Sales isn't just about having a great pitch or the right product; it’s about understanding people. What do your customers really want? Why do some deals close while others don’t? Sales research helps you understand what customers want and why deals succeed or fail. 

This blog explains what sales research is, its types, methods, and how to apply it.

What is sales research?

What are the benefits of sales research?

• Better understanding of customer needs
• Helps refine sales strategies
• Enhanced product positioning
• Helps identify sales opportunities
• Organizations that conduct regular sales research are 25% more likely to hit revenue targets
• Helps in comparing performance with competitors or industry standards
• Minimises risks associated with launching new products

What are the types of sales research?

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How to conduct sales research?

Conducting sales research is a strategic process that helps businesses make informed decisions, improve customer targeting and boost sales performance. Here's a guide:

Define your research objective

Start by clearly identifying what you want to achieve. Are you trying to understand customer behavior, test a new market, evaluate a sales strategy or analyze competitor performance? A focused objective keeps the research relevant and actionable.

Identify your target audience

Determine who you need insights from whether they are current customers, potential leads, industry experts, or competitors. This helps shape your research questions and ensures that you gather data from the right sources.

Choose the type of research

Decide which type of research method you want to use whether it’s primary, secondary, qualitative or quantitative research.

Collect data

Ensure that you use appropriate tools and methods to gather information.

These include:

• Online survey platforms
• Interview scripts or focus group discussions
• CRM system and sales analytics
• Public databases and market studies

Analyse results

Examine the data to identify patterns, challenges and opportunities. Also look for actionable trends such as common customer pain points or gaps in your sales funnel.

Apply insights

Use what you have learned to improve your sales process. This could involve refining your messaging, adjusting pricing, targeting a new segment or training your sales team based on customer feedback.

Monitor and update regularly

Ongoing sales research ensures you stay relevant and continue to make data-driven decisions that support long-term growth.

Tips you can use to be great at sales research

• Ask specific questions
• Use a mix of methods such as blending quantitative and qualitative methods
• Monitor competitors actively
• Track KPIs from your research
• Leverage AI tools for faster data analysis
• Document and share findings with sales and marketing team for alignment