Insights Works
Focus Groups
Focus Groups
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| We'd love to discuss your next research project with you. Please contact us at info(at)insightsworks.com |
You have an important research project and need an agency that not only
understands technology, but also consumer decisions.
Insights Works has conducted over 100 focus groups with a range of technical decisions
makers. And with 14 years of marketing experience, we know the different levers that lead to
purchase decisions.
We can manage your important study from end to end.
Discussion Guide
It’s important to architect questions that push past the trivial to uncover the truth. Sometimes these question can
be straightforward, such as asking what technologies they use today or what pains they are having.
But sometimes the questions need to be more creative to uncover the unspoken. We use
Developing a sharp discussion guide comes with experience with what works and what doesn’t. We put that
experience to work to uncover the necessary truths so you can deliver break-through marketing.
Recruiting and Logistics
We’ve conducted focus groups across the U.S. and Canada, U.K., Netherlands and Ireland. And we’ve project-
managed focus groups in non-English speaking countries like France, Italy and Belgium. We have a network of
focus group affiliates we can turn to for domestic and international focus groups.
Moderating
During focus groups, technologists want to talk technology – databases, programming languages, firewalls,
network architectures, cloud computing and licensing. And they want to talk technology vendors. We’ve spent
countless hours talking technology to CIO’s, IT Directors, network administrators, software architects and
developers and we know the technology landscape.
It may look easy to moderate a focus group. All you do is ask questions, right? Actually, there’s a lot more involved.
For instance, beginning moderators make the mistake of asking “Why” inappropriately.
But advanced moderators know that “Why” assumes there is a rational reason. Sometimes, there are
circumstances that push a person to purchase and “How” questions may be more effective.
Moderators also need to know how to press past rational responses and get to the truth. In focus groups, people
tend to want to say the “right” thing and project a certain image. Advanced moderators know that “safe” answers
are often a bluff to avoid revealing an "unsafe" answer. You need to keep pressing until you hear a “silly” answer.
Then you know you’ve struck gold.
Focus groups are notorious for generating top-of-mind answers, and a good moderator is aware of this and knows
how to navigate around safe answers and fish out the true motivations.
Final Report
In the end, good research is not enough if you cannot communicate your findings clearly. We deliver a final
PowerPoint document structured to answer the key business questions.
It’s not always easy to communicate clearly through PowerPoint. We've developed a process for clear PowerPoint
documents and even lead workshops with Fortune 500 companies on proper PowerPoint communications. We
apply those same principles to create clear final reports that communicate our findings clearly to our clients.
understands technology, but also consumer decisions.
Insights Works has conducted over 100 focus groups with a range of technical decisions
makers. And with 14 years of marketing experience, we know the different levers that lead to
purchase decisions.
We can manage your important study from end to end.
Discussion Guide
It’s important to architect questions that push past the trivial to uncover the truth. Sometimes these question can
be straightforward, such as asking what technologies they use today or what pains they are having.
But sometimes the questions need to be more creative to uncover the unspoken. We use
- projective techniques to help participants reveal emotional decision-making
- conjoint exercises to tease out the relative importance of different features
- group debates to capture the value in the customers’ authentic voice
- message testing techniques that reveal both logical and emotional triggers
- root cause analysis to push past symptoms to reveal the root issues that need to be addressed
- story-telling to reveal context
- well-honed capstone questions to identify the most influential points in a two-hour focus group
Developing a sharp discussion guide comes with experience with what works and what doesn’t. We put that
experience to work to uncover the necessary truths so you can deliver break-through marketing.
Recruiting and Logistics
We’ve conducted focus groups across the U.S. and Canada, U.K., Netherlands and Ireland. And we’ve project-
managed focus groups in non-English speaking countries like France, Italy and Belgium. We have a network of
focus group affiliates we can turn to for domestic and international focus groups.
Moderating
During focus groups, technologists want to talk technology – databases, programming languages, firewalls,
network architectures, cloud computing and licensing. And they want to talk technology vendors. We’ve spent
countless hours talking technology to CIO’s, IT Directors, network administrators, software architects and
developers and we know the technology landscape.
It may look easy to moderate a focus group. All you do is ask questions, right? Actually, there’s a lot more involved.
For instance, beginning moderators make the mistake of asking “Why” inappropriately.
- New Moderator: Why did you purchase a Blackberry?
Frank: Well…I need to get email when I’m away from the office.
But advanced moderators know that “Why” assumes there is a rational reason. Sometimes, there are
circumstances that push a person to purchase and “How” questions may be more effective.
- Insights Works: How did you end up with a Blackberry?
Frank: All the sales guys have a Blackberry. My buddy Frank was ribbing me so I went out and got one.
Moderators also need to know how to press past rational responses and get to the truth. In focus groups, people
tend to want to say the “right” thing and project a certain image. Advanced moderators know that “safe” answers
are often a bluff to avoid revealing an "unsafe" answer. You need to keep pressing until you hear a “silly” answer.
Then you know you’ve struck gold.
- Frank: We upgraded to Office 2007 because we want to be on the bleeding edge.
Insights Works: Are your desks also bleeding edge? Your photocopiers?
Frank: No, just our laptops really.
Insights Works: What’s different about the laptops that they need to be on the bleeding edge?
Frank: Well, it helps the account managers impress their clients. We can charge more if we look up to date.
Focus groups are notorious for generating top-of-mind answers, and a good moderator is aware of this and knows
how to navigate around safe answers and fish out the true motivations.
Final Report
In the end, good research is not enough if you cannot communicate your findings clearly. We deliver a final
PowerPoint document structured to answer the key business questions.
It’s not always easy to communicate clearly through PowerPoint. We've developed a process for clear PowerPoint
documents and even lead workshops with Fortune 500 companies on proper PowerPoint communications. We
apply those same principles to create clear final reports that communicate our findings clearly to our clients.