A New Way to Run Focus Groups
Traditionally, the main problem with focus groups is that they promote the consensus view. As a direct result, you get an aggregate insight. This is actually a severe drawback in the 21st century. In the modern marketing era, consensus is bland and boring. This can be fatal for new products.
See, the television changed marketing in the 20th Century. As a result of the television, marketing became a game of interruption.
At the start, this worked. People were amazed to see all these wonderful products on T.V. They would rush out to buy them just because they saw them on the television. As a result, huge companies could be built on the back of T.V. advertising.
Now think about it. If you were running a focus group during the TV era what would you be looking to find? Yes, that’s right, you would look for something that most people were happy with. Why? because there was only a limited number of channels, there really was no specific niches, and in order for your product to be accepted by most viewers it was wise for you to play it safe. In summary, you sought an average product for average people.
Well, that was then and this is now. Television is not as powerful anymore. There are hundreds of channels catering for hundreds of niches. The old model doesn’t work. The foundations are broken. Today we are in a connected society. Everyone has a voice and can be heard. So, why would we follow the old model of figuring out the consesus view when running focus groups?
There is no reason behind it. It’s outdated and obsolete. You see, we should listen not to the eight ordinary people in our focus group but to the “lunatic fringe”. That’s right, the two outspoken individuals who love the idea that all the others hate are more valuable to you.
To ignore them is to be ignorant of one of the biggest social shifts in human history. Ask yourself this. Who are likely to be the early adopters? Who will be the loudest advocates? Which people receive phone calls (Facebook IMs) from their friends asking for advice? In other words, who are the social leaders in the group and who are the social followers?
I think you’re getting where I’m coming from. Yes, the chances are it’s the two “lunatics”. These people will spread your idea. They will help you go viral.
So, in the 21st Century, your objective from running a focus group is flipped on it’s head. You are looking for polarization not harmony. You want to find out what the leaders think because eventually the followers will follow.
