If you’re going to create a great product that people love — and maybe even pay for — then you have to know your customer. And the best way to get to know your customer? Market research.

Market research is essential for any company, from tiny startups to massive corporations, but you have to do it right for it to work.

SO WHAT DOES GOOD MARKET RESEARCH LOOK LIKE?

What steps are involved? Well, it starts with an organized and thorough market research process.

1. Define Your Goals

The very first step to conducting great market research is defining your goals. What do you want to learn from this research? What questions are you answering? In order to get the most useful information, you’re going to want to develop defined research or a hypot...