Do-it-yourself market research?
It’s not a pretty picture.
The scene: The clubhouse of a successful residential developer. Around the table are eight individuals, all members of the same golf club, who have been invited to eat, drink, and share their opinions about the developer’s advertising campaign for the new fitness facility. Hosting the meeting is company sales director, Marty, a great guy whom everyone knows personally. For their help, the participants will leave with a full stomach and a little bit of cash.
At first glance, this looks like a focus group that might deliver some valuable information. And the developer is saving a chunk of money, after all. But, if you take a closer look, you might find that there is something very wrong with this picture.
• None of the focus group respondents has been screened to ensure they represent the client’s target market. The advertising campaign will target active adults under the age of 50, but the developer is getting opinions from retirees who prefer the golf cart to the stairmaster.
• The respondents all know the developer from his visits to the clubhouse and routinely call on Marty to round out a foursome in golf. If there is going to be any hope of obtaining honest opinions, respondents shouldn’t know the client or the person moderating the focus group. Except in very special circumstances, they should not even know each other.
• Unless there are special needs, the group should be held in a neutral site. Holding the meeting in the clubhouse, in familiar surroundings, only predefines the opinions the respondents might render.
• Marty’s a popular guy, and no one wants to offend him. When opinions are given, they might be skewed more toward flattery than honesty. It’s only human.
Only unbiased opinions reflect the true marketplace. Handpicked respondents may mean well and think they can be neutral, but the pressure of being among friends usually produces less-than-candid responses.
Professionally conducted market research has a price. But do-it-yourself research usually ends up costing much more, because it can take seasons to undo the negative impact of flawed results. ‡
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