Market research and strategy that tells you what the market actually thinks, not what you hope it does.
Twenty-five years of Calgary and Western Canadian market intelligence. Competitive analysis, audience research, positioning strategy, and go-to-market planning built on real data and senior strategic thinking, not templates and guesswork.
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Blair & Co. conducts market research and develops marketing strategy for Calgary and Western Canadian businesses that need to make high-stakes decisions from a position of knowledge rather than gut instinct.
The research and strategy work Media programs
We conduct research and build strategy across every stage of a business’s marketing and growth decisions. From understanding a new market to planning a full-year marketing program, here is where we work.
Competitive Analysis
A structured, thorough review of your competitive landscape who your real competitors are, how they position themselves, where they are strong, where they have gaps, and where the opportunity sits for your business. Delivered as a clear report with strategic recommendations, not a spreadsheet of logos and taglines.
- Competitor identification & profiling
- Positioning & messaging audit
- Pricing & offer comparison
- Competitive gap analysis
- Strategic recommendations
Audience Research
Research that tells you who your buyers actually are, what they care about, how they make purchasing decisions, what objections they have, and what language they use to describe their own problems. Built from primary and secondary research not assumptions dressed up as personas.
- Buyer persona development
- Objection & barrier research
- Voice-of-customer analysis
- Objection & barrier research
- Segment prioritization
Positioning & Messaging Strategy
A positioning strategy that defines exactly where your business sits in the market, who it is for, what makes it credibly different, and how that difference should be expressed across every customer touchpoint. The strategic foundation that everything downstream brand, website, sales materials, advertising is built on.
- Positioning statement development
- Value proposition architecture
- Messaging hierarchy & framework
- Proof point identification
- Competitive positioning mapn
Go-to-Market Strategy
A complete go-to-market plan for a new product, a new service line, or a new market entry. Audience definition, competitive positioning, pricing strategy, channel selection, launch sequencing, and the marketing plan that drives early traction. Built for execution, not presentation.
- Market sizing & opportunity assessment
- Target audience & segment definition
- Pricing strategy & model
- Channel & distribution strategy
- Launch sequence & marketing plan
Annual Marketing Strategy
A 12-month marketing strategy built on a clear understanding of where the business is, where it needs to go, and what the market will and will not support. Budget allocation, channel prioritization, campaign calendar, KPIs, and the rationale behind every major decision — so leadership can defend the plan, not just present it.
- Situational & SWOT analysis
- Annual objectives & KPIs
- Budget allocation by channel
- 12-month campaign calendar
- Measurement & reporting framework
Market Entry & Feasibility Research
Research for businesses considering a new geographic market, a new customer segment, or a significant expansion. Market size, competitive intensity, regulatory considerations, buyer behaviour differences, and a clear assessment of what it would realistically take to succeed before the capital commitment is made.
- Market size & demand assessment
- Competitive landscape mapping
- Regulatory & barrier analysis
- Buyer behaviour differences
- Entry feasibility recommendation
How a Blair & Co. paid program actually gets built and run.
Most paid media engagements ramp over 90 days. Audit and setup in the first month. Initial optimization in month two. Scale in month three. Below is the process step by step.
STEP 1
Discovery & Framing
- WEEK 1
We start by understanding the decision you need to make not just the research you think you need. The right framing at this stage determines whether the project produces useful answers or just interesting data. We align on the core questions before a single piece of research begins.
STEP 2
Research & Analysis
- WEEK 2 - 4
Primary and secondary research conducted against the agreed scope. Competitive landscape, audience interviews, buyer behaviour data, market sizing, pricing benchmarks — whatever the question requires. Analysed by senior strategists, not summarized by junior staff.
STEP 3
Strategy Development
- WEEKS 3–5
Findings synthesized into a clear strategic position and a set of actionable recommendations. No 80-slide decks padded with data you already knew. A tight, well-reasoned strategy document the kind a leadership team can present to a board and a marketing team can execute from.
STEP 4
Presentation & Handoff
- FINAL WEEK
Strategy presented in person or via video with the senior strategist who built it, not a project manager reading slides. Questions answered, priorities clarified, and next steps defined. If you need us to help execute, we can. If your team is taking it from here, we make sure they can.
Project-based pricing. Scoped to what the question actually requires.
Research and strategy work is priced per project, not on a retainer. Scope determines cost. A focused competitive review is a different engagement than a full go-to-market strategy. Three common entry points below; custom scopes quoted the same day.
Competitive Landscape Review
From $3,500
A focused competitive analysis of your market, who your competitors are, how they position and price, where the gaps are, and what the strategic implications are for your business. The right starting point before a rebrand, a pricing change, or a new campaign.
- Competitor identification (up to 8)
- Positioning & messaging audit
- Pricing & offer comparison
- Competitive gap analysis
- Written report + recommendations
- 1-hour strategic debrief
Market Research & Strategy
From $9,500
The full picture competitive landscape, audience research, positioning strategy, and a marketing strategy built on the findings. For businesses making significant decisions about their positioning, pricing, brand, or growth direction and needing the research to back them up.
- Full competitive landscape analysis
- Audience research & persona development
- Positioning & messaging strategy
- Strategic recommendations report
- Executive presentation deck
- 2-hour strategic debrief & Q&A
Full Go-to-Market Strategy
From $18,000
A complete go-to-market strategy for a new product launch, market entry, or major business pivot. Research, positioning, pricing strategy, channel planning, launch sequencing, and the 12-month marketing plan that executes it. Built for leadership teams making significant capital commitments on what comes next.
- Market sizing & opportunity assessment
- Audience research & segmentation
- Full competitive analysis
- Positioning & pricing strategy
- Channel & launch plan
- 12-month marketing strategy
Make it Custom.
If none of our packages are the right fit, we’re happy to provide a custom quote. Send us your details, and we’ll be in touch to schedule a time to review the scope of your project.
Take a look at our research and strategy case studies.
Real market research and strategy work for real Calgary and Western Canadian businesses. Our case studies show what happens when a business stops making assumptions about its market and starts making decisions from a position of actual knowledge and what the downstream impact on positioning, pricing, campaigns, and revenue looks like when the strategy is right.
Each example shows the business situation, the research that shaped the strategic thinking, and the decisions and outcomes that followed. Strategy is not a deliverable; it is a direction. These case studies show where the direction led.
Questions buyers ask before they hire us for research and strategy.
How is Blair & Co. different from a market research firm?
A pure market research firm gives you findings. We give you findings and then help you act on them. Because Blair & Co. is a full-service agency, the research connects directly to the creative, brand, media, and marketing execution that follows. You do not need to re-brief a second agency on what the research found the people who conducted the research can build the campaign, the brand, or the website that acts on it. We also bring 25 years of Calgary and Western Canadian market context that a national or international research firm cannot replicate. If you need findings alone, we can do that. If you need findings that lead somewhere, that is where we are different.
When does a business actually need a go-to-market strategy?
Any time you are doing something materially new entering a market you have not operated in before, launching a new product or service line, making a significant pricing change, repositioning an existing business, or targeting a customer segment you have not sold to before. The cost of a go-to-market strategy is almost always smaller than the cost of getting the launch wrong. A business that spends six months and a significant budget pursuing a positioning that its market does not respond to, or pricing a product above what buyers will pay, has a much more expensive problem than the strategy would have been. We will tell you honestly in the first conversation whether the scope warrants a full go-to-market engagement or whether a focused competitive review is enough.
What is the difference between market research and a marketing strategy
Market research tells you what is true about your market who your buyers are, what competitors are doing, what the market will bear on price, what your audience’s real objections are. Marketing strategy tells you what to do about it — how to position your business, which channels to use, how to allocate your budget, and what to prioritize over the next 12 months. Research without strategy produces interesting information nobody acts on. Strategy without research produces confident decisions built on assumptions. The two are most valuable together, which is why our most popular engagement combines both. That said, if your market knowledge is already solid and you need a strategy, or if you need research before you are ready to plan, we can do either standalone.
How much does market research and strategy cost?
A focused competitive landscape review starts at $3,500 and takes 2 to 3 weeks. Our most common engagement, combining competitive analysis, audience research, and a positioning strategy, starts at $9,500 and runs 4 to 6 weeks. A full go-to-market strategy, including market sizing, audience research, competitive analysis, pricing strategy, channel planning, and a 12-month marketing plan, starts at $18,000 and takes 6 to 10 weeks. Annual marketing strategy as a standalone deliverable starts at $7,500. Custom scopes — including market entry research, pricing studies, and voice-of-customer programs — are quoted per project. We provide a same-day quote after a 15-minute scoping call.