A focus group is qualitative method of marketing research, and a popular and flexible way to collect data that allows the acquirement of a detailed vision of a research subject.
Focus groups
Hosting focus group discussions with consumers of various
products and services
Unlike interviews that are conducted individually, focus groups allow group members to interact and influence each other during the discussion and ideas consideration.
For a focus group, 8 respondents are invited to a specialized room equipped with a one-way mirror (the possible number of respondents is from 6 people for an expert group to 10 people for testing a product or a concept). An analyst of our company moderates the discussion. The standard duration of a focus group is 2 hours.
The advantages of conducting focus groups with the Rusopros marketing agency:
- High-quality recruitment of respondents (our own recruitment department allows finding respondents of even the most difficult target audiences, as well as excluding the participation of “professional respondents”);
- Experienced moderators (who conducted more than 200 focus groups).
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why choose focus group method and not the other types of research?
The main advantage of the focus group is that the client can participate in the process, directly watching the progress of the focus group from the client room (through the one-way mirror). Due to this, the research results gain more trust from the client. The interaction between people in a group is one of the most important parts of the process. During the focus group respondents may be presented with promo materials and products, which allows the registration of their actual feedback.A focus group is a dynamic research process depending on the knowledge gained from group to group in which the questions can vary.
How many focus groups should be conducted?
There is no right answer to this. On average, a project consists of 4-6 focus groups, some smaller projects include only 2-3 groups, and the largest projects include up to 10-15. The decision is usually based on one or more of the following criteria: the number of different interest groups that need to be included in the study, the number of geographic areas that should be covered, the budget that is available for the study.
Why do people participate in focus groups?
Many people think that, given that, they themselves are not ready to participate in the focus group, other people also will not agree to participate. There are two main reasons why people participate in focus groups: 1. To earn extra money - participation is paid. The amount paid to participants depends on the type of group they represent and the difficulties associated with their recruitment (the more valuable the respondent, the larger the amount). 2. People like to express their opinions on various topics. They are interested to meet with peers and discuss topics of interest to them. For many, it is also a break in their routine and a fun way to spend the evening, the opportunity to make new acquaintances.
Can the focus group results be considered representative?
The goal of focus groups is to obtain qualitative, not quantitative data. Therefore, although we strive to get the best and most representative sample, it is not a prerequisite to obtain a useful result. Focus groups study macro, not micro issues, and statistical accuracy is not required to collect useful information in this context.
Who writes the focus group analysis report and how long does it take to receive it?
In Rusrosros all reports are written by professional moderators who moderate the focus groups and a team of analysts. The time required to receive the report depends on the number of conducted groups. When conducting a standard study, which includes 4 focus groups, the report should be sent to the client no later than 10 working days after the last group.
