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"What
I Get"
If
you're unfamiliar with the ins and outs of marketing
research, you may wonder what exactly is a focus group?
What will I get? What will it cost?
Focus
Groups are a qualitative method of marketing research.
They are used as a discovery form of research, securing
information and determining what it is you don't know
yet - that is, when you aren't even sure of what some
of the questions might be.
Focus
groups will often be used in conjunction with quantitative
research, such as survey projects. Sometimes groups
are conducted before the survey to help formulate the
questions; sometimes after to more deeply explore the
survey results.
Once
it has been determined that focus groups are the best
way to approach your specific marketing problem, the
process will go something like this:
Prior
to the focus group(s),
- Your
objectives are identified and clarified
- The
most appropriate market(s) for the research is (are)
identified
- A
discussion guide is developed
- A
recruitment screener is developed
- A
focus group facility is reserved in each market
- A
panel of appropriate respondents is recruited for
each market
At
the focus group,
- The
moderator guides the discussion
- If
they choose to, clients view the group from a separate
room behind a one-way mirror
- Notes
are taken
- Audio
tapes (and videotapes if requested) are made
- At
the conclusion, respondents are paid an incentive,
usually cash, for their participation
After
the focus group,
- From
the audio tapes, a written "key verbatim"
transcript is prepared
- A
thorough analysis of the feedback is conducted
- A
report is written which may include the moderator's
key findings, conclusions and recommendations, and
an executive summary
These
post-group services are negotiable to fit your needs
and your budget - some clients want the whole ball of
wax, some prefer just to take their tapes and go. Click
on What
it Costs for more detail.
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