Why We Think Focus Groups Suck for Start Ups
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James Simonetta
- 5 minute read
When building a new business, you’re faced with a crucial question: how do you create something people will love? After spending ten years building businesses, we’ve learned this lesson the hard way: focus groups are a waste of time and money for startups.
Instead of funnelling resources into vague, hypothetical discussions, we believe in investing in a minimal viable product (MVP) that lets users interact with your vision directly. Here’s why we think focus groups are a lot less effective than building a working prototype from day one.
Why Focus Groups Miss the Mark
Focus groups often aim to tap into user preferences or industry insights, but the truth is they lack depth.
Asking questions about the market or ideas often results in surface-level answers that won’t inspire innovation.
Without a tangible product to test, people can only speculate about their preferences. And speculation doesn’t drive growth—it drives confusion.
A common pitfall for startups is overestimating the value of opinions gathered in a room rather than letting real-world usage guide decisions.
HERE’S THE CATCH:
- No Real Product, No Real Insights: Customers can’t give meaningful feedback on what doesn’t exist. They need a tangible product that they can interact with in order to apply their experiences and preferences.
- Wasted Resources: For the cost of one extensive focus group, you could have a fully functional MVP ready to test in the real market.
The MVP Advantage: Build, Test, Learn
An MVP focuses your resources where they matter most: on creating a functional product that real users can engage with.
This approach is about validating your core value proposition through experience, not just conversation.
BENEFITS OF AN MVP:
- Market Fit Insights: An MVP allows you to discover the best possible fit for your market through direct feedback. Real users interacting with your product reveals what works and what doesn’t.
- Skill Development: Instead of investing in UX research, which is a luxury for established corporations, building an MVP strengthens your team’s core skills in tech and marketing.
- Efficient Resource Allocation: Rather than spending say $20,000 gathering opinions, you can spend the same amount building something tangible. With an MVP, you have a testable product—and potentially a revenue-generating asset.
Creating a Product People Will Love
To craft a product that truly resonates, you must start from within. Begin by identifying the market you know best, where you have insight into the needs, challenges, and desires of potential users.
From there, define your core value proposition—the one thing your product does exceptionally well, setting it apart from anything else on the market. With this clarity, the next step is to build a minimal viable product (MVP). This initial version should be simple yet functional, providing enough substance to gather actionable insights.
Once your MVP is ready, take it to market and test it with real users. Their feedback will provide the guidance you need to refine and improve your offering. This iterative approach not only helps you understand what users genuinely need but also positions your company for scalability. Each cycle of testing and refinement compounds the value of your product, ensuring it aligns closely with user expectations.
Moreover, this process goes beyond just product development. It fosters problem-solving skills within your team, strengthens collaboration, and builds the expertise necessary for efficient scaling.
These are assets that will continue to benefit your company long after the product has launched.
From MVP to Bigger Fish
When you shift your mindset from speculation to creation, you open the door to bigger opportunities.
By building a product that people love and demonstrating its value in the real world, you make your offering attractive to larger players in the market.
These “bigger fish” aren’t just looking for ideas; they’re looking for proven products with traction.
Don’t Forget - Focus Groups Suck for Startups!
Focus groups cater to companies that can afford to test theories endlessly. But for startups, they’re a dead end. Real insights come from real users interacting with real products.
By investing in an MVP, you’re not just testing an idea—you’re creating something tangible, valuable, and market-ready.
So, stop asking “what if” and start building. The market doesn’t reward speculation; it rewards execution.
Work With Us!
If you’d like to see the same growth for your business, then please get in touch with us by clicking HERE!