Researching a Small Business in Canada 2005:<>Table of Contents <> Time and money are at a premium for all new entrepreneurs. Researching a Small Business 2005 helps you save both.
ATTENTION PAST USERS: Researching a Small Business 2005 is different from previous volumes. Due to the sheer amount of new content added the 2005 edition has been split into three separate volumes. We have also expanded the research strategy information and removed the least popular content of previous editions namely Chapter 5 and statistical highlights.
As in previous editions six editions, Each chapter in Researching a Small Business 2005 focuses on a different key aspect of researching a small business in Canada. All advice is straight forward and to the point. The sources identified are practical, accessible and most importantly cost effective (that means FREE in most cases!).
Researching a Small Business 2005 (Seventh Edition)
Learn how to approach market research so that you will discover the true opportunities that exist not the one's you hope for!
Many new entrepreneurs are eager to start the most profitable business they can find without considering their own skills and resources. No matter how lucrative a market is, if the business does not match with the strengths of the entrepreneur it will fail.
Do not base your market strategy on hype. Understand the opportunities that actually exist.
For a business to be successful it must understand the current performance of its industry and the trends and issues affecting it. Only then can you assess the strength of your competitors and be in a position to outperform them.
Appendix B - Stats Link Canada Source Lists provides you with a description of the new separate source list volumes and the sectors and subsectors covered (see below). Appendix C - Data Variables & Samples provides you with a list of variables included in major Canadian databases (e.g. Census) as well as sample reports from some of the most popular market research reports. These allow you to assess which are appropriate to your needs and which are not. Section Index allows you to find the specific advice you are looking for within the guide. No more flipping through pages to find what you need.
Stats Link Canada Source Lists 2004 & 2003
This is the heart of Researching a Small Business series. It is the most complete list of free / low cost Canadian data sources available anywhere. Take a test drive of the Stats Link Database to see the depth and breadth of data referenced.
The One-Two Punch
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What do people who don't work for the company think?
I was very happy to receive and to assess your excellent research guide "Researching a Small Business".
We are recommending it to our Canada Business Service Centres across Canada.
I found that it not only contained a vast amount of useful information but that it was presented in a clear and simple manner, with all pertinent websites and addresses included.
I especially liked the fact that the material was Canadian and I found the price quite reasonable.
Marcelle Lafontaine
Liaison and Government Publications Coordinator
Canada Business Service Centres
National Secretariat
Ottawa
Let me express my sincere appreciation for your efforts in publishing the guide to small business research which I recently purchased and downloaded .. an absolutely remarkable achievement.
I was speechless when reviewing it for the first time.
As an entrepreneurship and marketing research prof and private research consultant, your guide will be an immense help to me, let alone the countless small business people out there baffled by secondary data sources. So thank you.
Leslie P. Roberts
Mercatus Research Ltd.
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Who buys such a guide?
Our guide has been purchased by individuals interesting in starting their own business and by organizations dedicated to helping them.
Researching a Small Business 2005 can be found right across the country in Canada Business Services Centres, municipal business development centres, public and university libraries, offices of business consultants as well as in private companies.
A significant number of our customers purchase our guide every year so they can take advantage of the updated and expanded content. These include:
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The Business Link (Edmonton AB)
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Small Business Centre (London ON)
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Humber College Library (Toronto ON)
The guide is specifically designed for new entrepreneurs in Canada with limited research experience and an even more limited research budget!
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Who wrote the book?
The guide was written by John White, the principal and founder of GDSourcing.
Prior to starting his own company in 1997, John worked for Statistics Canada for a number of years both in data collection and dissemination. He has a detailed understanding of their published and unpublished databases. He also has reliable and accessible contacts throughout the government who can identify the availability of special tabulations and upcoming reports.
John has been involved in three seminar series in the Toronto area on researching a small business. One was conducted on behalf of the Ontario government, the second for Seneca College while the third is presented in conjunction with the Self-Employment Benefits.
He has also delivered workshops in numerous venues across the country including the Library Sciences program at the University of Western Ontario.
John has appeared twice on the television program CareersTV as a expert guest and has been published and quoted in a number of entrepreneurial publications including the Globe & Mail. His annual Statistical Check up on Small Business in Canada report is a popular feature of Enterprise Canada magazine.
He stresses a practical approach to researching a new business that is geared towards a small or moderate research budget.
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Our business is research not selling books
Do you know what type of business most small business authors have experience running? Writing books on how to start a small business! They cannot tell you the details about conducting research because they have never really done it.
Our business is research.
We therefore have direct experience researching every type of business imaginable. (Canadians are very innovative.)
The sources we identify are not culled from a library index or part of a "computer dump". We have actually used many of them in our own research.
Researching a Small Business was originally designed as an internal training manual for our employees but when we received a great deal of interest from business advisors across the country we decided to begin selling it to the public.
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How big is it?
Now in its seventh edition the guide is even bigger and better than ever. It is now 2551 pages in length. That is nearly three times the size of the previous edition.
Page Counts:
Researching a Small Business in Canada 2005 - 381 pages.
Stats Link Canada Source List, 2003 - 729 pages.
Stats Link Canada Source List - 1441 pages.
Navigation through such an enormous resource is facilitated by numerous internal links and bookmarks in the electronic and CD-ROM versions and through Tables of Contents and Subject and Sector Indexes in the paper versions.
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We're cheap!
Data is not cheap. Information is a commodity in the New Economy and its value is rising quickly. When you first approach a research firm you will probably be taken back by the prices thrown about.
The Canadian market research industry has no concept of the realities of the small business market. Basic data charges often start in the thousands. Even Statistics Canada now charges for much of their data. Most unpublished government data tables start between $100-$250 and can easily approach $1000 for just a few figures.
Small business owners do not have thousands to spend on market research no matter how valuable the data is. It is a basic reality of their budget size.
We are cheap by nature. We do not like to spend money that can otherwise be saved. Our principle business is conducting research for small businesses and new entrepreneurs. These types of clients have only so much money available to spend on our services so the more we spend on data charges the smaller our profit margin.
Over the years we have therefore developed techniques and tricks on paying the least amount of money to gain access to detailed data.
Researching a Small Business 2005 reveals all our secrets!
For example:
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Learn how to get Canadian corporations to analyze your industry and market for FREE
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Learn how to find U.S. government reports on key market opportunities in Canada
The cost for the very foundation of our business? $60.00!
And you can even download a copy right now and start your market research immediately.
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What are the odds your small business will survive?
It is a fact:
less than half of new Canadian businesses survive to their third year of operation.
DATA TABLE
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Years in Business |
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NEW |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
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Survive |
100% |
76% |
59% |
48% |
41% |
35% |
30% |
27% |
24% |
21% |
19% |
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Fail |
0% |
24% |
41% |
52% |
59% |
65% |
70% |
73% |
76% |
79% |
81% |
Source: Statistics Canada
How can you put the odds in your favour?
The key to small business success is effective market research.
Many entrepreneurs are so eager to get into business they don't take the time to ensure they stay in business.
Researching a Small Business 2005 shows you how to quickly and economically (for FREE in most cases) find the specific Canadian market and industry data you need to start a successful small business.
Remember:
Your business idea is only the seed of success. Your market research is what tells you where to plant it to ensure that it grows.
Don't just start a business.
Start a successful one.
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Order Options |
With the 2005 edition there are more order options than every before. There are four types of formats (Database, Electronic download, CD-ROM and Print-on-demand) You can also order the complete set (guide & sources lists) or only the specific volumes you are interested in.
Complete Sets (Guide & Sources Lists together) | Guide & Sources Lists sold separately
| Individual Volumes (Click on price to order) | |
| Stats Link Canada Subscription One Day |
$6.00 |
| Stats Link Canada Subscription One Month |
$42.00 |
| Electronic Version of Research Guide |
$24.00 |
| Electronic Versions of 2003 & 2004 Source Lists |
$55.00 |
| CD-ROM Version of Research Guide | |
| CD-ROM Version of 2003 Source List | $28.00 |
| CD-ROM Versions of 2004 Source List | $42.00 |
| Paper Version of Research Guide | $75.00 |
| Paper Version of 2003 Source List | $100.00 |
| Paper Versions of 2004 Source List | $150.00 |
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