In addition, since not everyone is inclined to wade through a 200-page report to find out what they need to know, every report also includes a comprehensive Executive Summary of all the key findings of the research.

PRIMIR provides more than just the published report. Immediately following the completion of each and every study, the research team is invited to present their findings at a regularly scheduled PRIMIR meeting. This is where members get the opportunity to pick at the data, query how a consultant reached a certain conclusion, get expanded information on details that may have been summarized in the written report, etc. And, if the report is really relevant to a particular member company’s operations, they can arrange for the consultant to do an additional presentation for their employees.

There’s a lot more to PRIMIR than meets the eye. Sure some have said PRIMIR dues are pricey . . . but members say “it’s a real bargain.” If you’ve ever hired an outside consultant to come in and do research for you, you know the true costs of good research. You may spend $25-50,000 for one bit of research. With PRIMIR your dues are on a graduated scale depending upon your sales volume and you get numerous major research studies in return. In fact PRIMIR spends over $500,000 per year for research studies for its members. There aren’t too many places today where you can get that kind of return on your investment – not to mention the return you’ll get once you’ve put that research to work planning for the future needs of the company.

Plus if you are a current member of NPES, you’ll enjoy a 50% savings on your PRIMIR dues.

Yes, research is the primary focal point for PRIMIR, however, that comes in many fashions. At each PRIMIR Meeting there’s the opportunity to network with peers who have the same interests as you but often are looking at the industry from an entirely different perspective. It’s the sharing of these different perspectives that makes the network so valuable.

Printers get to see how manufacturers grapple with changing technology and markets, and vice versa. They get to learn each other’s issues surrounding a particular topic. And most of all they form a life-long network of individuals from around the industry – people to call when questions are asked and answers are needed about a topic that’s outside their area of expertise.

So you say you’re not a trained market researcher . . . but your job demands that you perform market research functions and analysis from time-to-time. Well, being involved in the PRIMIR task force process and/or managing a research study through to completion, is a wonderful learning process. One can be as involved as they want to be in a particular study. One can learn by doing. And, on a regular basis PRIMIR holds mini-workshops to help members stay abreast of research tools and trends. The topics vary, such as the various research methodologies, best methodology for an application, statistically accurate sampling, etc.