to tailor your marketing tactics to meet the needs and wants of your target customers. For example, suppose you knew that your target customer was a 55-year-old making over $70k a year who had back problems.   You could create a direct mail campaign to people who live in zip codes with average income over $70k, who have had back pain medical treatment, and who were over 55 years old. Pretty simple, right? Well, it IS that simple and, yes, there are mailings lists that will give you that information. Now, there wont be many people on the mailing list, but at least you are zeroing in on your target market and not wasting ad dollars.   This type of information can help you in a myriad of ways when planning your marketing campaigns with radio, website advertising, periodical advertising, postcard direct mail campaigns, and so on.   Where to Get Consumer Research Statistics For Your Small Business   Your primary resource for acquiring consumer research for your small business will most likely come from your industrys trade association. If they are doing their job right, they should have some type of consumer and business research statistics that they generate on an annual basis about your specific industry.   This research may contain information about consumer preferences, purchasing criteria, level of satisfaction, and other useful data upon which to base your marketing strategies. Contact the association or organization that serves your small business industry and ask them for access to their research statistics.   You may be able to find your association at www.associationcentral.com. You may also be able to locate valuable research statistics from suppliers that serve your industry. Call a few of your suppliers that provide direct goods and ask them if they have any such research and if you can have access to the findings. It always helps if youre a current customer.   Using Consumer Research to Increase Sales   Consumer research is an often-ignored marketing tool that is rarely used by small businesses. The reason its usually ignored is small businesses dont know how to use it. Many owners will see a statistic and log it into the back of their brains but never use that statistic to their advantage. The pot of gold is not necessarily in having the consumer research, but knowing HOW to use it to sell more products and services.   Lets take a look at some consumer research in the spa and pool industry and try to develop some marketing tactics that would take advantage of our knowledge to sell more units. The following statistics that I will quote are available from the National Spa and Pool Institute by calling (703) 838-0083, ext 153.