Market Research Student Pending

Is the rural food practice shortage alleviated?

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners said in a report released May 20 that efforts to increase interest in rural practice have been successful, and remaining underserved areas may be unable to sustain veterinary practices.

"Continuing to increase the number of veterinarians interested in serving rural areas will not solve this problem," the report states. "In fact, creating an 'over supply' of food supply veterinarians will lead to widespread unemployment or underemployment of food supply private practitioners and will have a significant detrimental effect on salaries for all veterinarians."

The three-page document represents the joint opinion of an AABP Ad Hoc Committee on Rural Veterinary Practice, which wrote that increased costs for livestock owners, a collapse of milk prices, and the national recession likely influenced the job market for rural veterinarians starting in 2008.

"In instances where rural jobs are still available, these jobs remain unfilled because the economics may be undesirable for an experienced practitioner and, in small clinics, there may be a lack of mentorship and support for graduating veterinary students," the report states. Decreasing numbers of livestock farms and increasing herd sizes at remaining farms could also influence prospects, according to the report.

Dr. Christine B. Navarre, AABP president, described a mismatch between veterinarians who are looking for jobs and rural areas that would benefit from access to veterinarians yet can't sustain a practice. While educational loan repayment programs provide short-term help, she said veterinarians need business models that will provide long-term work. The committee is considering how to match veterinarians with areas of need and planning to study how to build and sustain practices.

Dr. Marguerite Pappaioanou, executive director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, said she applauds the AABP for providing an informed opinion and raising important concerns, but she thinks the veterinary profession needs peer-reviewed research and systematic analysis of the veterinary workforce. Without such scientific examination, she is concerned that potential veterinary students could be driven away from the profession by opinions that the markets for food animal and companion animal practice are saturated.

5 Tips For Test Marketing Inventions -

Article by Art Espey

There is no reason that test-marketing inventions should cost 1000s of dollars. A little effort and a lot of imagination and boldness and you can find out how valuable the market will see your invention.

If the market places no value on your invention, then your invention idea should stay just that – an idea. Make sure that there is a market for your invention before you spend time and money getting a patent. There are 1000s of patents that will expire without generating a dime in revenue for the inventor.

5 tips for test marketing inventions are:

1. Go to stores that you would like to see selling your invention.

2. Ask the stores who controls the most shelf space in this market sector.

3. Ask the stores who the biggest distributors are for these types of products.

4. Call the distributor and set up a meeting.

5. Get students (either HS or college) to do a survey for you to check the market.

These tips are simple, but very informative. They will help you with test marketing inventions. The first step seems obvious, but is done far less than it should be. Visit the stores in which you would like to see your inventions displayed and sold to customers. Visit at least 3 and preferably 5. This will give you a good idea of your target customer as well as some hints to why they may buy your product at these stores.

When you talk to employees at the store, don’t just talk to the manager. Talk to the person who may have some experience stocking the shelves. Ask them if they restock these types of products often. Also, ask them the types of questions that customers typically ask about this type of product. Also, find out what types of promotions really move these types of products off the shelf.

Find out who the largest distributors are for these types of products. Contact the distributors and find out the process to submit new products to them for representation. This can go along way when you talk to manufacturers.

Most distributors know the market pretty well and can offer a lot of info, if asked in the right way. Don’t reveal the secret sauce of your invention, but tell them just enough to get them interested in helping you make them money. These distributors can, if handled correctly, be your secret weapons in test marketing inventions.

Lastly, get a student to do market research for you. Ask them to approach it as if they were doing a research project. Tell them what you want and ask them to write the questions. You may be surprised with what they come up with. Make sure the wording of all of the survey questions is simple and to the point. People won’t ponder too long.

The informed student guide to marketing

Crossing design boundaries, proceedings of the 3rd Engineering & Product Design Education International Conference, Edinburgh, UK, 15-16 September, 2005

Pharmaceutical journal

Black issues in higher education

New Scientist