Is it smarter to do marketing research yourself or pay professionals? DIY saves cash but takes time and effort. Experts charge more but get better results. This guide breaks everything down in simple terms, so you can decide what works best.
Shirin Niasati
Author
Shirin Niasati is a Product Owner and Website Developer at Persisca Technologies, specializing in digital solutions.
What Is Marketing Research, and Why Does It Matter?
Marketing research sounds fancy, but it’s really just figuring out what people want and how to sell to them. If you have a business, big or small, you need to know:
- Who your customers are
- What they like and dislike
- Why they buy or don’t buy
- What problems they have that you can solve
- What makes them choose your product or a competitor’s
Without this information, you could waste money on the wrong ads, launch products nobody wants, or set prices too high (or too low).
When it comes to doing research, you have two choices:
- Do it yourself (DIY) – You collect the data, study it, and make decisions based on what you find.
- Hire experts (Full-Service) – You pay professionals to do the research, analyze the results, and give you insights.
Each option has good and bad sides. Let’s go through them in detail.
Doing It Yourself (DIY Marketing Research): Is It Worth It?
Why Some Businesses Choose to Do It Themselves
- It’s Cheaper – You don’t have to pay expensive research firms.
- You Stay in Control – You decide what to focus on and how deep to go.
- You Know Your Business Best – No outsider will understand your customers like you do.
- You Can Start Right Away – No waiting for contracts, reports, or meetings.
The Hard Parts of Doing It Yourself
- It Takes a Lot of Time – Research isn’t just looking at numbers. You need to collect data, study trends, and understand what it all means.
- It’s Easy to Get It Wrong – If you don’t ask the right questions, you might end up with bad or useless data.
- You Might Miss Key Insights – Professionals have tools and experience that help them find patterns you might overlook.
- Some Tools Still Cost Money – Good survey platforms, analytics software, and data reports often aren’t free.
How to Do It Yourself Without Screwing It Up
If you’re going the DIY route, here’s how to do it properly:
1. Ask Customers the Right Questions
Instead of guessing, send out simple surveys. Some useful questions:
- Why did you choose our product/service?
- What made you hesitate before buying?
- What’s one thing we could improve?
- What other options did you consider before picking us?
Free survey tools like Google Forms and Typeform work great for this.
2. Watch Online Reviews and Comments
Look at Google Reviews, Facebook, Reddit, and Yelp. See what customers say about your business and your competitors. If you notice patterns (like complaints about slow service), that’s something to fix.
3. Track Website and Social Media Stats
Use Google Analytics to see:
- Which pages get the most visits
- How long people stay on your site
- What products they look at most
On Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, check which posts get the most likes and comments. This tells you what people care about.
4. Spy on Competitors
Look at what your competitors are doing. What are they advertising? What promotions do they run? What kind of content are they posting online? If something is working for them, it might work for you too.
5. Test Small Before Going Big
Instead of launching a huge campaign based on research, test things in small batches. If you’re not sure about pricing, try offering discounts to a small group first. See what works before rolling it out to everyone.
Hiring Experts for Marketing Research: Is It Worth It?
Why Some Businesses Pay for Full-Service Research
- You Get More Reliable Data – Experts know how to ask the right questions and get accurate answers.
- It Saves You Time – Instead of spending weeks or months collecting and studying data, you get results fast.
- You Avoid Costly Mistakes – A professional can help you avoid bad decisions based on bad data.
- You Get a Clear Plan – Instead of guessing, you get a structured report with recommendations.
The Hard Parts of Hiring Experts
- It Can Be Expensive – Small businesses may not have the budget for deep research.
- You Have Less Control – You have to trust someone else to collect and analyze the data.
- Not Every Expert Is Good – Some firms are overpriced and don’t deliver useful insights.
What to Expect When You Hire a Research Firm
Here’s what usually happens when you hire a full-service marketing research company:
- Initial Meeting – You explain what your business does and what you need to know.
- They Make a Plan – The research team decides what data to collect.
- They Collect the Data – This might include surveys, focus groups, or tracking online behavior.
- They Analyze Everything – The team studies the data to find useful patterns.
- You Get a Report – They present their findings and tell you what to do next.
Most marketing research firms charge anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the complexity of the research.
How to Decide: DIY or Full-Service?
Pick DIY If:
- You don’t have a big budget for research.
- You have time to do the work yourself.
- Your business is small, and you only need basic insights.
- You enjoy figuring things out on your own.
Pick a Pro If:
- You have money to invest in accurate research.
- You don’t have time to do it yourself.
- You need detailed insights, not just surface-level information.
- You want expert advice, not just raw data.
Common Marketing Research Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping Research Completely – Guessing instead of using real data leads to bad decisions.
- Asking Useless Questions – If your survey is too vague, the answers won’t help.
- Trusting Data Too Much – Numbers don’t always tell the whole story. Think critically.
- Thinking Research Is a One-Time Task – Markets change. Keep researching and adjusting over time.
Should You Figure Out Your Market Yourself or Pay Someone to Do It?
If you have time and patience, doing marketing research yourself can save you money. If you need fast, accurate results, hiring experts is the better option. No matter what, knowing your customers and market is the key to making smart business moves.