Low-Cost Market Data: Where Does a Producer Begin?

Hey everyone,

I'm Marcus, a Foley artist, and I've been producing some of my own short film projects lately. It's been a steep learning curve, especially on the business side. I keep hearing about the 'data deficit' being a huge mistake for producers, which definitely makes me worry because I'm not really gathering any market data beyond what feels like gut instinct and anecdotal feedback from friends and cast/crew.

My budget for these shorts is always tight, which means I don't have extra funds for fancy marketing analytics or consultants. I've tried sending out a few surveys with Google Forms after screenings, but the response rate is pretty low, and I'm not sure if I'm even asking the right questions to get anything truly 'actionable.'

For a producer operating on a shoestring, what's a practical, truly low-cost first step to start gathering actual, useful market data about potential audiences or distribution channels? I'm talking about something I can implement without spending a dime beyond my time, or maybe a very minimal subscription if it's truly essential.