What do you do if your Marketing Research tasks are falling behind schedule?

2 Communicate with stakeholders

The next step is to communicate with your internal and external stakeholders, such as your manager, client, or team members. Be honest and transparent about the situation and explain what caused the delay, what impact it has on the project, and what actions you are taking to resolve it. Apologize for any inconvenience and ask for their feedback and support. You may also need to negotiate a new deadline, scope, or budget if the original ones are no longer feasible.

4 Streamline and simplify

The fourth step is to streamline and simplify your processes and outputs to save time and resources. Eliminate any unnecessary or redundant steps that do not add value to the project or the client. For example, you may want to use existing data sources, templates, or tools instead of creating new ones from scratch. Simplify your outputs by focusing on the key insights and recommendations that are relevant and actionable for the client. Use clear and concise language, visuals, and formats that convey your message effectively.

5 Learn and improve

The final step is to learn from your experience and improve your performance for future projects. Evaluate what went well and what went wrong in your marketing research process and identify the areas where you can improve. For example, you may want to improve your project management skills, time management skills, or data analysis skills. Seek feedback from your stakeholders and incorporate their suggestions into your practice. Document your best practices and lessons learned and share them with your team or organization.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?