A moderated discussion of opinions and feelings can produce interesting ideas for product placement and marketing.  Finding catchy phrases and key likes and dislikes about a product can generate the precise mixture of language and attitude that will make a product stand out in the marketplace. 

Method (Online Focus Groups)

I have been fortunate to conduct many online focus groups as well as traditional face-to-face focus groups.  While each have distinct advantages, I do not discount online focus groups for their lack of non-verbal expression as others might.  Indeed, I have witnessed in over 20 online focus group discussions, moderated as professionally as a traditional group, and seen the participants actively compensate for the lack of non-verbal expressions by articulating them with emoticons, mood phrases embedded in the software, as well as clearly pointing out with whom they agree or disagree and what about. 

Whereas in a traditional group, a participant might nod their consent or shrug their dissent, the online group gets a transcript with absolute assent and dissents, which gives the moderator easy means to explore those distinctions with the group. Furthermore, an online focus group permits each participant to weigh in on the conversation and be sure that they are heard.  It's also a lot faster since everyone can talk at the same time.  Plus, they are in their own environment so their reactions to creative imagery and beta sites are more authentically affected by their real-world situation.

Results

The final deliverable for this methodology is an excerpted "key findings" report (Word.doc). The actual online focus group transcript can look like this:

HOST:   JON MENTIONS PARENTS KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT YOU BUY. HOW, IF AT ALL, DO YOUR PARENTS MONITOR WHAT YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY ON?

Sean:   If I did go over my parents would take it away

Amanda:   They don't really, but they know the kinds of things I buy

Andy:   They don't

Marco:   I live with them but I buy what I want

Greg:   My parents make sure I'm putting some money away for college, but don't really bother me cause they figure if I earned the money its mine to spend on what I want.

Bradley:   My parents don't monitor it anymore...sometimes if I tell them I am going to buy something they have a fit, but they haven't really stopped me from buying anything in the past 8 to 12 months

Stephen:   Nothing, because it's my money I can do with it what I want whether it be wasting it all or putting it all in the bank

Jon:   They watch me to see how I am spending my money and if it's for something stupid or something I need

Jessica:   They usually ask me what I'm spending my money on, but they don't really care either way. I use their credit card (but my money) for online purchases, so they know all about that.

Shallon:   They don't much keep track, because I don't spend that much, but when I withdraw form my account, they will ask what I want to do with it

Cindy:   They just periodically "check in" with me and they really get involved if I'm begging for money

HOST:   AND THINKING ABOUT YOUR ANSWER FOR THIS QUESTION, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR PARENTS GETTING INVOLVED?

Sean:   They don't really check much at all; if they do they disapprove almost all the time

Marco:   Trouble

Cindy:   It's a drag but I guess I understand, can't wait until I'm on my own

Stephen:   I wouldn't mind as long as they gave me an allowance, but because it's all my money....

Greg:   I don't like it, they have no right it's my money. But they're usually pretty cool about it. They just don't wanna see me doing anything stupid

Amanda:   I don't think they really need to get involved...by not getting involved they are teaching you how to manage your money

Sean:   I don't like it when they get involved, I feel like I made the money so I should get to spend it

Bradley:   It is a little annoying since I think I can manage my own money, but since they give it to me and they don't complain that much, I really can't complain

Shallon:   I don't much care, as long as they aren't really snoopy about it

Jessica:   I don't really like the idea of them getting majorly involved, as in, telling me what I can or cannot spend my money on. I think they should let me spend money on whatever I want as long as it's not illegal or anything.

Andy:   I wouldn't like that too much

Timeframe and Preparation

It can take two weeks to find qualified participants, a week to arrange with an online focus group service company to run the software, and 2 weeks to agree on desired learnings for the study and to draft a discussion guide.  With that month of preparation in mind, I usually ask for 2 weeks to draft, edit and polish the report for presentation.