In focus - use of focus groups in marketing research

Entrepreneur, June, 1996 by Jacquelyn Lynn

FOCUS GROUPS can be an excellent source of market research--if you know how to use them. Howard Willens, a focus group moderator and owner of Insights & Directions, a market research firm in Hewlett, New York, offers these tips for getting the most out of focus groups:

* Know what information you're looking for Do you want feedback that will help you develop a questionnaire for more detailed research? Are you looking for a reaction to a particular package design, ad campaign or other marketing effort? "There are different reasons for using focus group research," says Willens. Structure the group based on the information you need.

* Do not project results beyond the group Focus group research is not quantitative statistics. "If you do a quantitative study correctly, you have data that is projectable to the universe you're sampling," says Willens. Qualitative research, which focuses on the responses of a group to a particular set of questions, cannot be accurately projected to a larger universe as can quantitative research, which is strictly based on numbers. "Qualitative research seeks to develop insights and directions rather than precise or absolute measures," Willens says. "If you liken it to writing a song, quantitative research gives you the words, and qualitative research gives you the music. It gives you an in depth feeling as to what the words mean."

* Conduct enough sessions to get valid information Because focus group research is subjective and can be influenced by a variety of circumstances, you'll probably need to conduct several sessions. "It's dangerous to do just one," Willens says. "I like to do at least three."

* Invite the right people Focus group participants must be representative of your market, which can be a challenge if your prospective customers are busy professionals. Screen carefully. "The tighter you can control the people sitting around the table, the more valid your answers are going to be," says Willens.

* Use a professional moderator. Trained focus group, moderators do more than ask questions; they plan the session based on the client's needs, conduct the interviews, then analyze the results--which are not always what they seem to be. That's why you must resist the temptation to take comments out of context, Willens says.

"Untrained [moderators] tend to accept everything they hear, especially if they have [preconceptions]," Willens says. "You can't get at real feelings and motivations just by asking questions. A good moderator controls the session, using props, stimuli, games and projective techniques. Then, when the interviewing is done, the moderator spends hours or days listening to the session tapes and going over the notes. The moderator's experience allows him [or her] to reach conclusions and make recommendations for action."

RELATED ARTICLE: Care Package

EMPLOYEES who are responsible for caring for elderly or ill relatives often find their work affected by the stress of the situation. As baby boomers--and their parents--age, this problem will increase proportionately.

"Smart employers are taking a proactive approach," says Rose DiPietro, director of Home & Health Resources, a private-duty home-care program of South Shore Hospital in Braintree, Massachusetts. "They are implementing initiatives to actively support workers who are caregivers. The return is retaining valuable employees and increasing productivity."

When developing a program to support caregiving employees, DiPietro offers these suggestions:

* Recognize the ongoing nature of the situation. Typical care-giving responsibilities are long-term. "Be ready to show your support and flexibility, not only in a moment of crisis but also over an extended period," DiPietro says.

* Help employees establish a plan. Maintain an environment that acknowledges personal issues and encourages creative problem solving. Use techniques such as cross-training and flextime to meet workers' and your company's needs.

* Provide referral assistance. Most communities have a wide range of resources for people with elder-care responsibilities. Help employees locate and use those resources.

"Those caring for elderly relatives need to know help and support are available, both at work and in the community," says DiPietro. "That knowledge can make employees more comfortable, more productive and better able to cope with the demands of their professional and personal lives."