Step through the looking glass
Editor’s note: Eve Zukergood is CEO and co-owner of Market Navigation Inc., an Orangeburg, N.Y., research firm. She is also a member of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association.
Imagine a focus group where the one-way mirror is really a window. What if a member of the client team could step through that window and speak directly to the participants?
Bringing in an expert at the proper time in the focus group can greatly enhance the delivery of important information and accelerate the assimilation of new ideas and perspectives that emerge from the discussion.
This third party - it could be a product manager, a technical advisor, or other knowledgeable person - can be used to introduce new concepts, give the historical background on the emergence of the new concept, product, or service. They can also discuss the benefits as they see them, and be there to answer the first round of questions that may arise from that presentation.
The moderator here is actively engaged in observing the reactions to the presentation, what questions are being asked, where the excitement lies, and what the turn-offs are. He or she facilitates the communication, manages the group dynamics, and probes for the depth and relevance of the information exchange.
Listen with the moderator
If the discussion requires technical information, this is the perfect person to present it. In a highly technical area or in health care marketing, it’s useful to have someone who can listen with the moderator and provide feedback to the participants when technical explanations are required. This also works well once participants have identified the strengths and weaknesses of a product or service.
Often, we will save time in a group by brainstorming the what-ifs or wishes. Experts can be very useful in setting the parameters of this kind of idea generation towards the more practical avenues. This is particularly useful if a product or service is on a fast track to be launched and immediate information is needed for the development of sales aids and materials.
Keep in mind that using an expert in a focus group must be skillfully done without introducing or appearing to introduce bias. The moderator must establish a relationship with the expert/technical advisor/client who will be presenting to the group. The ground rules must be clearly defined, with the moderator orchestrating the sequence of the information, and sharing an agreed-upon set of cues that will be used during the group. These cues must include signals that it is time for the expert to recede into the background and allow the group to continue.
In addition, it is important to let the participants know during the introductions what the overall plan of the group will be and to let the group know what role the expert will play.
Make it clear that advocacy is not what the group is about. Rather, it’s about sharing of expertise. This will help keep both the expert and the participants comfortable. I often run at least one-third to one-half of the group session getting participants comfortable speaking and giving their points of view before even turning to the expert.
It is important to know and manage your expert as well, so as not to create a situation where the group is shut down, or put into listening mode, or made to feel unsafe to express divergent opinions and true reactions to the concepts.
Knowledge gap
In focus groups with high-tech or highly specialized respondents, there can be a wide gap between the respondents’ knowledge and that of the moderator. While the moderator can study the topic and become familiar with the majority of the pertinent issues, he may not or should not be expected to have the level of expertise of the product manager, a clinical investigator or expert in the field.
Do we want to advise our clients based on our interpretations of information given by a group of eight to 10 people sitting in an artificial environment who know they are being observed? This may be appropriate for some situations, but for research exploring complex purchasing behaviors, it is beneficial to facilitate an exchange between the participants and an expert.
Observing respondents’ reactions to and interaction with the expert can give firsthand insight into the how they will actually behave in the real world. Consumers are often faced with so many choices that one of the easiest ways to learn about, buy, or formulate an opinion about a product is by turning to a trusted advisor, knowledgeable confidant, or respected expert.
Higher purpose
In Motivation and Marketing to the Mind, author Richard C. Maddock suggests that much of what consumers do is out of dedication to a higher purpose, as opposed to simply surviving, having fun, avoiding pain, or making money. Having an expert in the room can bring the added passion and energy to move participants to a new level of excitement about a certain product, service or idea.
For example, in one project I invited the clinical investigator of a new skin care product that alleviates a very embarrassing facial condition to present a short slide presentation. He sat quietly through the beginning part of the group, was introduced along with everyone else, and I mentioned that he would be providing some insight and history into the product. The beginning part of the focus group was spent getting executives of managed care plans to talk about their criteria for inclusion of skin care products on their formularies. They discussed the issues of cost and relative importance of a skin care problem versus a more life-threatening disorder. It looked like this new product didn’t have a chance in the world.
We then switched gears and the clinical investigator spent about 15 minutes showing slides of the facial condition. He included some brief comments on the components of the product, why it would work and then even answered some questions from the participants on how long the cure would last.
At the end of this 15 minutes, I thought I was in a different focus group facility, with a different group of people.
The impact the clinical investigator had on this group of executives was immeasurable. In a short time, they were able to see the incredible devastation of the skin condition, the logic of the formulation of the product to alleviate it, and the passion and dedication of the man who invented it. The group then focused on participants talking about the issues of how they would work to include a product like this.
More enlightening
Whether investigating the appeal of a product, concept or service, or researching to see what elements are necessary to move a segment to decision-making, consider turning the mirror into a window. After all, a full view is often more enlightening than a reflection.