Adena is researching ways to improve sales. What should she do first?

Making a plan first is essential in the research process, particularly when trying to improve sales. This approach allows Adena to outline her objectives, identify the specific areas that need improvement, and develop a systematic strategy for achieving her goals. A well-structured plan helps ensure that she gathers relevant data effectively and analyzes it in a way that leads to actionable insights.

Before implementing any changes, it's critical to have a clear understanding of the current situation and the desired outcomes. Creating a plan also provides a roadmap that helps in identifying necessary resources, potential obstacles, and key performance indicators that will help measure success later on.

While conducting customer surveys and visiting competitors can also provide valuable insights, these actions would ideally follow the development of a structured plan. This way, Adena can focus her research efforts more effectively based on the objectives she has set and prioritize information that is most relevant to her sales improvement initiatives.