Fielding Questions
When laboratory-like focus groups aren't cutting it, you need operatives in the field.
So a pollster walks into a bar . . . no, really. He wants tofind out what kind of bourbon fills your highball glass, and theold "sit around a conference table in a hermetically sealedconference room" method just ain't gonna cut it. Becauseno human makes buying decisions in front of a two-way mirror,traditional focus groups have evolved into a much more hands-on andrelevant process.
Hoping to get a grasp on their audiences' tastes, companiesare using a plethora of investigative methods to try to understandwhat makes their target demographic scream "I must haveit!" Some send anthropologists into the field to observeconsumers in their element. Others use online surveys to getimmediate results at low costs. "The new methods are attemptsto get closer to the consumer. The closer a researcher gets, thebetter the data will be for understanding needs, attitudes andbehavior," says Doug Magee, vice president of research forpublic relations and advertising firm MGA Communications inDenver."
4th of July Subscription Sale - Unlock this subscriber exclusive article and more for 20% off today.
Access all Entrepreneur content with no ads, unlock discounts, and get exclusive advice only available to our subscribers. Plus, our magazine delivered straight to your door.
Get 20% off an annual subscription today. Just use code SAVE20 at checkout.
Entrepreneur Editors' Picks
-
Tory Burch Built a Brand Around Empowering Women. Now Her Foundation Is Furthering Her Mission: 'How Do We as a Company Have a Positive Impact on Humanity?'
-
This Founder Had to Play College Basketball in Men's Shorts and Shoes, So She Launched an Athletic Clothing Company Named After the Now 50-Year-Old Title IX Act
-
Is Beyoncé's 'Break My Soul' the Theme Song of the Great Resignation?
-
You're Probably Falling for All of Amazon Prime Day's Psychological Sales Tactics. A Marketing Professor Reveals Them — and How You Can Actually Get the Best Deal.
-
Comedian Paul Virzi: 'If You're Not Authentic, You Have Nothing'
-
Struggling to Come Up With Creative Ideas? Try Doing This.
-
Picking a Winning Emerging Brand Is How You Get Rich in Franchising. Here's How to Spot One.