There’s a common perception among executives that one-on-one conversations with consumers are inefficient, expensive, and wasteful.

We’re here to bust that myth with experience and data that prove conversations are the quickest path to insight. But because we know executives love data, we’ll start with some numbers – just to get them out of the way.

Studies dating back to the early 2000s indicate that achieving 95% “theme saturation” (that is, uncovering consistent, patterned ideas) takes about 10-16 interviews. A 2020 study out of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill suggests that the real sweet spot is likely 12 interviews, although high theme saturation can be seen in as few as six.

It doesn’t take a lot of people to track down the ideas and insights you’re seeking. And it can be much faster, too – interviewing 12 people might take you a few days where surveying hundreds could take several weeks.

One-on-one interviews can also be more productive than traditional focus groups. MIT found in a 2015 report that two one-on-one interviews are about as effective as one focus group, and four one-on-one interviews are about as effective as two focus groups. This is because one-on-one conversations cut down on the wasted time that comes from redundant commentary and totally avoids group dynamics like groupthink, social loafing, and production blocking.

It’s time to stop paying for redundant focus groups when you could get all you need – and even what you didn’t know you needed - from one-on-one conversations. And here’s why.

Brizo: An Elevated Experience

In addition to the array of outside research supporting one-on-one interviewing, we at Young & Laramore have witnessed firsthand the value of conversations in building successful brands: much of the time, our key insights could only be found through one-on-one interviews.

Why? For one, it’s because one-on-one conversations break brand assumptions that can bias people inside an organization.

When we talked to showroom associates who sold Delta Select faucets, one said that “the Delta name, if you're trying to sell it to more higher end customers, is hurting rather than helping."

Another said that “customers walking through the door want to spend $250-$300+ on a faucet. They want something different. A lot of customers don't want it to be called Delta…They're looking for something not everyone is going to have.”

Imagine sharing that with information to a board room filled with Delta employees. Sounds unlikely, right? But the thing is, it was customers telling Delta that – not Young & Laramore.

No Delta employee would’ve anticipated how badly the Delta brand name was hurting their portfolio. Had they used a survey, that information might have never been found. Delta wouldn’t have been able to ask the right questions. A focus group may tamper with this negative perception because respondents often know the “brand” is listening in the next room or behind the one-way mirror.

Actual footage of Delta’s core customers revealing their true feelings gave us a starting point. We recommended a whole new brand for Delta Select which we called Brizo, which was rooted in fashion and design. With this brand image, Brizo quickly gained traction in the market (with the same products) and has been one of the fastest growing multi-million-dollar brands in Masco’s portfolio.

Schlage: Synonymous with Strength

One-on-one conversations don’t just break brand assumptions. These interviews also capture decision-making processes live.

Surveys are static and can’t show the full stream of homeowners’ consciousness as they make choices. Conversations do. And, in addition, they help us find the one thing that can make a brand more compelling.

During our research for Schlage locks, we asked each of our participants to do a live exercise. Every homeowner ranked a list of items that make them feel secure. We didn’t limit ourselves to things “of the category”: our list included things like dogs, guns, and baseball bats. Interestingly, homeowners often chose things like guns and bats.

With all that information in mind, we learned that for homeowners, security is relative – and it usually has to do with force, not technology. And from that observation, we found insight. We knew that, in order to offer the same comfort level as guns or baseball bats, Schlage needed to communicate strength.

We also learned homeowners couldn’t pronounce Schlage’s name. They’d usually say “schlagey” or “sh-la-geay” – another thing we’d never know from a survey.

With all these insights and observations in mind, we built the “Strong has a name” campaign. We helped Schlage reinforce its position as one of strength while locking in the connection between lock and brand name.

Hotel Tango: Sharing a Drink – And a Story

In addition to exposing decision-making processes, interviews can help us identify consumers’ misunderstandings and misconceptions.

Often in surveys, analysts notice that a particular piece of consumer data doesn’t make sense, but their survey can’t explain why. Interviews, meanwhile, allow us to identify and understand consumer misunderstandings in real time.

As the nation’s first combat disabled veteran-owned distillery, Hotel Tango built its brand around military affiliation. Hotel Tango wanted to see growth, particularly in its grocery store bottle sales. In order to help them grow, we needed to understand why consumers chose – or didn’t choose – the Hotel Tango brand. That’s when we discovered a fundamental issue with the brand story.

Hotel Tango’s military heritage was clear in its original label design. People could see the affiliation. But the likelihood to purchase wasn’t high, and Hotel Tango wasn’t sure why.

Within a few interviews, the gap became clear. One subject liked “that it says veteran-owned. That’s really cool. That would be fun because we have so many military friends. You meet friends even when you’re not in the military community … that would be a fun gift for him.”

Another remarked that “there’s definitely a military [connection]… anyone with any military background would look at that and, I think, be open to trying it.”

The military-style packaging was signaling to consumers that Hotel Tango’s products were only for people in the military. Conversely, those who hadn’t served thought the brand wasn’t for them. The military affiliation that was intended to show quality actually gave an impression of novelty.

Our rebrand changed Hotel Tango’s perception to the tune of a YoY increase of 124% in awareness, 143% in familiarity and 91% cases sold. The successful campaign reinforced what our research had already made clear: helping consumers understand Hotel Tango’s identity was exactly what the doctor ordered.

It doesn’t take a lot of interviews to find meaningful insights. All it takes is an open mind. To really understand your consumers, you’ve got to listen to them. And when you listen, you’ll uncover the solutions to make your business more relevant and, likely, more profitable.