I recently moderated my first in-person focus group in nearly three years, and it was every bit as wonderful as I remember! I love the energy and interaction of talking to people face to face.
Plus, we discussed a sensitive topic, so I felt like the intimacy really lent to sharing amongst the women. They had some tough stories, and they wanted to connect with other women who could understand what they were going through.
There are many benefits that come from conducting in-person focus groups. (Yes, there are benefits to all of The Olinger Group’s qualitative market research tools. I am just really excited about being able to talk to people in person again, so that is what I am going to focus on today. Now you can be excited with me.)
Benefits to participants
- Connect with other people in similar situations
- Able to bond and have side conversations
- Get out of the house or office
In this particular focus group, one of the first things I did was ask people to write their personal challenges on a post-it note. Then I took those notes, read them out loud, and put them on the wall.
I love doing activities like this because of how quickly they morph from an anonymous exercise to a group conversation. Invariably, people start saying things like, ‘Oh, that one is mine,’ or ‘I didn’t know other people felt that way, too.’
And suddenly a group of strangers becomes a community. They talk, laugh, and sometimes cry together. It’s incredibly powerful and moving.
Benefits to clients
- Closer to the conversation / can listen behind the glass
- A lot more immediacy between clients and participants
- Interaction with each other
It’s wonderful seeing a group of clients interact while listening to respondents. They might share knowing looks or whisper to each other, ‘Did you hear that?’
Live interaction really builds rapport amongst the clients and helps them validate what they are hearing from the focus group.
Benefits to the project
- Respondents are more engaged
- Moderator can see more body language cues
- Amazing levels of honesty and sharing
We can do a lot more group activities during in-person focus groups. That means a lot of interaction and a lot less being sidetracked by what’s going on in their home or office. When people are sitting at a table doing a group activity, they are more engaged and more interested in what others are saying.
They also ‘talk’ to the moderator more with their body language. During a virtual focus group, I see heads and shoulders. In person, I see the whole person. Where they put their hands. How often and in which direction they move their feet. If they are slumping, uncomfortable, or impatient.
Benefits of online focus groups
As much as I love in-person groups, sometimes virtual is the best way to go. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the benefits of meeting online:
- Wider geographical base – you can talk to people all over the country
- Show rates may be better since it is easier for people to attend from their home
- Engaging platforms allow for a variety of activities
Whichever direction you choose to go – virtual or in-person – make sure you are working with a qualified, experienced moderator. And if you want to learn how to make your product or brand resonate with your customers’ authentic lifestyle, you should work with experts in the Live Well™ space.
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