On 8th December 2022, MyCustomer published an article written by FlexMR, exploring the efficiency, reach, and influence of online focus groups. In this article, Emily explores the impact of online focus groups and the ways in which successful online focus groups can be more efficient, and produce more far-reaching and influential insights than ever before.
Online focus groups are a staple in all insight experts’ toolkits, and it’s no surprise given the history of successful decision-making made off the back of data gathered from focus groups. While we know how online focus groups operate and provide assistance to firms in need, do we truly understand the impact they have on organisations?
Online focus groups have a significant reach and influence over stakeholders both within an organisation and externally when conducted efficiently.
What makes something ‘efficient’? The answer to this question will lead us to understand how exactly the move from in-person to online focus groups enhanced efficiency in the focus group research process. In particular, online focus groups have become particularly efficient in two areas: research task recruitment and agile/scaled qualitative insight generation.
How do insight teams extend the reach of insights within stakeholder organisations? While quantitative data still somehow holds a tad more authority over subjective qualitative insights, online focus groups are an important way of embedding qualitative insights at the heart of stakeholder organisations. There are two ways in which this can happen: firstly through live observations of focus groups and real-time decision-making based on the insights uncovered; and secondly through the wider distribution of the final report, with verbatim quotes and video montages to engage stakeholders easier.
When you think about it, it’s a little hard to extend the reach without enhancing the influence too. Especially when using online focus groups, as the direct connection between decision-makers and customers automatically enhances the influence of those insights on the stakeholders that those insights reach. But there are notable ways to increase the influence of insights: using verbatim quotes and video montages to directly connect stakeholder and customer; gaining quicker insights to apply to in-the-moment decision-making increases insight activation; and employing creative measures to enhance online focus groups and create new in-depth insights that stakeholders cannot afford to ignore.
For more information, read the full article here.
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