Use A Virtual Assistant To Conduct Research.
Almost every great business idea, project, or plan starts with research.
The internet has an endless supply of information right at your fingertips, but having too much info, or information that is not specific enough can end up hindering your progress rather than helping it.
To ensure you have the best possible results, you have to put in the time to carefully sift through and then validate the data.
But if you don’t have the time or manpower to conduct research yourself, our Zirtual assistants are ready to support you with years of experience in a variety of business research services.
Market Research
Many businesses regularly conduct market research for gathering, analyzing and interpreting information about a market, product, or service.
This information is key in helping them understand their client, their competitors, and the industry in their area as well as in general. To truly be useful, market research must be done methodically and thoroughly to ensure accurate results.
Our Zirtual assistants are trained in gathering the various types of data needed in market research.
Primary Information
This is data that you collect specifically for the purpose of your research project. This includes things like surveys, focus groups and interviews. Once you have determined who your target audience is, your Zirtual assistant can assist you in creating contact lists.
Then simply give them the questions that you’d like answered and they can send out surveys over email, conduct interviews by phone, or schedule a video meeting with a focus group for you. They can also track all of the information and sort it, so that your results are clear and ready to use.
Secondary Information
This includes any data that has already been collected by someone else for you. There is a wealth of secondary information that could be beneficial in market research such as government websites, Google Analytics, libraries, colleges, trade associations, Chamber of Commerce, and census reports.
Our virtual assistants are trained to utilize every option available, and to make sure you get the most accurate and up to date information whenever doing secondary research.
Qualitative and Quantitative Information
Using both qualitative and quantitative research in your market research ensures you have the most complete picture. Your Zirtual assistant will be able to organize this information for you so that results for both types are clear.
Whether it’s the key bullet points of a focus group, or graphs showing the percentage of growth over the year in a particular area, you’ll get data points presented in a way you can actually make sense of and use.
Other Types of Research
Our Zirtual assistants are trained to do several different types of research, so no matter the topic, you’ll be able to save time and still get the information you need.
Comparative Research
Your virtual assistant will research all of the options and give you three to four that best meet your criteria. For example, you may ask them to find a deli near your office that delivers sandwiches for a team lunch.
Your virtual assistant will not only send you the results with the top choice being the one that best matches your request, they’ll give you additional options and let you know why they’d also be a good choice.
For example, if researching food options, your Zirtual assistant might provide the following, “the second deli has a delivery fee, but is rated better on Yelp than the top pick, the third deli doesn’t offers vegan and gluten free options and costs less than the other two.” Once you’ve selected which deli, don’t forget to let your virtual assistant take care of placing the order for you!
Data Research
This type of research is especially useful for putting together contact lists. Simply let your virtual assistant know what you’d like them to research and the variables to include.
For example, you might ask for a list of book publishing agents in your state and add that you’d like to know the company name, email address, the genres they publish, and if they are accepting submissions.
Your Zirtual assistant will put together an easily readable spreadsheet with all the data points you ask for. Bonus? They can assist you in reaching out to the contacts in the list they created, and update the information as each person is contacted.
Informational Research
This type of research is for when you just want to know more about something. Interested in Elvis? Want to know more about the benefits of hot yoga? Wonder what’s up with those fidget spinners?
The information on any topic imaginable is out there, the trick is finding it, and sifting through what is true and false, what is relevant, and what is the most up to date information available.
Your Zirtual assistant will be able to give you an easily readable report with the basics and TLDR style summaries, as well as links to further reading when you want to go more in depth.
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I've just had two of the most productive weeks I've had in years. Ben was perfectly matched to my temperament, and has been taking all the backlogged work off my plate and finishing it. I'm really impressed.
Now that I have Renee, my VA, to handle all the small stuff, I'm more productive. I'm closing more transactions, and I can finally exhale — truly enjoying my chosen career!
Zirtual has simplified my life. Just recently I've had help with getting a visa for Russia, talking to real-estate brokers, booking hotels, researching SXSW events and even getting my shoes resoled.
