Working in market research, I often hear people say "what exactly is market research," or "I don't need it." But, what many people don't realize is you certainly need market research even if you don't realize it, and especially if you want to secure funding from investors.
If you've ever watched an episode of ABC's hit show "Shark Tank," you've seen numerous hopeful entrepreneurs walk into the tank and deliver their pitch. Then, the questioning begins: What are your sales? Who is your competition? What will you use the money for? How can you scale your business? How & where will your product be distributed? Who is your target market and what are their spending habits?