10 Questions You Should Ask in Every Focus Group

Great focus groups aren't just about gathering opinions—they're about uncovering the *why* behind consumer behavior. The questions you ask can make the difference between surface-level feedback and actionable insights that transform your business.

The Art of Asking the Right Questions

After conducting thousands of focus groups (both traditional and AI-powered), we've identified patterns in what separates mediocre sessions from exceptional ones. It all comes down to asking questions that:

• Probe deeper than yes/no answers
• Uncover emotional drivers behind decisions
• Reveal unspoken needs and pain points
• Challenge assumptions about your product or market

The 10 Essential Questions

1. "Walk me through the last time you [relevant action]"

Why it works: This gets participants thinking concretely rather than abstractly. You'll hear real stories with emotional context.

Example: "Walk me through the last time you bought groceries online."

What you'll learn: Actual behavior patterns, pain points, and decision-making moments.

2. "What would you tell a friend about this?"

Why it works: People speak differently when explaining to a friend—more honestly, less formally.

Example: "Imagine you're texting your best friend about this new app. What would you say?"

What you'll learn: Natural language people use, genuine enthusiasm (or lack thereof).

3. "What's the one thing that would make you stop using [competitor]?"

Why it works: Reveals switching barriers and what really matters to your audience.

Example: "What would make you switch from your current project management tool?"

What you'll learn: Real competitive advantages and deal-breakers.

4. "If this were a person, how would you describe them?"

Why it works: Personification reveals emotional associations and brand perceptions.

Example: "If this brand were a person at a party, who would they be?"

What you'll learn: Brand personality, target audience alignment, positioning opportunities.

5. "What's missing?"

Why it works: Direct but open-ended, this reveals unmet needs.

Example: "You've seen our product lineup. What's missing?"

What you'll learn: Product gaps, feature requests, market opportunities.

6. "What's the biggest risk or concern?"

Why it works: Surfaces objections and barriers to purchase you need to address.

Example: "If you were considering buying this, what would give you pause?"

What you'll learn: Objections to overcome, trust issues, pricing concerns.

7. "How does this compare to what you do now?"

Why it works: Puts your solution in context of current behavior and alternatives.

Example: "How would using this change your current workflow?"

What you'll learn: Adoption barriers, value proposition clarity, behavior change required.

8. "Show me on your phone/computer"

Why it works: Watching real behavior reveals more than hearing about it.

Example: "Pull up your current solution and show me how you'd do this task."

What you'll learn: Actual usage patterns, workarounds, efficiency gains.

9. "If you could only keep one feature, which would it be?"

Why it works: Forces prioritization and reveals core value.

Example: "Looking at all these features, if you could only have one, which is it?"

What you'll learn: Core value proposition, nice-to-haves vs. must-haves.

10. "What would success look like?"

Why it works: Uncovers goals, expectations, and how they measure value.

Example: "If you used this for 6 months, what would make you think 'this was worth it'?"

What you'll learn: Value metrics, success criteria, ROI expectations.

Best Practices for Each Question

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up

The first answer is rarely the most insightful. When someone gives an answer, probe deeper:

• "Why is that important to you?"
• "Can you give me an example?"
• "What makes you say that?"

Create Safe Space

People need to feel comfortable being honest, especially with criticism:

• "There are no wrong answers"
• "We want honest feedback, not politeness"
• "Negative feedback helps us improve"

Read Between the Lines

Pay attention to:

• Energy shifts: When do participants get excited or disengaged?
• Body language: What does their posture and expressions tell you?
• Consensus vs. disagreement: Where does the group align or diverge?

Adapting Questions for Your Context

These 10 questions are templates—adapt them to your specific needs:

For Product Testing:

• Focus on usability, value, and comparison to alternatives
• Include hands-on demonstration time
• Ask about different use cases

For Campaign Testing:

• Emphasize emotional response and memorability
• Test multiple variations
• Ask about message clarity and persuasiveness

For Brand Positioning:

• Focus on perception, personality, and differentiation
• Compare to competitors
• Explore emotional associations

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Leading Questions

Bad: "Don't you think this feature is great?" Good: "What's your reaction to this feature?"

2. Too Many Questions

Problem: Rushing through questions prevents depth Solution: Better to explore 5 questions deeply than 20 superficially

3. Not Listening

Problem: Being attached to your agenda prevents hearing what's actually said Solution: Be genuinely curious and willing to be surprised

4. Group Think

Problem: Dominant voices influence others Solution: Get individual responses first, then group discussion

Using These Questions with AI Focus Groups

One advantage of kinapse.ai's AI-powered focus groups is the ability to:

• Test variations systematically: Ask the same question to 10 different demographic groups
• Scale depth: Have longer, more thorough conversations than time allows in traditional groups
• Eliminate bias: Each AI participant responds independently before seeing others' answers
• Iterate quickly: Refine your questions based on initial results and re-run immediately

Conclusion

Great focus group questions are like great journalism—they seek truth, not validation. They challenge assumptions and uncover insights you didn't know you were looking for.

Start with these 10 questions, adapt them to your context, and most importantly: listen deeply to the answers. The insights are there, waiting to be discovered.

*Want to test these questions with your target audience? Start a synthetic focus group on kinapse.ai and get insights in hours, not weeks.*