Focus group study or a survey? What method is best?

Focus group study or market research survey? This is a big question. Focus group firms that only specialize in qualitative market research may tout focus groups as a far reaching research method applicable to most any market research need. Yet, focus groups have a very specific place in the marketing research spectrum.

Here's some background about focus groups as a market research tool. Group discussions, or 'focus groups', are a way of listening to people and learning from them. Focus group discussions create a process of sharing and comparing among the respondents. The term 'focus group' comes from the orignial term 'focused group discussion'. That is, the assembled group was 'focused' on a topic, product, brand, or political issue. A focus group usually involves between six to twelve people and, conversation is usually structured. Often the focus group moderator will have a prepared a 'moderator's guide' approved by the market research client.

Although a market research focus group is usually structured, depending on the moderator or investigator's style, it can allow for spontaneous reactions and feelings on a subject to emerge naturally. Conventional focus discussion groups run from one and a half to two hours. Respondents are recruited with specific criteria in mind. The moderator's job is to facilitate the discussion, encouraging all respondents to contribute their thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

Interaction between focus group respondents and honesty are some of the advantages of this qualitative method. Focus groups are also an excellent way of allowing issues salient to the participants to emerge which may previously have been unknown to the client. Again, this is all dependent on the skill of the group moderator.

In the past, a set of focus groups was thought to be fast and less costly than a professional opinion survey, say, a customer satisfaction or advertising awareness survey. Really, that was never the case, and is not the case now. We can get quantitative market surveys in and out of the field quickly using one of many available panels, or field quicky online surveys in target segments, or executive surveys among pre-recruited willing participants. So, it's a coin toss in terms of cost, and speed; with a speed criterion usually favoring a quantitive solution. So, what is the answer?

The answer to the "focus group or survey?" question lies in always starting at "square one." And square one, has nothing much to do with market research. It has everything to do with thinking. I mean thinking about your marketing strategy and marketing plan and your branding strategy. Think first. Simple, huh? Conduct fresh marketing research, data mining, and other internal data analysis, later, if needed, however the "thinkfirst" clarion call will have amazing outcomes. It is thinking -- that's right, ordinary cognition -- that must drive the process.

Thinking about your marketing strategy and your marketing strategy options is needed first to identify research purpose and objectives. Very important. But the thinking we're talking about comes yet again before that. Going back further, I suggest you start with the decision or decisions you face. If you don't know what the decision is, think about it further. Start there always. For some tips go to our discussion on the Decision Pathway to determine where you are at the moment. If you have clearly defined decision choices or decision options developed, and you believe you have turned most of the big stones in this regard, then a quantitative -- a market study producing statistics, forecasts, estimates, or projections -- may be the solution. A market research study of this nature can deliver hard data on market size, or appeal levels of a new product concept, or segment type and size. If, however, you are in the beginning stages of learning about customer needs, and understanding the marketplace, then exploratory qualitative research, using focus groups or related techniques may be appropriate.

For more methodology ideas, see our "Market Research Tools" discussion , and our discussion in this FAQ about "Qualitative versus Quantitative" market research methods.

Remember always to first consider your marketing strategy decision, it's nature, and the decision stage where you presently sit.