Need $100 bucks? Tell me what you think about me.

Levi Patterson — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:31:00 GMT

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 3^rd 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.

Leaders Leverage Differentiation

Levi Patterson — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:58:00 GMT

As the experiential world shifts from analog to digital manipulation and self-expression, I’ve seen phenomenal marketing evolutions by countless brands willing to embrace “betterment.” The notion of “betterment” is a symbiotic relationship that allows consumers to experience a brand the way the brand wants to be portrayed. Most importantly, how the consumer wants to experience the brand. I have had the great opportunity to drive “betterment” for a few clients within various industries. As I sit back and review campaigns, pitches, Cannes winners, one thing is true for each client, the drive to establish differentiation within their category.

Differentiation does not mean changing your positioning statement or tagline every year or two. It’s a cultural badge you wear every day and you’re stoked to wear it. It extends throughout all you do for brand “betterment” and finding ways to mold your equity in ways users will appreciate. Does this mean next year’s planning will include mobile initiatives, video-on-demand, city bus graphic wraps, heck no. It does mean we should dive deep and identify better ways to reach our consumer and openly appreciate ideas that are different.

Being fair to all brands out there, differentiation does extend to the agency culture as well. As I think about next year’s annual planning across a breadth of clients, how will I take the momentum of this year’s successes and identify differentiation for each client? I’m not 100% sure right now, but I’m damn excited to uncover great opportunities driving all us forward for collective “betterment.”

Levi Patterson's Blog

Need $100 bucks? Tell me what you think about me.

Leaders Leverage Differentiation