Everyone has an opinion, and, all too often, as we realize to our chagrin, they are willing to share it with us and the wider world. Superficially, this may seem like a blueprint for bad outcomes, but shrewd marketers can put that human trait to good use. As consumers, we develop attitudes, form assumptions and make assessments about the goods and services we’ve purchased, as well as the messages, tweets, and ads to which we are exposed. This is a wealth of information waiting to be harvested. The question is: how does the savvy marketer access that information?
In an environment where over 80 percent of the U.S. population has a social media account, the obvious place is on the social media platforms themselves. Through the use of online focus groups, marketers can uncover and explore the feelings, perceptions and beliefs that their brands arouse and excite. Fortuitously, access to this mountain of information is free of charge, so setting up a focus group is relatively inexpensive.
Marketers can use these social media focus groups to canvas their customers about upcoming changes and proposed new features. People are willing to participate in these kinds of discussions, even though they do not pay anything. Since they are usually already online at some point of the day, it’s convenient for them to take part. Moreover, if you offer some incentive, such as discounts, then you’re likely to garner a high level of participation.
At QualityStocks, we believe that social media focus groups can be a valuable part of your overall marketing plan. The focus group is a proven method to examine how people really view your brand, and, since it’s not as structured as a survey, participants feel relaxed enough to share their opinions freely. As such, the focus group can generate ideas that form the basis of a marketing strategy going forward.
QualityStocks will begin by helping your company establish a strong, highly interactive online presence. Thereafter, we set the goals for your social media marketing plan in a way that supports your other initiatives. This includes setting specific sites up to be monitored for comments about your products and services, as well as creating special campaigns where users are asked to give their opinion or rate a product.
The QualityStocks team has the experience, the people and the resources to give you more for your marketing dollar. A focus on focus groups can extract a rich harvest of data from your social media account, increasing your understanding of what makes your brand tick.
