Focus Group Research: A Guide to Meaningful Results
For business owners, understanding their customers is critical to success. One way to gain valuable insights into consumer behavior is through focus group research. This guide will give business owners the knowledge and tools to conduct successful focus group research and use the insights gained to drive business success.
After you finish reading, discover where focus group research fits into a comprehensive market research plan by reading my guide on How to do Market Research for your Business.
What is a focus group?
A focus group is a market research method that involves bringing together a small group of individuals to discuss a specific topic. The group typically consists of 8-10 people and is moderated by a trained facilitator who guides the discussion and encourages participants to share their thoughts and opinions.
Focus groups are helpful in gathering rich, qualitative data that can provide insights into consumer attitudes and behavior. You can conduct focus group research in person or online, and the data collected can inform product development, marketing strategies, and other business decisions.
What are the pros of a focus group?
Focus groups can have several benefits, including the following:
- Generate new ideas: By bringing together a group of people with different backgrounds and perspectives, a focus group can be a fertile ground for brainstorming and creativity. Participants can build on each other's ideas, identify new opportunities, and suggest novel approaches.
- In-depth feedback: Focus groups allow for in-depth input from participants. This can provide valuable insights into a particular demographic's attitudes, opinions, and preferences.
- Multiple perspectives: Focus groups involve numerous participants, meaning you can get various views and opinions on a topic. This can help you identify common themes, areas of agreement, and areas with differing opinions.
- Real-time feedback: Focus groups provide real-time feedback, meaning you can get immediate reactions to a product or idea. This can help you identify potential issues or concerns before launching a product.
- Interactive: Focus groups are interactive, meaning participants can bounce ideas off of one another and build on each other's comments. This can lead to more in-depth discussions and insights.
- Flexibility: Focus groups may be flexible, allowing for changes in the discussion guide or structure based on the feedback received.
What are the cons of a focus group?
While focus groups can be a valuable tool for gathering qualitative data, there are several cons to consider:
- Small sample sizes: Focus groups include a small number of participants, which may not represent the larger population.
- Potential bias: The group dynamic can influence focus groups, where participants may dominate the discussion, and others may be hesitant to share their opinions.
- Time-consuming and expensive: Conducting a focus group requires time and resources to recruit participants, arrange a suitable venue, and compensate participants for their time.
- Limited scope: Focus groups are best suited for exploring a narrow set of issues or topics, which may not help the business comprehensively understand a more significant problem.
- Limited discussion time: Focus groups typically last 1-2 hours, which may not be enough time to explore complex issues or allow participants to fully express their thoughts.
- Difficult to measure outcomes: Focus groups may not provide clear and measurable results, making it challenging to evaluate the effectiveness of the research.
- Difficult to recruit participants: It may be challenging to find those willing and able to attend the focus group, leading to potential selection bias.
Common use cases for a focus group
- Test new concepts: Focus groups can be used to test new product or service concepts before they are launched.
- Inform product development: Companies can gather feedback from focus groups to inform the development of new or existing products, including features, design, packaging, and pricing.
- Brand positioning: Focus groups can provide insights to help companies position their brand by understanding how people perceive it and identifying ways to improve or differentiate it.
- Refine marketing and advertising campaigns: Companies can use focus groups to create effective marketing and advertising campaigns that resonate with their target audience.
- Improve customer experience: Focus groups can provide insights into improving your company's overall customer experience, including product quality, customer service, and satisfaction.
- Identify trends: Companies can use focus groups to gather information on consumer behavior, market trends, and the competitive landscape.
- Determine pricing: Companies can use focus groups to determine the best price for their products or services based on what people are willing to pay.
- Identify social responsibility issues: Focus groups can help companies identify social and environmental issues important to their customers and inform their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
What are the types of focus groups?
- Single focus group: This is the most common type of focus group. A moderator leads a discussion among a small group (typically 6 to 10 participants) in a face-to-face setting. It is best to gather detailed feedback and insights on a specific topic or product and observe group dynamics and interactions.
- Mini focus group: A mini focus group is similar to traditional focus groups with fewer participants (usually 3 to 5). They are best for intimate discussions where participants must be experts, and there is only a small pool of them, or they are hard to reach.
- Online focus groups: Online focus groups occur virtually, with participants logging into a web-based platform or chat to share their opinions and feedback. They are best for situations where participants are geographically dispersed or have busy schedules. However, unlike face-to-face focus groups, you may not be able to capture non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and eye contact, and there is potential that the use of technology adds more variables to your experiment.
- Two-way focus group: A two-way focus group is when one group actively discusses a topic, and a second group observes the first group. Traditionally, the second group is behind a glass wall to not influence the discussion of the first group in any way. You will often find that the conclusions of each group are different. Because of this, two-way focus groups are best for companies that want more data on the outcomes and takeaways from a focus group discussion.
- Dual moderator focus group: A dual moderator focus group is where two moderators facilitate the discussion, each with a different role. One moderator may focus on asking questions and facilitating dialogue, while the other may observe and take notes on nonverbal cues and group dynamics. This type of focus group is best for gaining a more comprehensive understanding of participants' attitudes and behaviors, as well as for balancing the group dynamics and ensuring that all participants have a chance to speak.
- Dueling moderator focus group: Dueling moderator focus groups involve two moderators who take different sides on the issue or topic. This type of focus group is best for bringing out contrarian views by introducing conflict.
- Respondent moderator focus group: In this type of focus group, the company recruits a participant to serve as the moderator. Participant-led discussions can be precious for exploring sensitive or personal topics. Participants may be more willing to share their thoughts and feelings in a group where they feel comfortable and supported.
What are the steps to conduct a focus group?
Step 1: Define the discussion topic
Identify the discussion topic that the focus group will discuss. For example, a business may conduct a focus group to determine the best price for a product or refine an advertising campaign.
Step 2: Select the type of focus group
The second step is to select the type of focus group. Consider what you hope to learn, the cost, and the time associated with recruiting participants, hiring a moderator, and running the focus group.
Step 3: Pick a location and buy equipment
Next, pick a comfortable location conducive to the discussion topic. You may need additional equipment depending on the discussion topic and what you hope to learn. For example, a business might buy a whiteboard to allow participants to brainstorm new ideas based on a set of information.
Step 4: Set specific criteria for the participants
Based on the discussion topic, define the criteria for participants in the focus group. For example, your criteria might be individuals aged 25-50 who live in a neighboring community within 100 miles of your business and are willing to share new opinions in a public setting.
Step 5: Draft a discussion guide or run of schedule
You'll then want to draft a discussion guide or run of schedule for the moderator. This includes everything from how to introduce the session to questions you want to ask participants to how long you want to spend on each question.
The types of questions you ask in a focus group will vary depending on the discussion topic and your participants. However, here are some general tips that can help you develop practical questions for your focus group:
- Open-ended questions: Focus on asking open-ended questions that allow participants to express their thoughts and feelings in their own words. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no."
- Avoid leading questions: Avoid questions that suggest a particular answer or bias the participants' responses. This can include questions that use emotionally charged language or that make assumptions about the participants' experiences or opinions.
- Keep questions short and simple: Keep questions brief and to the point. Avoid asking multiple questions in one sentence, as this can be confusing and make it harder for participants to respond clearly.
- Ask follow-up questions: Be prepared to ask follow-up questions to clarify or explore participants' responses in more depth. This can help uncover valuable insights and ensure participants feel heard and understood.
- Be sensitive to participants' feelings: Be mindful of the language and tone used in your questions, and avoid asking insensitive questions. Consider the cultural and social background of your participants and tailor your questions accordingly.
Using these principles, here are some example questions that a mining company could use in a focus group to understand what people think of the long-term environmental impacts this business will have on neighboring communities:
- What are your thoughts on the long-term environmental impact of mining operations on nearby communities?
- How do you think mining operations could affect the health and well-being of residents over time?
- In your opinion, what steps could mining companies take to minimize their impact on the environment and surrounding communities?
- How could mining operations impact the local economy over the long term?
- What are your concerns about the potential long-term effects of mining operations on the wildlife in the area?
Step 6: Recruit and screen participants
Like how you would find people for a survey, you could reach out to existing customers, friends, and family or share on social media. If you need people for the focus group, you could engage a market research firm or find an online focus group panel.
Once you have a pool of people, ask questions to uncover whether they meet the criteria you set to participate in the focus group.
For the criteria we set earlier – individuals aged 25-50 who live in a neighboring community within 100 miles of your business and are willing to share new opinions in a public setting – here are some example questions you could use to screen candidates for your focus group:
- What is your age? (screen people out based on age)
- Do you currently live within 100 miles of our mining operations? (screen people out based on location)
- How do you participate in team projects at school or in the workplace? Can you share an example with us? (screen people out based on their willingness to share new opinions)
Step 7: Facilitate the discussion
Begin the focus group by introducing yourself and any other moderators, explaining the purpose of the focus group, and establishing ground rules, such as maintaining confidentiality and respecting others' opinions.
The moderator should then facilitate the conversation to encourage open and honest thoughts among participants by asking open-ended questions, allowing follow-up questions, and actively listening to participants' responses. Ensure that all participants have an opportunity to share their thoughts and that the conversation stays on topic.
Conclude the focus group by summarizing the key points and thanking participants for their time and input.
Step 8: Analyze the results
After the focus group has ended, transcribe the discussion and analyze the results. You'll want to identify key themes or takeaways from the focus group discussion and note any outlier or unusual responses. From this, organize your findings in a presentable way that you can share with your team.
Step 9: Thank and follow up with participants
It is essential to thank the participants for their time and effort in participating in the focus group. Take this time to inform participants of any next steps, outcomes from the research, or a chance to ask additional questions to learn more about their responses and behaviors during the discussion. This can build trust and goodwill with your business and encourage future participation.
What's the recommended size of a focus group?
This depends on the focus group you are running, but the ideal focus group size for a single focus group, the most common type, is 8-10 people, and a facilitator and note taker. A larger group than this will limit the detail of some responses because people may feel pressure to share airtime with others in the group. This can be due to various reasons, such as social norms or expectations that everyone should have a chance to speak, a desire to be seen as fair or respectful towards others in the group, or simply a wish to avoid dominating the conversation.
What tools should you use to facilitate focus groups?
- Zoom: best overall tool.
- Google Hangouts: best free tool.
- Adobe Connect: most collaborative tool.
What biases do you need to control for with focus groups?
- Social desirability bias: Participants may want to provide socially desirable responses rather than their genuine opinions. To control this bias, ensure the focus group is a safe space where participants feel comfortable sharing their honest thoughts.
- Groupthink bias: Participants may be influenced by the opinions of others in the group, leading to a lack of diverse perspectives. To control for this bias, encourage participants to share their personal views and avoid dominating the conversation.
- Confirmation bias: Participants may look for evidence confirming their beliefs or opinions. To control this bias, ensure that the focus group includes diverse perspectives and encourage participants to consider alternative viewpoints.
- Sampling bias: The sample of participants may not represent the target population, leading to biased results. To control this bias, select participants carefully based on the research objectives and criteria.
- Moderator bias: The moderator may unintentionally influence or steer the discussion in a particular direction. To control this bias, ensure the moderator is neutral and impartial, allowing participants to lead the conversation.
Tips to get the most value from focus groups
- Use exercises and activities: Incorporate them into the focus group session to encourage participants to think creatively and share their ideas more dynamically.
- Allow for silence: Don't be afraid of silence. Sometimes participants need time to process their thoughts before sharing. Allow for pauses and silence to encourage deeper reflection and more thoughtful responses.
- Use a skilled moderator: Use an experienced moderator trained in managing group dynamics, staying neutral, and encouraging participation. A professional moderator can help keep the conversation on track, probe deeper when necessary, and ensure all participants can share their thoughts.
Common mistakes with focus groups
- Ignoring nonverbal cues: Nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice can provide valuable insights into participants' attitudes and feelings. Ignoring these cues can result in incomplete or inaccurate insights.
- Recruiting the wrong participants: If you recruit the wrong participants, the focus group results may not be representative or valuable. Pay careful attention to recruiting participants who are relevant to the research objectives.
- Allowing certain participants to dominate the discussion: Dominant participants can skew the discussion and prevent others from contributing. The moderator should be aware of this and take steps to ensure that all participants have an equal opportunity to contribute.
Example companies that have used insights from a focus group to drive business success
1. McDonald's
Mcdonald's, the largest fast food chain in the world by revenue and the number of locations, perfects its menu by conducting a focus group. For a global company, the input from focus groups allows them to adjust their menus to reflect local traditions for each country with a McDonald's location.
2. Procter & Gamble (P&G)
Focus groups play a big part in P&G's R&D process. Unlike traditional focus groups with moderated questions, P&G puts their team in a room with potential customers that make up the focus group and have a conversation. Also, they intentionally spend around 70% of the time analyzing the results from the focus group and only 30% of the time talking with them. This is different from the norm, where usually, a company will spend 95% of the time talking to the focus group and only 5% of the time analyzing the results.
3. Disney
Disney uses kid-centric focus groups to get opinions on new episodes for their television shows, such as The Lion Guard. They do this by partnering with schools in the Los Angeles area, and in exchange for the kids' time, they donate to the schools and give the kids stickers and other exciting Disney gear.
Conclusion
Focus group research can be a valuable market research tool for a business to gain insights into consumer behavior, attitudes, and preferences. However, achieving meaningful results takes careful planning and sound execution, from defining the discussion topic to analyzing the results. By following this guide, companies can leverage the power of focus group research to inform their decision-making and drive business success.
