Internet Research

Lately i have been doing pretty much ALL of my research online and am beginning to wonder if this is an effective method to research?

Primarily i'm researching suppliers so in this instance i think it's probably quite effective as long as you, unlike me, can keep yourself focussed.

Market research: I believe the internet is a great starting point though don't assume it can all be done online and get the required results. I think any online research must be backed up with on the ground work; by this i mean surveys, focus groups, enquiring and such. Combined the two make a very powerful force yet alone i think they are both somewhat ineffective.

Services: For this the internet is fantastic, most companies now days offer enquiries via email which is great for researching a wide variety of companies before nailing down your top few.Sometimes the annonimity of the www is what is needed to dig out a deal or at least arm you with the appropriate information before doing battle with the insurance companies or large advertising firms.

You can check out Graphic Designers previous work and decide not to use them without offending or find a useful link or two for future use without having to ACT NOW! as so many adverts tell us we must.

Used properly the internet has to be the most powerful tool today for busineses; used improperly or without focus it can be equally detrimental.