Why do a focus group?

Conducting research is a crucial part of successful marketing. In order to create a successful communication plan, it is important to know the audience, their motives and habits, and how to hook them on what is being said.

There are multiple ways to conduct research. Quantitative research relies on numerical and measurable figures, such as a survey looking for numbers on a certain matter. Qualitative research is more open-ended and based on opinion, such as unstructured interviews with open questions.

While both forms of research are useful and necessary in most cases, we can learn a lot from qualitative research, especially in the marketing field.

A focus group can be defined as “a demographically diverse group of people assembled to participate in a guided discussion about a particular product before it is launched, or to provide ongoing feedback on (a subject.)”

Conducting these groups allows the facilitator to gain true, unfiltered results about the people they are trying to reach. Gathering a diverse crowd of people within that audience and asking open-ended questions allow insight into what matters to them.

Gathering participants for a focus group can seem like a difficult task, but there are many ways to do so. Sending out surveys to gather interest, incentivizing those who decide to participate, and providing refreshments and swag to the group.

Once you conduct a focus group, you will see the answers are very helpful in creating campaigns, communication plans, and social media schedules that reach your audience and get your message across in the way you want it to be received.

Not sure where to start? Contact Wiser Strategies for your research needs today!