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RunningaSurveyvs.aFocusGroup:WhatstheBest
WaytoCollectCustomerReviews?
Prosandconstoconsiderbeforeyoubeginyourcustomerresearch
Whetheryourunabrickandmortarbusinessorcreatemobileapps,oneofthemostvaluable
toolsatyourdisposaliscustomerfeedback (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/customer
satisfactionsurveys2/).Why?Customerfeedbackhelpsyouunderstand
(https://www.surveymonkey.com/blog/en/blog/2014/03/04/measurecustomersatisfaction/)
whatyouredoingright,whatyouredoingwrong,andgivesyoutheinformationyouneedtomake
therightchangesandimprovements.
Buttherearedifferentwaystocollectcustomerfeedback,includingsurveysandfocusgroups.
Surveysandfocusgroupsarebotheffectivewaystosolicitfeedbackfromyourcustomersbut
eachhasitsprosandcons.Hereareafewwaystodecidewhetheryoushouldberunningafocus
grouporasurveytolistentoyourcustomers.

WhatisaFocusGroup?
Afocusgroupisaformofqualitativeresearch,whichmeansitsanexploratoryratherthanconclusivetypeofresearchandtheyhelpyou
understandnotonlywhatyourcustomersthink,butalsohowandwhytheythinkthatway.
Focusgroupdefinition:Focusgroupsaretypicallyinteractivegroupsettings,heldinaneutralplacewhereyourcustomerscanfeelcomfortable
tellingyouwhattheyreallythinkandarefacilitatedbyatrainedmoderator.Theyreagreatwaytohearfirsthandfeedbackfromyourcustomers
andtheyalsohaveenoughflexibilitythatyoucanmakechangesontheflyordeepdiveintointerestingthingsthatcomeupoverthecourseof
theconversation.

WhatisaSurvey?
Surveystendtobeclassifiedasquantitativeresearchandtheresultscanbeconclusive,unlikeafocusgroup.Theyalsoletyouaskquestions
andmeasurejustaboutanythingandcanbeasshortasasinglequestiontoaslongasseveralhundredquestions.
Answerformatscanincludemultiplechoice,ratingscalesandopenendedquestions.Intermsofbothbudgetandtiming,surveysofferalotof
flexibilityaswell.Atthesametime,surveyscanbeviewedasinflexible,becauseonceyoustartrunningasurvey,youshouldntmaketoomany
changesbecauseyourquestionsneedtobeconsistentinordertocollectaccuratedata.

FreeCustomerFeedbackeGuide
Getbetterfeedbackateverytouchpoint.CheckoutourfreeeGuideforexpertguidance,tips,andexamples.
DownloadNow (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/feedbackeguide?ut_source=content)

FocusGroupsvs.SurveysWhichtoUseWhen?
Tryingtodecidewhetheryouwanttorunafocusgrouporasurvey?Ithelpstowritedownthequestionsyouaretryingtoanswer.Cantheybe
answeredthroughonewayquestionsordotheylendthemselvestoaconversation?Doyouneeddirectionalinformationorstatisticalproof?
Willyoubecomfortablemakingdecisionsfromahandfulofopinions,ordoyouneedtogetfeedbackfromalargersamplesizebeforemoving
forward?
(Psst.Heresaneasywaytocalculateyoursamplesize.(https://www.surveymonkey.com/blog/en/samplesizecalculator/))

TheProsandConsofFocusGroupsandSurveys
Heresahandycharttohelpyoudecidewhetheryoushouldberunningafocusgrouporasurveytocollectcustomerfeedback.

Forbothtypesofresearch,youllneedtodosimilarpreparation:
SetGoals (https://www.surveymonkey.com/blog/en/settingsurveygoal/): Establishthemainthingsyouwanttolearn,andwhat
decisionsyouhopetoinformwithyourresearch.Solicitfeedbackfromkeyinternalstakeholderstomakesureyougetitrightthefirsttime
RecruitParticipants:Whodoyouwanttoparticipate?Equallyimportant,whodoyouwanttomakesuretoexclude?Thinkabouttheir
demographics (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/demographicsurvey/)(includingbutnotlimitedto):age,gender,householdincome,
profession,wheretheylive.Doyouhavetheircontactinformationordoyouneedacompanytoputyouintouchwithyourtargetaudience?
Doyouwantrespondentsorparticipantstobefamiliarwithyourproductorproductcategory?Ifyouneedhelpfindingtherightpeopletotake
yoursurvey,SurveyMonkeyAudience (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/audience/)cangetintouchwithjustaboutanybody,
accordingtoyourspecifications.
DevelopaDiscussionGuide(forfocusgroups): Thediscussionguideissimilartoascriptforthemoderatortouseinthegroups.What
questionsdoyouwantthemoderatortoask?Whatdoess/heneedtoknowaboutyourprojecttoanswerparticipantsquestions?
Writegoodsurveyquestions (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/writingsurveyquestions/)(forsurveys): Whatquestionsareyou
tryingtoanswer?Doyouwanttolimitresponsesorcanthecustomergivefreeformresponses?Howwillyouanalyzetheresultsandwhat
informationdoyouneedtotiebacktoeachcustomersresponse?
ConsiderParticipantPreparation: Isthereanyactivityorhomeworkthatparticipantsneedtodobeforetheresearchbegins?
SetAsideBudgetforCompensation:Weightheprosandconsofincentivizing (https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/survey
rewards/)customerparticipation.Howmuch,ifanything,areyouabletocompensateparticipantsfortheirtime?
Asageneralruleofthumb,ifyouwanttohaveaconversationwithyourcustomersthatwillhelpprovidedirection,pursueafocusgroup.If,
however,youhavewelldefinedquestionsandneedtoreachalargegroupormultiplegroupsofcustomers,asurveymaybettersuityour
needs.Thecombinationofthetwomethodologiescanalsoprovidetremendousinsight.Essentially,thefocusgroupcanprovidetheinspiration
andthenthesurveygivesyouvalidation!

(https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/feedbackeguide?ut_source=content_li)
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