Market research is critical for any business that wants to stay ahead of the competition and understand the needs of their target market. But what exactly is market research? Put simply, market research is the process of collecting data about the needs, wants, and behaviors of your target market or target audience. This data can be collected in a variety of ways, but the most common methods are surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations. Brands rely heavily on market research to gain insights into the ever-changing needs of their customers, consumers, patients, or members. Primary market research is a type of market research that is collected for a brand and customized to the business objective instead of using data from a secondary information source. This means that businesses can control the focus of the study, the target audience, and tailor the insights on strategic recommendations directed at their business.