Desk Research 2.0

Maximising the effectiveness of your desk research

Secondary (desk) research is the analysis of information and data available either within an organisation or elsewhere in the public domain. There is an ever-expanding amount of this information.

Desk research also involves integrating and cross-checking different sources of intelligence and working out the story behind the data. It’s valuable both as a cost-effective alternative to primary research and as a way of supplementing and enhancing it. It can also be used for market monitoring, competitor analysis, sector profiling, PR and background information.

This course teaches you how to get the most out of desk research by introducing a range of useful market intelligence sources, explaining how to go about conducting desk research and how to analyse and validate findings. It combines theory with practical exercises.

Please note that the course does NOT cover social media listening, as this is covered by other MRS courses.

Learning outcomes:

• Identify useful market intelligence sources
• Understand how to conduct desk research
• Combine primary and secondary research effectively
• Understand how to analyse and validate findings
• Identify the story in the data

Who will benefit:
Researchers new to desk research, or a refresher for more experienced researchers looking to fine tune their skills.

Testimonials

"Really helpful"

Sam Harris - Auger Insights, October 2022

"Very useful and informative, felt like it was coming from a trustworthy/ experienced source"

Aimee Earlam - Savanta, March 2022

"Effective and engaging."

Maddie O'Connell - Eolas International, March 2022