Market Research Checklist, Step by Step for 2027

A 103-point checklist that makes sure every step of a market research study is done, and done well, from the decision that prompts it to the action that follows.

Who it's for

Managers, founders, marketers and analysts who commission, run or rely on market research. Use Sections 1–6 at the kick-off, Sections 7 and 8 while fieldwork runs and Sections 9 and 10 at the close; for desk research on its own, Sections 1, 3, 9 and 10 may be all you need.

What you'll learn

• Start from the business decision: name the decision-maker, write three to five research questions and hypotheses, and agree which results would change the decision
• Plan scope, budget and timeline, brief agencies on objectives rather than methods and compare their proposals
• Do the desk research first, from official statistics (ONS and gov.uk), trade bodies and Companies House filings to your own sales and support data
• Choose qualitative or quantitative methods, set quotas, justify the sample size and plan for hard-to-reach groups
• Design questionnaires and discussion guides with neutral wording, balanced scales and questions about past behaviour, then test them
• Protect participants and their data with a lawful basis, privacy notices, recorded consent and the principles of the MRS Code of Conduct
• Check data quality, analyse by segment, write each insight as what, why and so what, and report with base sizes and actions with owners

What's inside

• 28 pages, 10 sections · 103 checkpoints
• Each section opens with a short introduction; every point has a tick box, one to three sentences on why it matters and how to do it and, where it helps, a one-line example from one of four fictional UK organisations, from a snack brand to a small hotel group
• Points on personal data and ethics say what to check and where: ico.org.uk, the MRS Code of Conduct or a qualified professional
• The checklist at a glance: all 103 points on two pages to print and tick
• PDF in A4 format — read on screen or print
• Instant download after purchase

Contents

1. Define the Decision and Objectives
2. Plan Scope, Budget and Timeline
3. Do the Desk Research First
4. Choose Methods and Sample
5. Design the Questionnaire or Discussion Guide
6. Protect Participants and Their Data
7. Recruit and Run Fieldwork
8. Check the Quality of the Data
9. Analyse and Find Insights
10. Report and Act

Part of The Ultimate Business Bundle

This checklist is one of the 73 products in The Ultimate Business Bundle — 55 ebooks, 8 checklists and toolkits and 10 workbooks for £147 (worth £2,047 if bought separately: the total of the individual prices of the included titles in our store).