5 ways to use your extra market research budget this year

As many of our customers at Zappi approach the end of their fiscal year, they often tell us they need to use up their remaining market research budget quickly, in just a matter of weeks or even days. But market research done the old way is too slow to be realistic — it can take weeks or even months to get results. That’s why companies turn to Zappi for help to ensure they put this money to good use!

Here are some of our customers’ favorite ways to put those extra funds to work for the overall good of their marketing efforts and enhance the work of their consumer insights teams — while also using their remaining use-or-lose budgets to protect them from shrinking next year.

If you’ve got some extra research budget, investing in competitive analysis is a smart way to get a clearer view of the market. And it doesn't have to stop with just your direct competitors — you can also look at top-performing ads from other industries to learn from the best. Analyzing what makes these ads successful (or not) will give you valuable insights that can help shape your own strategies.

Plus, building out a comprehensive database of competitive insights is a great way to set yourself up for success next year. By testing a batch of ads from both your competitors and top brands outside your industry, you’ll get a solid understanding of what truly resonates with audiences. Many companies use this approach to gain an edge by seeing what’s working in the market and what’s falling flat. 

With this knowledge, you can optimize your campaigns and make more data-driven decisions for the year ahead.

Another smart move is to build out new norms. This is a great opportunity to create benchmarks that align with your specific needs — whether that’s looking at subcategories, brand-specific trends or even macro-level best practices. Building these bespoke norms will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of what's working across different areas, so you can make more informed decisions moving forward.

Think about the possibilities: You could create a norm that focuses on individual brands or even benchmark your performance against industry icons. This kind of tailored analysis not only helps you see how you stack up against the best but also highlights areas for growth. 

Many companies find that building out these norms at the end of the fiscal year is a great way to refresh their benchmarks with the latest competitive data, setting a strong foundation for their strategy in the new year.

You could also consider investing in a deeper analysis of your digital media. Digital ads often don’t get pre-tested before they go live, but you can still gain valuable insights by doing a retroactive analysis of the campaigns you've run this year. 

Take a closer look at how your ads performed on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to identify what’s truly resonating with your audience and what’s not.

This kind of analysis sets you up for a more data-driven approach to your digital strategy in 2025. By understanding which creative elements and messaging hit the mark and which fell short, you can refine your campaigns for even better results. 

Whether you’re planning a major campaign overhaul or just tweaking your digital content, using these insights ensures your next moves are grounded in real data.

Another great investment you can make is hiring a strategic consultant. Think about all the data you've collected from your campaigns this year — are you really using it to its full potential? A consultant can dive into that wealth of information, analyze the trends and pull out key insights you might not have the time to uncover yourself. 

By bringing in a strategic consultant, you're not just getting another set of eyes on your data; you're gaining a partner who can translate that information into actionable steps for your team. 

They’ll help you create a data-backed plan that you can present confidently to your stakeholders and ensure that every move you make in the new year is grounded in consumer insight. Ultimately, it’s an investment that turns your past learnings into a roadmap for future success. 

If you're not sure how to use your extra research budget right now, consider parking those funds for later. Sometimes, the best strategy is to hold onto your budget until you have a clear plan. This way, you're not rushing into decisions just to spend the money — you can take your time to make strategic choices that will benefit your business in the long run.

If you do need to allocate those funds before the end of your fiscal year, there's still plenty of flexibility. You can set aside the budget now and decide later on how many tests or projects you want to run when you're ready. 

We often work with our customers to ensure they get the most value from their remaining budget, helping them quantify the impact of their investment before they start any new initiatives. This approach gives you the breathing room to focus on what will truly drive results when the timing is right.

If you’re faced with a “use it or lose it” budget at the end of the year, don’t let it go to waste! We hope these ideas will inspire you as to how to consume that budgetary surplus as wisely as possible, and in the timeframe you require.

Not a customer of Zappi yet? Contact us for more information!