Facts, information, and pages upon pages of words. Research can definitely seem overwhelming and daunting at times. You are hoping for success for your new idea, whether that be a new product, a new client, or even a new plan for expansion, but before you make any decisions, your first step involves a lot of research. This will help you determine your next move, the proper direction to move in, and everything you need to help you nail down all the critical financial details for success.
As overwhelming, frustrating, and complex of an issue as research is, knowing where to start can help you tremendously from feeling paralyzed or lost in data. In many situations, hiring additional help, like that of the research and creative writing team at Pulse Marketing, can eliminate the struggle entirely.
But for those times where you need to find results yourself, here’s your new favorite guide.
Determine What Information You Need: The greatest tip we can give you is to go into your research session with a goal in mind. Without a goal, you run the risk of falling down the rabbit hole. A research goal can begin with searching for one individual idea, like looking at product purchasing trends, determining who your buyer market is, or even finding the average pricing of products. Start with something specific in your search and grow from there, going from small ideas to overall coverage.
Set a Limit: Another key to avoid falling into the depths of the rabbit hole is setting limits for both you and your research. Set your phone timer for 90 mins and when that buzzer goes off, gather your information and take a look at the results you have found thus far. Timing your research will help to keep you from spending too much time on one area of research or spending too much time chasing the wrong idea.
Determine Key Words: You might find yourself thinking, “Hey, this does not help me find the information I need! How do I find my answers?” Well, we have you covered there as well. When searching for anything in the world wide web it is important to determine the right key search terms — the words with the most SEO value that will get you the results you want.
Think about it this way: If you were going to explain to someone the concept behind your new venture, what words would you use to explain the concept, product, or information? Start simple and then make the ideas more complex. Write down the words you are most commonly using and these will become your key terms.
Imagine you are the librarian of your research. What questions would you have for a professional? How would you describe what you are looking for to the individual behind the desk?
You’ll Need Multiple Sources: Just like in any class you have ever attended, sources are the most important part of your research. This determines the credibility of your results and the consistency of the answers you're finding. Using good sources will help secure investors, affirm clients, and help you make the business decisions that are right for you. The difference between stopping at just one search result that proves you are right, and continuing the search to find the answer that proves wrong might just be your key to success.
The Good, the Bad, and the Miscellaneous: You can get lost in search of your answers for eternity if you aren’t strategic. To help avoid this, periodically ask yourself questions that you feel a potential investor, business partner, or client might ask. If you can answer those questions, then you are ready to move on to the next part of your research.
Remember, your research will present a huge array of information and if you are not careful, things can get very ugly, very quickly.
Researching appears to be easy, but it can also trap you. You might start off feeling like you have everything figured out, only for your research to show you that everything you thought you knew was actually wrong. In the end, remember to always research with a specific goal in mind —and just because you read one thing, does not necessarily mean that the results are law.
Happy Googling!
