Something that hasn’t sat well with me for years, the fundamentals of focus group testing. For those that haven’t sat behind the mirrored glass, here’s how focus groups often go down:
- Secure x groups of 8-10 people in x number of markets with people receiving an incentive (often cash) for participating
- Develop a questionnaire for moderator to Q/A groups
- Research, brand, agency teams sit behind mirrored glass and analyze group response/behaviors
- If someone(s) is a serious disruption to the focus group or challenges moderator questions/presentation, moderator may remove person(s) as to not “infect” the entire group
- Teams develop conclusions
- Go to market
Of course this is the 100k foot perspective, not absolute, and everyone approaches focus group testing with slightly a different angle.
Here’s my initial rub with focus groups. First let’s bounce back to your favorite childhood playground for a quick analogy. When I was 13 chasing girls and highly self conscious, if I wanted to qualify my “equity” or “perceived value” of what my network of friends/loyalists thought of me, here’s how my focus group would’ve gone down:
- Gather friends, classmates, kids from other side of tracks, jocks, kids that don’t shower after P.E.
- Tap into my piggy bank and give each participant $25 bucks for speaking with my moderator (which I paid to do the questioning)
- Ask a slew of questions about Levi
- Kick out those that don’t abide to the format of what the moderator and I have laid out
- Develop conclusions
Pretty safe to say I could forecast what those responses would be. I’d be the coolest kid in school (personal note - it didn’t shape out that way). Here’s the second rub, focus group execution is quite expensive and lengthy in time needed to set-up. Typically a 3rd party coordinates facilities around the country and gathers respondents. Everyone from planners, strategists, brand managers, consumer insight groups, and creative folk gear up for travel, turn-on their “out-of-office” email response and hit the road for 1-2 weeks. Listen to 40 people in each market tell you their subjective analysis based on moderator Q/A. Develop objective conclusions based on hopefully 100 responses. Now that I’ve briefly illustrated my rubs, it’s only fitting to suggest a solution. Otherwise, I’m sitting here griping about the world and poking holes, which is easy to do and wasting your time.
My suggestions, before embarking on consumer research via focus groups, examine existing resources you’ve sunk substantial capital dollars into already. Nearly every brand, organization, enterprise has access to an abundance of consumer data via their digital touch points: website(s), segmented CRM database(s), and syndicated research outlets.
By implementing a few simple aggregators on your site and tracking site serving metrics or data, you will open a world of powerful behavioral insights that are substantiated and validated. Going from 100 respondents in focus groups to thousands a day over a period of weeks/months via the website, the validity and breadth is exponential. To go a step further, consumers value the importance of getting a “peek under the hood” into future brand developments. Leverage your CRM database and website to survey a range of visitors, from recently converted visitors to die-hard loyalists. These folks passionately want to help guide where your brand should move next. Survey testing can range from creative messaging, brand positioning, to promotional offers. Knowing loyalists are your bread and butter, you better not alienate them. Ask this group if they’d adopt the new direction, product introduction, and be ambassadors to ensure success. For their valuable input, send a branded promotional item they’ll appreciate, and extend to their lifestyle/network.
To sum up, monitor consumer behavior (objective) over time and ask them what they think. Take consumer research out of the sterile boxed room (subjective) and open the lens into actual behavior with tools you have. It’ll save you money and resources that can be leveraged when your brand is ready to move quickly.