The business you are proposing to open fits into an industry category.

For example, a car wash fits into:

7542 Car washes: "Establishments primarily engaged in washing, waxing, and polishing motor vehicles, or in furnishing facilities for the self-service washing of motor vehicles."

The number 7542 is what the government uses to identify all the firms that provide car washes (known as the SIC Code). That way they can be compared and contrasted as a group. This number is useful for researching information about your industry in databases and books. NAICS has replaced the SIC System and was implemented with the 2002 Economic Census. The NAICS Code for the car wash industry is 811192.

Begin by locating the SIC Code or NAICS number that identifies your industry:

Standard Industrial Classification System Search (OSHA)

North American Industry Classification System (U.S. Census Bureau)

Once you find out what industry you are in, use article databases to find out more about the market size, forecasts, price trends, customers, etc.:

Business Source Premier
Off-campus, sign in using your Gull Card barcode and last name. Choose Salisbury University as the campus and then click the log in button.

For industry articles:

Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
Use the pull-down menu and select NAICS/Industry Code. Enter the NAICS Code for your industry. *Also, try to enter the industry as a 'Subject Team', ex. car wash
Enter additional search terms as needed (demographics, trends, forecast, etc.)

For industry reports/overviews (not all industries will have these available):

Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
Scroll down and find the dialogue box for NAICS/Industry Code. Enter the NAICS Code for your company.
Look at the ways to limit searches at the bottom of the search page and find 'document type'. Choose 'industry overview'.
Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen.

Books in the Reference Collection

Marketer's Guide to Media
Reference HF 5826.5 .M45

SRDS Newspaper Advertising Source
Reference HF 5905 .S73

SRDS Radio Advertising Source
Reference HF 5905 .S74

SRDS TV & Cable Source
Reference HF 5905 .S745