Market research agencies, like most agencies providing services, are very sales-driven. This is typically driven by dedicated business development teams though and not typically passed down to interns or research associates. Technology shouldn’t diminish your input as a researcher. I’m not sure about the context but try to think of it from the POV of technology being the tool and how you derive insights from the output, craft the story, and form strategy is what’s truly valuable. On the other hand, client side market research is more about strategy and advising internal stakeholders on their business needs. It is a bit more of project management like you’ve mentioned but they play a very important role in making key decisions. A good client side researcher should be partnering with the agency to create 1 research-driven narrative, although I’ve definitely worked with bad partners who simply copy paste their team’s emails to us and refuse to collaborate. All in all, market research is still a business. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying it, and as you progress in your career it’s important to figure out what you like, dislike, and what kind of path you want to pave for yourself. If you don’t like sales, there is still definitely room in an agency for more analytical-driven contributors. Checking in with your manager and setting goals with them can help you to develop a unique career plan for yourself and help you grow. All the best! More on reddit.com

You need to give some information on what you’re trying to achieve, who your customer is, what your timeframe and budget are. More on reddit.com

I agree with u/thefrenchman27 about needing to be able to write well and excel/ppt/spss skills. Critical thinking skills and a general curiosity is also very helpful. Being able to take business questions and translate them into a questionnaire and analysis plan is very important. More on reddit.com

You are asking for a primer on how to do research, so here is my approach. Start by talking to everyone who shapes the market—your boss, leadership, board members, customers, lost customers, prospects, competitors, people who picked a competitor, industry insiders, media, anyone with a perspective worth hearing. I use a relationship branch approach, talk to five people you know who fit into those buckets then ask them who to talk to. Then keep going until you are satisfied. When you interview people, don’t just fire off a list of questions. Talk to them like you’re already in their world, which you should be from your third-party research. Start with something easy, something familiar, and let them settle in. Then push a little. Mirror their language, repeat something they said back to them, leave space for them to keep going. People will tell you the most important things if you give them room to get there on their own. Go beyond interviews. Find where they actually talk (Reddit, Discord, Facebook groups, YouTube, TikTok) anywhere they speak freely and unfiltered. Remember, the market isn't only your brand's customers. It is a community of like-minded people who probably don't know you exist. Look for patterns, contradictions, misalignment. What leadership thinks vs. what the market actually feels, what customers say they want vs. what actually drives them, where competitors are strong, where they fall short. Take what you find, shape your positioning around real pain points, build strategy around where decisions actually happen, use the exact language and emotional triggers your audience responds to. Look up StoryBrand. It’s a framework that helps structure all of this into something clear, actionable, and sharp. Once you have the insights, use StoryBrand to organize them, expose gaps, and make your messaging land. When you do this right, you stop guessing. You become the market. Good luck! More on reddit.com