Tel: 020 7426 8888

Email: michele.madden@nfpsynergy.net

Web: www.nfpsynergy.net

Testing your messages with focus groups

December 2010

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Purpose of session

• How can you make sure the messages in your marketing campaigns are received and understood by the right people?

• Research design

• Deciding what is right for you

• Planning focus groups

• Running focus groups

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The research process

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

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Defining objectives

• Absolutely key to the success of your project

• What questions do you want to answer?

• What change will happen as a result?

• Do you have the resources?- skills- time - money

• Planning, how does research fit in with your implementation timetable? - who else needs to be involved?

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

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Setting your objectives

• Clearly defined purpose – shared with key players

• Contingency/open-ended plans for unexpected feedback

• Resources in place to put insights into actiono Eg adequate budgets, personnel

for implementation

• Loose sense of purpose or vague objectives

• Pre-determined action plans with insufficient flexibility to incorporate stakeholder views

• No resources for follow-up

o Eg insufficient staff resources

Top tip: if you are finding it hard to agree on the key objectives ask each individual for the 3 key things they want to find out and work from there.

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Research design

• Flexibility of methods/approach is critical

• Method of approach needs to reflect the relative investment, and expertise, of the stakeholder group(s)

• Examples:

o external executives → in-depth telephone interviews

o elderly donors → accompanied in-home interviews

o staff groups → breakfast or lunchtime discussion groups

o low-literacy or ESL communities → computer-aided discussion of visual

stimulus

• Qualitative or quantitative?

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

Research design: Quantitative vs Qualitative

Quant

• Quantity

• counts, quantifies data in different groups

• if you want to be able to say that "23% of people said yes to X", or "a quarter of the population say they want X “

• Roots in maths, statistics, advertising

Qual

• Quality

• explore perceptions, motivations and attitudes

• how and why and deals in concepts rather than numbers

• roots in psychology, sociology, semiotics, anthropology and neurolinguistic programming

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Other considerations

• Timescales

o When do you need to report back?

o Other timing issues (mailings, key meetings, public holidays)

• Budget

o Incentives

o Transcription

o Travel/expenses

• Resources

o Skills

o Staff time available

o Venue

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Who do you need to talk to?

• Who is the campaign/messages targeted at?

• Are there other audiences you need to consider?

• Where are these people? - do you know them?- do you have contact details?- where do they live? - what is their situation?

• Sampling

- what are the key characteristics of your sample?- how many from each group? - in the same groups or separated?

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

Recruitment

• Do not underestimate how long this takes!

• Telephone, email or letter

o Allow people sufficient time to respond – but not too long

• Clarify the purpose of the research from the outset

• Be clear what you are asking people to do

• Be clear what will happen with the results

• Incentives/expenses

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Discussion Guide

A guide will have 5 main sections;

1. Introduction – this is essential as it sets up the group or interview, explains the purpose, rules and parameters of the discussion

2. Warm up – to get everyone talking and building relationships within the group (or with the researcher if an interview)

3. Warming up to the specific – questions that are easy for the respondent to answer but that are moving on to the topic in question

4. The Specific – the specific information or questions that the research was commissioned for. Probably the longest section of the group, and may include stimulus materials and/or exercises

5. Warm down/conclusion – signalling the end of the group, summarising what has been learnt, saying thank you.

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What is a focus group?

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Running a focus group?

• What do you need to think about?

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The role of the moderator

• To run a structured discussion to find the answers/responses

• To create a safe, open environment for discussion

• Listen to everyone, encourage all to speak

• Allow time and space for people to respond

• Protect and control if necessary

• Be objective, fair and open

• Keep to time

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Essentials and practicalities

• Essentials o Obtain consent for research with adults

o Children and young people

o Data protection

o Discussion guide that covers objectives

o Stimulus materials

• Practicalitieso Venues and viewing facilities

o Recordings digital/video

o Refreshments

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Special considerations for research among your own staff

• Consulting staff from an early stage is a key part of an organisational change journey

• Encourage candour: take extra steps to ensure anonymity or confidentiality

• ‘Silo syndrome’ – remember that staff may have extensive expertise in one area, but also be less aware of other aspects of the organisation or competing priorities

• Communicate findings and decisions about ideas that are taken up, and those that are rejected/deferred

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Analysis

• Analyse different methods and audiences separately, then pool the findings

• If possible, have a discussion with someone else who was at the groups to test your thinking

• Look for themes, then divide these into sub-themes

• Objectivity is key, leave your personal opinions at the door

• Don’t underestimate how much time it takes to do this properly

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

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Reporting

• When using quotes ensure they are representative of the data and not the ‘strongest’ or ‘weakest’ example of someone’s feelings

• The order of the story may not be that of the discussion guide –follow whichever makes most sense

• Prioritise findings and recommendations – return to original objectives to sense-check

• Recommendations may be at different levels – this is fine

Define objectives

Research Design

Sampling & recruitment

Data collection

Analysis Reporting

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A few things to think about…

The pros and cons of carrying out the research internally

Benefits

• Knowledge of topic/internal context

• May be more cost efficient

• High levels of enthusiasm

Drawbacks

• May make assumptions about the options/context

• Can be more time-consuming than expected

• Lack of expertise/options about research methods and analysis

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The pros and cons of carrying out the research with an external provider

Benefits• Objective viewpoint: open to

hearing different/unexpected views

• ‘Outsiders’ may elicit more candid feedback from participants

• Expenditure may save internal staff time/resources

• Experts in research methods options and analysis

Drawbacks

• Can be steep learning curve: organisation needs to commit to bringing agency up to speed

• Organisation needs to ‘validate’ the external provider’s role

• May appear expensive/an additional budget consideration

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The 5 things we most often see go wrong…

1. Not planning properly – research is not just about the focus group, the thinking before and after are more important

2. Not building the research into internal timetables – planning, mailing, budgeting

3. Overestimating how many people will be willing to take part –ensure sufficient resources are available to recruit

4. Skewed recruitment – need to work hard to get people to attend/take part who are representative of the wider group

5. Underestimating how long analysis takes

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Key questions to ask yourself

• Are you clear about what and why you’re doing the research?

• Does it fit with your planning cycle?

• Do you have the money, resources and internal political support to make changes as a result of the research?

• Do you already know the answer? Have you already made the decision? Are the materials already printed?

Any questions?

2-6 Tenter Ground

Spitalfields

London E1 7NH

(w) www.nfpsynergy.net

(t) 020 7426 8888

(e) insight@nfpsynergy.net

Registered office: 2-6 Tenter Ground Spitalfields London E1 7NH

Registered in England No. 04387900

VAT Registration 839 8186 72

2-6 Tenter Ground

Spitalfields

London E1 7NH

(w) www.nfpsynergy.net

(t) 020 7426 8888

(e) insight@nfpsynergy.net

Registered office: 2-6 Tenter Ground Spitalfields London E1 7NH

Registered in England No. 04387900

VAT Registration 839 8186 72