As mentioned in my previous Blog page 1/2 the beautiful beach area at Playa de la Barrosa is so very very calm throughout the week with hardly a soul around as per picture illustrations which of course provides such tranquility.
However, I am here to study the Spanish Language and during November the goal of bringing my gloving products www.signature-leather.com to the attention of both the Fashion & Equestrian worlds!
To this end and in preparation for some “business calls” and in pursuit of Spanish Language inspiration I have been undertaking some random “Market Research by Walking Around”!
I know it doesn’t sound very academic so you may be surprised to learn that this topic was discussed during my MBA studies at Durham University!
A really good example of the cost effectiveness of this business strategy is the surveys undertaken at Wrexham University when a team of outsiders visit Uni Reception area for the day and randomly stop students walking through Reception to ask their views on Uni life – so right up to the minute student thinking and once again that key quality of Authenticity.
I know as I was stopped whilst walking through one day this year – not sure how to take being asked if I was a student there! It was however very interesting and illuminating to share thoughts and in particular, to learn of their questions through my market research of them!
I am putting this methodology of research by walking around into full play here in my first weeks in Spain.
As I walk around town I have with me a prepared Spanish Language script that I wrote up which introduces why I am in Spain. I then wander into different types of business/retail and simply introduce myself and see what I can find out!
The key is my introduction in Spanish respecting the fact that I am in Spain – simple but I can tell appreciated by those I engage in conversation.
This past week I visited a Trade Union office and asked if they had information I could take with me to learn of their organisation and they kindly gave me 2 x magazines, Pensamiento and Conferencia Sindical (Thought & Union Conference).
Lots of articles for extra and varied vocab and I know that my tutor Lindsay will appreciate me bringing these magazines back to Aberdare to add to her Spanish Library. This especially as Pensamiento includes some Trade Union history stories with pictures from one hundred years ago which we favour on this blog!
And up the road a motorbike dealership – they were my next port of call where again I introduced myself with my basic Spanish and having done so they were keen to chat about what they do.
They also kindly gave me a super 2024 product catalogue which very handily contained product description in both Spanish & English – Perfecto!
Now the big question is how much did this valuable market research and written materials cost me? As I explain to young people when discussing business start up; Starting and developing business ideas do not require lots of fancy and costly market research data – just get out into whatever speciality or niche operation/products/trade show under consideration and ask questions to inform your product offering!
For my part, for my planned November business calls my mission in the week ahead is to now concentrate on Spanish grammar to mix and match with the word salad, “Ensalada de Palabras” I have randomly been collecting to date.
With this now to hand next steps is to write up some different introductory texts to entertain the people I meet on my visits this week – and the fun of it is that I have no idea which businesses I will decide to pop into – rain is forecast so I may be popping into a few!
