FOCUS GROUPS

If you’ve ever wondered what you could learn from literally listening to your customers talk about aspects of your product or service, then focus groups may be just what you need.

Focus group are in-depth discussions with a small groups of individuals focused on a specific subject and guided by trained moderators. Participants can be clients, prospective clients, people who influence your clients (parents, teachers, opinion leaders) or a random sample of the general public. Focus groups range in size from 8-12 participants and last from ninety minutes to two hours. Participants are recruited via phone or email and are almost always paid a small amount of money for their time Groups are most often conducted in focus group facilities equipped with one-way mirrors that allow you to observe and listen without being seen.

This type of research provides an opportunity to get many customers together to discuss  needs, evaluate concepts, reveal likes and dislikes, suggest improvements and provide feedback. Focus groups are used to elicit a range of ideas, experiences, perceptions, attitudes and opinions. They provide a flexible way to get information.

Unlike a questionnaire that requires a specific, quantifiable response, focus groups use discussion guides designed to encourage participants to participate and share their thoughts and opinions. As an observer you may hear questions like:

• “What are some of your thoughts about?.”
• “What’s not going well?  Tell me about that”
• “ What would you like to see happen? Can you say more about that?”
• “You say you don’t like it?tell me about the things you don’t like?”

After the group or groups are completed, you are sent a verbatim transcript and video tape, and a written report summarizing the project, identifying the results along with our recommendations for action.

If you are interested in seeing our state-of-the art FOCUS GROUP FACILITY or want to find out more about how focus groups can work for you, call us.