Assuming you give honest answers, why are you willing to give honest, candid, sometimes negative responses in a focus group setting?

"I feel my opinions matters."
"I feel like someone is listening and that my thoughts are valued. After all, that is why they invited me."
"The purpose of a focus group is to get real answers from real people, so that's what I give -real answers."
"I feel that my responses will help effect change."
"Why waste your time being part of the group if you're not going to give honest answers?"
Unlike polling or questionnaires, focus groups are not 100% anonymous. There is interaction with other people even if it is a researcher or representative of a PR firm and a room full of strangers. Your name may not be associated with your responses, but your face is. You would think the human element makes focus groups more intimidating, but we found that it is not.

Did the facilitator contribute to your willingness to give honest responses?

"I felt comfortable. The facilitator was very nice."
"The guy asking the questions was easy to talk to."
"It was his professionalism that made me feel like this was important . . . like I was important."
"It felt like she was personally interested in my opinion. Much more friendly and relaxed than talking to some telemarketer, sitting in a phone bank, reading from a script, and who is probably being paid by the call."
How did being asked to participate make you feel?
"Like a valued customer."
"My first reaction was ‘why me? Who gives a (blank) what I think?' But then I thought ‘well why shouldn't they. How I think is important too.' "
"I thought, ‘I really don't have time for this.' But, then I thought, ‘how often does someone ask me what I think? This is my chance.' "
"I figured it was random. A computer probably pulled my name up. But, I got nothing better to do. Might be kinda interesting."
It doesn't take a professional to pick out the use of the words ‘I feel' or ‘I felt'. Emotions are the most important yet, the hardest data to measure. Check boxes and rating scales don't provide the same information as body language, voice inflection, and facial expression. Only real, human, face to face interaction reveals how people really feel about your brand, your products, and your services. And developing those emotional attachments is what brand loyalty is all about.

Does your brand represent what you think it represents? theWEBcentric can help you find out. Our team of marketing consultants will host a focus group of your clients, former clients, or future clients and provide you with a report and recommendations to improve your brand loyalty.
Contact us at theWEBcentric.com.