Choosing a place to host a focus group is no easy decision. When doing a simple search for focus group facilities in the U.S. you are likely to come across hundreds of potential locations in cities across America. The choice is not easy.
In this post, I'll walk you through some questions to ask yourself before deciding on how to move forward with your focus group location. This includes reviewing items like:
- The type of location you want to host the groups at
- The type of audience you are looking to recruit
- What city works best for your project
First off, not sure exactly what a focus group is? A focus group is a form of qualitative research with a group discussion made up of 4 to 12 participants led by a moderator. The moderator asks questions and follows-up with the group over the course of a 60 minute to 2-hour chat.
Thinking about the best places to hold a focus group? Here is an inside look at our focus group facility in the U.S. located in Syracuse, NY.
What type of location do you need?
The ideal location to hold a focus group is in a focus group facility. Similar terms for your search include focus group rental or focus group room. Resources such as Quirks or Greenbook will help you find the right focus group location. Also, a simple Google or Bing search will do as well.
Focus group facilities include all of the bells and whistles you need in a rental. This includes a one-way mirror to watch your customers live, crystal clear audio playback through speakers from the discussion room, audio and video recording options, live HD streaming, and many other benefits.
If necessary, here are 4 alternative focus group locations.
What type of participants are you targeting?
Another major consideration when deciding on the best place to hold a focus group is the type of participant you need. If you are a local or regional retailer, it would make sense to choose a location near you where you can draw those participants. However, if you have a national scope, you should consider holding the focus groups in a variety of cities.
B2C groups should be held in the evening. B2B groups may need to be conducted during lunch hours or in the evening. Successful times for focus groups are in the windows of 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. local time.
What city demographics should you be looking at?
Related to the prior point, you want your focus groups to be representative of your target market. If you were to look at your customer base and you have a strong share of minority millennials, you'll want to pick a market which can offer these types of individuals.
If you target the country as a whole across all demographics, try to pick a city or region which is a strong representative test market. Syracuse, NY has long been considered a top test market location. This is driven by the demographic mirroring of America, isolated media, and affordable rates.
What is your timeline for the project?
A tight timeline can often dictate where your focus groups need to be held. If the timeline is tight, sometimes it is in your best interest to choose a focus group location or city that is easy to get to or nearby. This will limit any unnecessary travel.
The timeline to conduct a focus group from start to finish is typically 5 weeks. This includes time for the kickoff, screener, guide design, recruitment, hosting of groups, and reporting. In some instances, focus groups and a recruit can be completed in as little as 1 to 2 weeks.
Contact Our Focus Group Facility
Drive Research is a market research company in New York. Our market research company offers a full-service focus group facility in Syracuse, NY. The focus group facility includes a large focus group room, spacious client viewing room, all of your A/V needs, and a team to help you recruit your most challenging to find participants.
Questions? Contact us below. Need a quote or proposal? We'll get back to you quickly.
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