Market Research Report: [Market or study title]

Full market research report: executive summary, objectives and research questions, methodology with sample-size reasoning, market sizing, segmentation, customer needs, competitor findings, trends, implications, recommendations, limitations and an appendix with the questionnaire outline. Based on common market research practice. Replace every [bracketed] value and every row marked Example.

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Contents

1. Executive summary
2. Objectives and research questions
3. Methodology
4. Market sizing
5. Segmentation
6. Customer needs findings
7. Competitor findings
8. Trends
9. Implications
10. Recommendations
11. Limitations
12. Appendix

1. Executive summary

This study was commissioned to inform [decision]. We surveyed [n] [respondent type] and interviewed [N] [respondent type] between [dates].

Key findings

1. Example: 62% of finance managers at firms with 50 to 250 staff still close the month with spreadsheets (n = 412, margin of error plus or minus 4.7 points).
2. Example: The top unmet need is automated bank reconciliation, rated "critical" by 48%.
3. Example: Willingness to pay clusters between 150 and 300 per month.
4. [Finding]

Recommendation: [one or two sentences].

2. Objectives and research questions

Business objective: [for example, decide whether to launch a month-end close product for mid-size firms in [region]].

3. Methodology

3.1 Research design

3.2 Population and sampling

• Target population: [for example, finance decision makers at firms with 50 to 250 staff in [country]]
• Sampling frame: [panel provider, customer list, business register]
• Sampling method: [quota sample by company size and sector / random sample]
• Screening criteria: [for example, involved in choosing finance software]

3.3 Sample size and margin of error

For estimating a proportion $p$ at confidence level with critical value $z$ and a desired margin of error $e$, the required sample size is:

Using $p = 0.5$ (the most conservative value), $z = 1.96$ for 95% confidence and $e = 0.05$ gives $n \approx 385$. Conversely, the margin of error for an achieved sample is $e = z\sqrt{p(1-p)/n}$; with $n = 412$ it is about plus or minus 4.8 points at $p = 0.5$. Subgroups have wider margins and are flagged where $n < 100$.

3.4 Fieldwork, quality control and weighting

[Describe fieldwork dates, incentives, attention checks, removal of speeders and duplicates, and weighting targets.]

Example: "438 responses were collected; 26 were removed for failing attention checks or completing in under 5 minutes, leaving 412. Results were weighted to the business register by company size band."

3.5 Analysis methods

[Describe how the data was analysed so readers can judge the strength of each finding.]

• Descriptive statistics: weighted percentages and means, with bases shown for every figure.
• Significance testing: differences between subgroups tested at the 95% level; only significant differences are described as "higher" or "lower" in the text.
• Segmentation: [for example, cluster analysis on needs and behaviour variables, four-cluster solution chosen for interpretability].
• Qualitative analysis: interview transcripts coded by two analysts against a shared codebook; themes reported when raised by at least a quarter of interviewees.

3.6 Ethics and data protection

[State how consent was obtained, how personal data was minimised and stored, retention period and whether results are reported only in aggregate. Follow applicable privacy law and industry research codes.]

4. Market sizing

Top-down cross-check: [compare with published market estimates and explain any gap].

5. Segmentation

[For each attractive segment, add a short profile: who they are, how they buy, who influences the decision, which channels reach them and what would make them switch. Profiles are more useful to product and sales teams than percentages alone.]

Example: "Growing multi-entity firms are typically 120 to 250 staff, have a finance team of three to six, and add a legal entity every 12 to 18 months. The financial controller leads the evaluation; the chief financial officer signs. They discover tools through their external accountant and peer communities, and two in three said a failed audit or a missed reporting deadline would trigger a switch."

6. Customer needs findings

Example quote: "The close takes eight working days and half of it is chasing people for numbers." Finance manager, manufacturing, 140 staff.

Qualitative themes from the interviews add the reasons behind the numbers:

7. Competitor findings

8. Trends

[Summarise in a short paragraph how the trends combine. Note which trends strengthen the opportunity, which weaken it, and which signals the team should monitor after the report is published, with a named owner and a review date for each.]

9. Implications

• RQ-1: [for example, the serviceable market supports a product line but not a standalone company in this region alone]
• RQ-2: [for example, reconciliation is the wedge feature; checklists are table stakes]
• RQ-3: [for example, a price point of about 200 per month fits most of the high-attractiveness segment]
• RQ-4: [for example, Vendor A is the reference competitor; price increases create switching intent]

[Add a short paragraph on what the research does not settle. For example, the survey shows strong stated demand for reconciliation, but it cannot show whether buyers will trust an automated match without a trial. Name the follow-up research or experiment that would close each open question, such as a concierge pilot, a pricing test or a further round of interviews with a specific segment.]

10. Recommendations

11. Limitations

• Sample bias: [for example, online panel under-represents firms without a dedicated finance role]
• Self-reported data: [stated willingness to pay usually overstates actual payment]
• Timing: [fieldwork ran during year-end, which may inflate pain ratings]
• Subgroup sizes: [segments under n = 100 are directional only]

12. Appendix

12.1 Questionnaire outline

12.2 Other material

• Interview discussion guide [link]
• Weighted data tables with bases [link]
• Codebook for open-ended answers [link]

12.3 Glossary

Standard and licence note

Based on common market research practice for study design, sampling, reporting and disclosure of limitations. This template is original text written for this collection. Template licence: MIT.