Editor's note: Carla Collis is vice president of qualitative services at Elrick and Lavidge, an Atlanta marketing research company.

I must confess that I was once a telephone focus group skeptic. As a moderator, my first reaction to conducting a telephone focus group was not one of open-mindedness: "Did I hear you right? You want me to try focus groups . . . on the phone? What about . . . don't you know that this could compromise the quality of the research?"

But I have changed my mind. After conducting telephone focus groups, it became apparent that my fears were largely unfounded. While there are times when it is inappropriate to conduct telephone sessions (e.g., taste tests, long groups, sessions among young children), telephone focus groups can be successfully used for most any project -- provided you know how to handle the unique issues that this environment presents.

Here are the initial questions that I raised as a moderator and what I have learned since then. These helpful hints should prove valuable in making your telephone focus groups a success.

Interestingly, because they can't see one another and "size each other up," respondents in these sessions often open up more and seem more engaged in discussion. The anonymity seems to encourage them to more freely participate.