Focus Groups are a unique method of qualitative market research – that deeper type of market research that uncovers behaviour and attitudes, and why people feel or act the way they do. But a lot of people would tell you they are just flaky coffee chats…so I’d like to answer the question here. Are focus groups a good idea? Usually held in small groups of 4 – 8 people, focus groups offer key advantages. For example, showing or demonstrating things visually, overcoming language barriers by seeing body language, and even brainstorming to build on ideas as a group. 

Here are some scenarios in which focus groups worked well.

Showing a Concept

We had a client who started a gift-box business with outdoor activity kits– some contained little tools, some had craft-type supplies. They wanted to know if parents would buy the monthly kits as a subscription and what they might pay.

It was difficult to say whether parents would be interested in the products without them first witnessing the quality and creativity of the objects included. We held focus groups with parents so that they could see the concepts, and so they could give feedback on what they might be willing to pay for a monthly subscription. This worked very well, and parents also had several suggestions that helped build on the ideas presented.

So if you have something visual, and especially if there is a sensory component – such as look, see, listen or feel, a focus group can be the opportunity to show it.

Overcoming Language Barriers, or Body Language

We had a major home builder/developer who was trying out some very innovative concepts and floor plans for an open area of their development, designed for a target market of mainly immigrants. We had already gotten many ideas through an initial survey, but now that the builder had actual potential designs, they wanted to get reactions so they could choose a winning design.

To do this, we invited small groups of customers in to view the designs; meanwhile we kept a multi-lingual interpreter on deck to help out as needed. The builder had created 3D models of the actual house plans and community layouts.

Since the customers could see the house models in three-dimensions and ask questions through their native languages, this was an excellent research solution. It also helped a lot to see their facial expressions when shown certain features, which goes beyond language barriers.

The models of the homes also told people whether yards, rooms and garage might be too big or too small.

So once again, when there is no substitute for in-person explanation, especially when there may be language barriers, a focus group is ideal.

Brainstorming to Improve a Concept

A client of ours had a very innovative idea for a downtown social club venue. She had a lot of ideas to make it successful (unique foods, unusual events) but did not know which ideas would be more or less appealing to her target audience. She also wanted ask what rates people may pay for membership in the club.

So we held an informal focus group session with downtown residents, who not only gave great feedback, but provided countless other ideas for fun events. Having the group contribute ideas helped build the concepts to become even more appealing to her chosen target market. There was a higher perceived value for a membership than originally expected, so this was very good news to our client.

To confirm the concepts, the focus group ideas were then built into a survey and the ideas/features of the venue were rated to determine which kinds of ideas were most appealing. We also confirmed the membership fees, a key part of the business plan.

This informal brainstorming type of session is another good use of a focus group.

Limitations of  Focus Groups

Recruiting and Scheduling

That said, focus groups do have their limitations, such as recruiting the participants, scheduling them to all show up at a set time, and incentivizing them to attend in person. 

We’ve offered $100 cash per participant for a one-hour focus group, which is still not enough to ensure attendance –  even for people who confirmed they would attend.

And, if you want high-end, wealthy customers to show up for a focus group, incentives may need to be much greater and very appealing (or elite), if indeed they will attend at all. (However, I was at an event recently that included hockey tickets, and it was very well attended, so there’s an idea for getting people to show up for a focus group. Hold it in the box seats!).

Regardless, focus groups will typically need to recruit more participants than necessary simply to adjust for no-shows. 

Getting an Ideal Mix of Target Attendees

Getting an ideal, precise mix of your target buyers is also a challenge – for example, if you want a mix of ethnicities (as we did with the downtown venue), you may have to recruit in a public place where you can look at people and hand-pick them to fit your ages and genders. 

For example, when one client wanted representation from the LGBTQIA2s+ community, there was a Pride Parade happening in the same city a few weeks beforehand, and we were able to show up in person and carefully qualify participants. We made a few embarrassing errors, but eventually found a few LGBTQIA2s+ folks who were willing to help out.

Sensitive Topics in Focus Groups

Focus groups also have limitations when addressing certain topics. For example:

• Getting competing customers (e.g. a group of flooring retailers, who compete with each other) to talk about a competitive subject (such as what colour flooring they’re releasing next year). They may not want to reveal their information to each other.
• Talking about sensitive subjects – e.g. money, relationships, politics, religion, and maybe even seemingly innocent topics like health or parenting. This can create conflict or embarrassment, and could result in some people walking out.
• Customer feedback – even non-competing customers, like those who all shop at the same retail store). If they voice any bad experiences, they might easily start suggesting competitors of yours who do a better job, or their stories might horrify the others present and get them demanding compensation in front of each other.

Unevenness of Participation

Unevenness of Participation is the biggest fear with using focus groups, i.e., that one or two participants will dominate the conversation, so that the others do not fully voice their opinions. 

Now, an experienced focus group moderator can minimize this problem, but reality is that it will always exist. People simply do not say as much in front of a group of strangers as they will to one interviewer who has earned their trust. Some will say more, some will be louder, and the others will want to agree rather than having to battle strangers. It’s inevitable.

So Are Focus Groups a Good Idea? A Conclusion

While not everyone participates in a fully equal way, nor shares their innermost thoughts as part of a group setting, focus groups are very useful for discussing new ideas and visual concepts. 

Just remember to gauge the sensitivity of the topic; if you wouldn’t discuss your opinions on the topic in front of strangers, chances are your focus group won’t either. For deeper research, we highly recommend a one-on-one approach, known as in-depth interviews (IDI’s).

Should you need help planning or facilitating focus groups, please contact our market research team at Tenato Strategy. Or click to learn about focus groups versus other methods of market research.

NOTE: If you are looking to be a participant in a Focus Group, Tenato is not likely the right fit. We recruit specific demographic groups of people for individual projects, and never re-use the same people, so likely it’s not worth your effort to apply.