Guide to Paid Focus Groups
Focus groups are an essential part of a good marketing strategy. Focus groups are a type of qualitative research used to record and study people's perceptions, feelings and thoughts which are difficult to measure quantitatively, in other words, with numbers.
Focus groups are a great way to look at the emotional issues which often drive people's behavior. Focus groups are used to gather reactions to new products and services or to find out what customers might think about changes in the way a company does business. Alternatively, focus groups can be used early in the development cycle to help guide the design or alteration of products or services, or to gather reactions to new advertising campaign before it is launched.
How the focus group works:
In a focus group session, a group of eight to twelve people are guided by a moderator in the discussion of a topic which is of interest to the company which is sponsoring the session. Participants answer questions posed by the moderator and also interact with each other. Usually a script is prepared beforehand which maps out the course the discussion should take.
The moderator is a key element to the success of a focus group. The moderator makes sure that the discussion stays on track, that each participant makes a contribution, and that all the sponsoring company's questions are answered. Focus group moderating is more difficult than you might at first imagine. In order to ensure a successful session you'll want to select a moderator who is experienced and professionally trained.
Focus groups can be held in almost any setting. Hotels and conference rooms are often used to conduct focus group sessions. Alternatively, focus groups can be conducted in a specialized focus group facility where the client sits behind a one-way mirror to observe the session. Focus groups are also typically videotaped and audiotaped to record the session for future review. Focus group sessions typically last about two hours.
Market Research are always looking for participants:
Focus Groups are a marketing tool that marketing, advertising, and sometimes scientific agencies use to conduct research on a particular product, service or concept. They usually invite 8-12 volunteer participants to participate in the research study which consists most often of a round table community discussion. Focus Groups can be fun for the participants and better still, the participants get paid for their time. Focus groups usually last about two hours.
Each focus group focuses on their own unique topics so often the participants are chosen after they have been asked several qualifying questions and screened briefly over the telephone or online.
Companies who host focus groups are most often located in larger cities like New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, but it doesn't hurt to sign up for some of the marketing research company panels anyway because sometimes the focus groups are conducted online or in smaller towns.
Furthermore, the research studies do not stop at roundtable focused discussions, these companies also perform paid one on one interviews, taste tests, mock jurys, and website evaluations.
We strongly suggest signing up with the focus group databases. Just fill out your contact info and they will be in touch with you when you are eligible. Be patient, it takes a couple of days to begin receiving calls. The more market research companies you sign up with, the more calls you will get. Expect to answer a few questions over the phone and then accept their invitation to a paid focus group. These groups make it worth your while to show up. The general range is $50-$200 for 1-2 hours of your time.