Focus Groups in Market Research
Marketing research is the gathering and interpreting of data for a specific problem a company is having. A focus group, or group interviewing, is one of the marketing tools used for collecting consumer opinions on products, services and companies. Focus groups are a type of personal interview.
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Why Use Focus Groups
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A focus group gathers six to 10 people together in one room to discuss the subject under the direction of a trained moderator. This is done in order to find out what consumers really think about the product, service or company. The focus group can take a few hours, and participants are paid to attend. Market researchers watch the interview through one-way glass. Focus groups are chosen as a research method because they are a quick way to gather consumer opinions. Market researchers can also control the sample size (how many people are in the focus group). Focus groups offer a highly flexible way to gather information, since the discussion is not fixed as a survey would be. Since the market researchers are listening in on the conversation, they can make immediate interpretations of the data.
Cons
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Focus groups use small sample sizes to keep down costs, but the problem with small samples is that it is hard to get results that can be applied to the whole population. There is also a huge risk of bias being imparted on the focus group participants from the interviewer, because the interviewer is not controlled. In order to reduce costs, some marketing firms are beginning to use videoconferencing technology so that they can speak with consumers in multiple locations at one time, and yet marketer researchers are still able to listen in. In order to get participants to relax and talk more honestly, thereby getting better responses, market researchers are creating more comfortable environments for the focus groups to take place in.
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Online focus groups
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Focus groups can also be conducted online as part of Internet marketing research through the use of chats and webcams. One reason online focus groups are better than other types of focus groups is that there is less potential for interviewer bias. Costs are also lower. This can help reach consumers who otherwise would not be able to participate. However, some people are not represented because of lack of Internet access.
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