Market Research to Achieve Market Research to Achieve Success - SBDCNetSuccess - SBDCNet

Judith Kraatz Johnson, Judith Kraatz Johnson,

Lead LibrarianLead Librarian

Presented by thePresented by the

SBDC National InformationSBDC National InformationClearinghouseClearinghouse

Serving more than 1,000 SBDCServing more than 1,000 SBDC offices since October 1998offices since October 1998

SBDCNet ServicesSBDCNet Services

Save Five HoursSave Five Hours

What can you do with an What can you do with an extra five hours in your extra five hours in your workday? workday?

Based on evaluations received in FY 03.Based on evaluations received in FY 03.

Provide timely, Provide timely, relevant, and free relevant, and free research to SBDC research to SBDC

counselors in the U.S. counselors in the U.S. and its territoriesand its territories

SBDCNet Mission SBDCNet Mission

Reduce “in-box” stressReduce “in-box” stress

Fill in the information gapsFill in the information gaps

An added benefit to SBDC An added benefit to SBDC services to clients services to clients

Another “staff” memberAnother “staff” member

How Can SBDCNet Help You?How Can SBDCNet Help You?

Our StaffOur Staff

• 1 Director (MA)1 Director (MA)

• 1 Assistant Director (MA)1 Assistant Director (MA)

• 3 Reviewers (2 MLS & 1 BBA)3 Reviewers (2 MLS & 1 BBA)

• 3 Business Research Associates 3 Business Research Associates (1 MA & 2 BBA)(1 MA & 2 BBA)

• 4 Research Assistants 4 Research Assistants

(Graduate & Upperclassmen)(Graduate & Upperclassmen)

• 1 Admin (BA) + Support Staff1 Admin (BA) + Support Staff

• 5 Practicum Students5 Practicum Students

19 Staff – 11/200419 Staff – 11/2004

Contacting SBDCNetContacting SBDCNet

• Internet: Internet: http://sbdcnet.utsa.eduhttp://sbdcnet.utsa.edu

• Email: sbdcnet@utsa.edu Email: sbdcnet@utsa.edu

• Telephone 1-800-689-1912 Telephone 1-800-689-1912

• Fax 210-458-7840Fax 210-458-7840

• Serve SBDC counselors not clients.Serve SBDC counselors not clients.

• Locate published market research data, Locate published market research data, articles, demographics, and financial ratios.articles, demographics, and financial ratios.

• Search patent and trademark files online.Search patent and trademark files online.

• Provide demographic information for Provide demographic information for market analysis (GIS).market analysis (GIS).

• Provide sample business plans.Provide sample business plans.

What We Can DoWhat We Can Do

• 24/7 website of industry links for use by 24/7 website of industry links for use by counselors and clients.counselors and clients.

• Lend Lend Entrepreneur GuidesEntrepreneur Guides. .

• Train the SBDC community.Train the SBDC community.

What We Can Do - Part IIWhat We Can Do - Part II

Geographic Information Geographic Information SystemSystem

• 2002 Census with 2007 and 2012 2002 Census with 2007 and 2012 projections from Applied Geographic projections from Applied Geographic Solutions. Solutions.

• Radii or ring studies. Radii or ring studies.

• Variables: age, sex, race and ethnicity, Variables: age, sex, race and ethnicity, household, income, education, occupation.household, income, education, occupation.

• Our expert: Michael ClineOur expert: Michael Cline

Geographic Information SystemGeographic Information System

What We What We CANNOTCANNOT Do Do

• Provide legal or medical advice and the Provide legal or medical advice and the interpretation.interpretation.

• Compile mailing and marketing lists.Compile mailing and marketing lists.

SBDCNet ResourcesSBDCNet Resources

• Web site Web site http://sbdcnet.utsa.eduhttp://sbdcnet.utsa.edu

• Print collection and CD-ROMsPrint collection and CD-ROMs

• Online databases/Univ.TX - San AntonioOnline databases/Univ.TX - San Antonio

• State Data Center (BIDC)State Data Center (BIDC)

• Internet accessInternet access

Web Site Web Site http://sbdcnet.utsa.edu http://sbdcnet.utsa.edu

Counselor Area• Information Request Form• E-newsletter• Training Class Info• Links to 641s, 1062s, & 888s

Small Business Information CenterIndustry LinksLocal SBDC Search

Reference Books at SBDCNetReference Books at SBDCNet

• Small Business SourcebookSmall Business Sourcebook

• Business Plans HandbookBusiness Plans Handbook (9 volumes) (9 volumes)

• Financial Studies of the Small BusinessFinancial Studies of the Small Business

• Lifestyle Market AnalystLifestyle Market Analyst

• RMA Annual Statement StudiesRMA Annual Statement Studies

• Household SpendingHousehold Spending

• Best CustomersBest Customers

Selected BooksSelected Books

• The Toy and Game Inventor’s GuideThe Toy and Game Inventor’s Guide• Starting a Medical PracticeStarting a Medical Practice• Dollars and Cents of Shopping CentersDollars and Cents of Shopping Centers• 2001 Restaurant Industry Operations Report2001 Restaurant Industry Operations Report• 1001 Retail Ideas to Create Retail Excitement1001 Retail Ideas to Create Retail Excitement• Guerilla MarketingGuerilla Marketing• Marketing Your InventionMarketing Your Invention• Building an Import/Export BusinessBuilding an Import/Export Business

Lending RulesLending Rules

• Entrepreneur Magazine Guides and BooksEntrepreneur Magazine Guides and Books– Titles available for 2 week checkout– Return via traceable carrier– Books loaned on case by case basis

SBDCNet - Online DatabasesSBDCNet - Online Databases

• ““ProQuest Direct” (articles and newspapers)ProQuest Direct” (articles and newspapers)

• ““Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis” (news, Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis” (news, medical, finance, and articles)medical, finance, and articles)

• ““GaleNet Ready Reference”(trade GaleNet Ready Reference”(trade associations)associations)

The Final Product The Final Product

• Passes quality control measures. Passes quality control measures.

• Email includes introduction, evaluation Email includes introduction, evaluation form, disclaimer, and research. form, disclaimer, and research.

• Sent via email, snail mail, or fax. Sent via email, snail mail, or fax.

• Turnaround: 2 weeks.Turnaround: 2 weeks.

Keyword OperatorsKeyword Operators

• BooleanBoolean

• Plus/Minus signsPlus/Minus signs

• Quotation marksQuotation marks

• TruncationTruncation

• www.infopeople.org/search/guide.htmlwww.infopeople.org/search/guide.html for for the “Best Search Engines Quick Guidethe “Best Search Engines Quick Guide

BooleanBoolean

• AND – both words are in the document AND – both words are in the document (similar to +)(similar to +)

• NEAR(or ADJ) - one word found within a NEAR(or ADJ) - one word found within a specified number of wordsspecified number of words

• OR – at least one word is presentOR – at least one word is present

• NOT – excludes a word (similar to -)NOT – excludes a word (similar to -)

Quotation MarksQuotation Marks

• The words within the quote marks are The words within the quote marks are treated as a phrase treated as a phrase

• Similar to the Boolean operator NEAR or Similar to the Boolean operator NEAR or ADJacent)ADJacent)

TruncationTruncation

• The stem of a word is what is searched with The stem of a word is what is searched with variant endingsvariant endings

• May happen automatically or require use of May happen automatically or require use of an asterisk * to indicate the search functionan asterisk * to indicate the search function

• Result of search* is searches, searched, Result of search* is searches, searched, searching.searching.

Additional HintsAdditional Hints

• Check your spellingCheck your spelling

• Case sensitivity?Case sensitivity?

• Word variants like “car wash” or “carwash”Word variants like “car wash” or “carwash”

• Too many hits - use more specific termsToo many hits - use more specific terms

• Few hits or none - select broader termsFew hits or none - select broader terms

• Search SIC/NAICS at www.census.govSearch SIC/NAICS at www.census.gov

Small Business TopicsSmall Business Topics

• Ed Lowe http://peerspectives.orgEd Lowe http://peerspectives.org

• Entre World http://www.entreworld.orgEntre World http://www.entreworld.org

• Small Business Plan Guide Small Business Plan Guide http://www.smallbusinessplanguide.comhttp://www.smallbusinessplanguide.com

Industry OverviewsIndustry Overviews

• www.valuationresources.com for fee and www.valuationresources.com for fee and free industry informationfree industry information

• www.bizjournals.com for major city www.bizjournals.com for major city marketsmarkets

• www.looksmart.com for trade journal www.looksmart.com for trade journal articlesarticles

• www.find.com for business contentwww.find.com for business content

Competitive InformationCompetitive Information

• ZapData (http://www.zapdata.com) - ZapData (http://www.zapdata.com) - market data by state and metro areas; fees market data by state and metro areas; fees for prospecting listsfor prospecting lists

• InfoSpace (www.infospace.com) - locate InfoSpace (www.infospace.com) - locate competitors nearbycompetitors nearby

DemographicsDemographics

• ESRI-BIS (www.esribis.com) - for lifestyle ESRI-BIS (www.esribis.com) - for lifestyle chracteristics and free zip code informationchracteristics and free zip code information

• MelissaData (www.MelissaData.com) - free MelissaData (www.MelissaData.com) - free lookups lookups

• Census (www.census.gov) - demographic Census (www.census.gov) - demographic data and geographic searchingdata and geographic searching

SBDCNETSBDCNET

Questions? Questions?

Send e-mail to:Send e-mail to:Sbdcnet@utsa.eduSbdcnet@utsa.edu

or call us:or call us:

1-800-689-19121-800-689-1912