Like any other company, software companies must be able to conduct research into their business. This includes assessing the mood of the market, evaluating success of the current product line and determining the next steps and subsequent products for the company. All this is the job of a marketing analyst who conducts studies to answer these questions and presents the answers to relevant parties within the company so that they can act upon it. No formal education is required for this position, but there are quite a few skills and attributes which will make you a successful analyst.
Establish Research Goals And Develop Studies
A marketing analyst is responsible for setting the agenda when it comes to market research. They work together with management and strategic planners to determine what kind of research is necessary to measure success and make decisions about the future of the company. They also plan how those studies will be conducted and what questions need to be asked, as well as setting schedules for research completion.
Conduct Studies
Once the studies are designed, the research analyst is also responsible for conducting the studies. This may involve communication with customers, competitors, partners, marketers and more. Data may be collected through surveys, interviews, focus groups and passive analysis of the market. Scientific procedures must be followed to ensure the accuracy of the results. This means that the analyst must have a firm grasp of these principles.
Data Analysis
When the data is collected the research analyst is also responsible for analyzing it and drawing conclusions. Expertise with common statistical programs, such as statistic package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), is a major asset for analysis of large volumes of quantitative data. Qualitative, non-numerical data may require a more nuanced approach. The analyst should be familiar with a wide variety of statistical analysis to be able to confront different types of data and answer different types of questions.
Reports And Presentations
Once the numbers have been crunched it is also up to the research analyst to present the results to the relevant stakeholders in a way which they can understand. This will often take the form of reports and presentations which provide a full accounting of research methodology and statistical results, but also describes results in plain English. Good communication skills, including the ability to speak publicly in front of a large group, are invaluable at this point.
Letha Glazier
