: Market research analysts must provide precise predictions based on information to their supervisors. Analysts must have strong public communication skills and a confident manner.

Key hard skills for a market research analyst

• Strong Research Ability: Market research analysts perform initial research studies. They also employ secondary research information to make decisions and suggestions. They must be up to date on existing research methods.

• Software Proficiency: Market researchers analyze customer information utilizing statistical techniques and software. They may need to install or suggest new software programs for their customers. Analysts often use software to predict future trends.
• Proficiency in Visual Aids: Analysts may adopt their research to create advertising brochures, commercials, sales plans, and product promotions. They employ visual aid software to create charts, graphs, and infographics for presentations.
• Evidence-based Analysis: Market research analysts have huge responsibility within a company, so their analyses, evaluations, and suggestions should be based on solid research. They must cautiously analyze both customers and competitors.

FAQ

What are the duties of a market research analyst?

As a Market Research Analyst, my main goal is to convert meaningless data into functional information. So while collecting, organizing, and computing data is an immense part of his/her daily duties, his/her leading priority is to ensure that he/she provides his/her findings in such a way that it is easy to comprehend and can be acted upon.

In a way, a market research analyst performs as a bridge between users and his/her company, so it is necessary for him/her to correctly show them to the team.

What is the best part of this career? What is the most difficult part of this career?

The best part of being a marketing analyst is that you are always learning new things. Whether from your colleagues, the information that you study, or the resources that you have to study to do your work.

With regard to challenges, the most difficult thing to do is to put new and complicated concepts into something easy to understand for anyone.

What kind of communication skills do you need to do your job?

Of course, you must have very good written and verbal communication so as to get your point across, but the most significant aspect of that is, the ways you connect to your audience.

As a market research analyst, your audience is most of the time comprised of professionals in their field, so you might be enticed to use complicated descriptions for your findings.

 But the problem here is that not everyone is as knowledgeable as you on the subject you are working on. So Understanding how to approach your peers when expounding your process and your findings is essential in ensuring that you are understood.

Conclusion

The main duty of market research analysts is to contribute to businesses interacting as efficiently as possible with their target audiences.

Market research analysts employ data-driven strategies to ascertain a company’s customer base and how to most efficiently sell them their products or services. If you are engaged in marketing strategies, data analysis, or customer behavior, you might regard a future as a market research analyst. There are some necessary steps that must be taken to find the answer to how to become a market research analyst.