Consumers: Reality is Over-rated Part iv
It seems from many of your comments about focus groups that many of you have experienced some of the problems I mentioned in relation to asking consumers about their perceptions.
To be fair to focus groups I should point out that I was talking about research more generally.
There’s little doubt in my mind that the focus group, per se, is far and away the most useless, unreliable, misleading and distorting ‘tool’ in the marketers armoury.
Actually, I should qualify that a little. A focus group in a viewing facility is the pinnacle of disastrous research techniques, but the focus group part of that is no small component.
I would really appreciate hearing more details from those of you who have had bad experiences with focus groups. Please email me if you have any stories to share (and I’m happy to respect requests for confidentiality).
Back to the subject at hand…
Yes, perception is everything, but asking consumers about their perceptions is fraught with difficulty; on the other hand, understanding them is very important if you want to understand consumer behaviour.
So how do you understand what customers’ perceptions are?
It’s mostly about time.
One of the benefits of unconscious processing is how fast it is. Whilst you’re wondering what you’re looking at, your unconscious has filtered 10 millions bits of data about your environment and caused you to respond in the way it thinks best – the way that will keep you safest, usually.
So when it comes to establised brand perceptions what you need to look for are quick associations that a customer makes with a brand or product. For example, when the opportunity occurs naturally (or apparently naturally) for them to talk about a brand, the more fluently they talk and the more they have to say – in a sense, the more they are reeling off something that’s clearly established and familiar to them – the more deep-rooted what they have to say is.
Similarly, when someone engages with a product (for example in a store), you can see how engaged with it they are, and how readily they select it over the alternatives available.
You might think this is a tricky skill to acquire, but if I asked you to watch some people meeting in a room do you think you would be able to spot who already liked who? Assuming they weren’t aware you were watching them and had no reason to mask their behaviour, my guess is you would get it right most of the time. Trained observers can usually tell even when people are trying to conceal their connections.
In talking to people, the biggest clues to brand perceptions come from inconsistencies. When what someone says doesn’t match all their experiences or what they do it is a significant clue that confirmation bias is turned up high.
When someone is naturally eulogising about a brand (i.e. not in response to a research-style question) the natural thing to do is to empathise with them and mirror their account with those of your own. Instead, using a suitably gentle tone, explore the contradictions; “You must have had a few problems with them though, everyone does.”
Yes, this is a leading comment / question (the best ones usually are, but I’ll save that point for another time), but it allows you to find out whether this is a genuinely unblemished experience or a biased assessment.
In case you’re wondering, the most likely source of such biases are people’s first experiences with the brand concerned or what they were told by a friend that made them select it in the first place.
Philip Graves
Hi Phil,
Once again great insight into the human perceptions in the field of consumers and what makes us buy!
Always love stopping by here to learn from you!
Duane
Super-ADVANCED Sales & Persuasion Strategies Proven to Quickly Create a Flood of Money Constantly & Continuously Flowing into YOUR Bank Account Like the Niagara Falls… 100% GUARANTEED!!
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Buyers can be so complicated to figure out. But if we want to replicate the sales with new buyers it pays to figure out what is really going on.
Seize the Day,
Rob
Sales Eagles Soar Above the Competition!
Personal Asset Protection For Small Business Owners
Hi Phil
I agree with Duane, you have great insight and I love that you don’t mince words…i.e. “There’s little doubt in my mind that the focus group, per se, is far and away the most useless, unreliable, misleading and distorting ‘tool’ in the marketers armoury.”
Don’t hold back so much next time!
Tell us what you really think!
Jennifer
The Harwood Center – Tinnitus, Chronic Illness, Fers, Phobias, and Anxiety
Rob is right! its so important to try and work out what is going on inside the consumers head in general at different times of the year!!!
Expert in Medical Hypnosis, Success Thinking and Practical Parenting
David Power’s Hour
Good point about seeing things in ways that benefit and protect us. I think many polititions and marketers use those fears, both conscious and unconscious to manipulate people for their desired outcome
Anthony
http://www.anthonylemme.com
First impression counts most.
Perception is subjected to lots of skillful manipulations.
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (WordPress Blog)
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (Money Page)
You are a true expert when it comes to consumer behaviour.
You’re a scientist of the shops!
JJ Jalopy.
Life Coaching and Home Business Advice with JJ Jalopy
Hi Phil,
This is amazing post and your expertise in consumer behaviour is fantastic. These last few blog posts on consumer preception is fantastic.
I will email you my own personal horror story on our focus group.
Mitch
Mitch
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Phil,
What a great insight. Thanks for all the expert advice.
Lynn Lane
http://www.Warriorofsuccess.com
If focus groups are KNOWN to be so bad, why do companies continue to use them??
SunnyMarie
http://www.sunnymarie.com
http://www.sunnymarie.wordpress.com
I’ve actually participated in several focus groups. There’s a company down here that does them. Every now and then I’ll get a call, they’ll ask a bunch of questions, and then let you know if you’ve been selected. I can remember a couple of times leaving the facility where the focus groups were held and changing my mind about things I had just told them.
Lisa McLellan, Babysitting Classes – Babysitters, Nannies, and Au-pairs
I have been heavily involved in product design for the past twenty years. The most successful products typically have no VOC in any but the final stages of the product. Me-too products are the forum of focus groups – after a benchmark in other products is established.
Christian Haller
The Art of Good Eating
Easy Italian Recipes
Excellent article. Your insights into consumer behaviour are getting more and more fascinating with each post.
All the best,
Yann
http://www.ProfitsTactics.com
A man I met this past weekend at a business event was going on and on about using a marketing focus group. I just listened. In my head I thought, “oh NO! not good.” Sigh. He thinks he can rely on them. However, he did not request any sage business advice or feedback from me so I kept my own counsel rather than being obnoxious and offering it unsolicited.
Best regards,
April Braswell
Dating Expert and Online Dating Coach
This is so great to learn. why people buy is something every business must know, but so few probably do know.
Don Shepherd
Central Oregon Expert
Great information
Is it also true that the emotional state the person is in will also “color” the perception [example: brand x first encounter x feeling realyy good= good feeling about brand]. I am inclined to believe that.
Just a thought
Thanks
JC JC
Great insight into buying patterns. Like other areas of life, you only get one chance to make a good impression. A person’s life-time buying preference can be solidified through their first experience with a product. We likely only get one impression to make an impact. This raises the stakes a bit, I’d say!
Pam
Great Minds, Great Wealth: How to Raise your Return, Reduce your Risk, Cut your Cost
Personal Investment Strategies
You obviously have great insight into the minds of buyers. Thank you for this information.
Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace
Fitness Product Review
The problem with focus groups may be that people have too much time to think. We are faced with so many choices and marketing pitches that most of our decisions are automatic and can change depending on our mood or situation. Mark
Marketingscoops
GlacierIceCream
Philip,
Wondering if you have read the book Buy Ology? It talks about the nervous system and why we buy.
Bob Kaufer
If you MOVE like the Tin Man, you will THINK like the Scarecrow and FEEL like the Lion
As always, much good insight into the human mind. I have no polling experience but remember from working promotions that most people dont event think about their choices. They are usually unconscious and emotionally based. They buy what theyve been conditioned to by.
Anthony
http://www.anthonylemme.com
Good insight. Studying consumer behavior is all about observation.
Pat
Business Owners Fast Track to Internet Profits