Guest Brooke Grogan & Her First Focus Group
Have you ever witnessed the courtroom magic that a well-prepared lawyer can weave? Imagine the edge a legal team could have by understanding a jury’s mind before even stepping into the courtroom. That’s exactly what Florida attorney Brooke Grogan and I peel back the layers of in our insightful conversation. Brooke brings to the table her experiences with focus groups, revealing how these mock juries can drastically alter the trajectory of a trial. From honing opening statements to fine-tuning courtroom tactics, this episode is a masterclass for any trial lawyer eager to absorb the tactical know-how of leveraging focus groups for legal victories.
Picture this: a tool so powerful it could swing a $3 million verdict in your favor. That’s the story Brooke recounts as we delve into how early focus group feedback reshaped her case strategy. We also tackle the virtual evolution of focus groups, discussing the conveniences and complexities of platforms like Zoom. Whether you’re a seasoned attorney or just legally curious, our exchange is packed with practical insights that underscore the transformative effects of blending technology with trial preparation. Join us to unearth the art of legal strategy through the lens of focus groups – a truly eye-opening dialogue for the courtroom tactician in all of us.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Brooke’s first focus group experience
- Focus group evaluation
- Importance of focus groups in evaluation
- Value of focus groups and input
- Adjustments and progress in focus groups
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Supporting Resources:
To learn more about Brooke Grogan & her practice: https://www.injurylawyers.com/attorney-brooke-grogan/
To follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-larrick-942447101/
If you have a question or suggestion for the podcast, please email Elizabeth: elizabeth@larricklawfirm.com
Episode Credits:
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.
Episode Transcript:
Elizabeth Larrick: [00:00:00] Welcome to Trial Lawyer Prep. What if you could hang out with trial lawyers and jury consultants, ask them about connecting with clients and juries more effectively, then take strategies, tactics, and insights to increase your success? Each week, Elizabeth Larrick takes an in depth look at how to regain touch with the everyday world, understand the emotional burden of your clients and juries, and use focus groups in this process.
Elizabeth is an experienced trial lawyer, consultant, and founder of Larrick Law Firm in Austin, Texas. Her goal is to help you connect with juries and clients in order to improve your abilities in the courtroom. Now, here’s Elizabeth. Hi there. It’s Elizabeth. I want to stop really quickly before we get into this episode and tell you about my guest today.
Brooke Grogan is joining us today. She’s an attorney at the West Palm Beach office of Stanger Green and Finer. She is a native of Florida and she enjoys using her platform as [00:01:00] an attorney to help others, especially those without a voice or Without sufficient monetary means or knowledge of the legal system.
I met Brooke through my very good friend, Neil Anthony, who also works at the same firm. And they actually teamed up recently and went to trial and secured a 3 million verdict. So way to go, Brooke and Neil. Anyhow, let’s jump into this episode because I think you’re really going to find it interesting what Brooke has to say about her first focus group experience.
Hello and welcome to the trial lawyer prep. Podcast. I am your host, Elizabeth Larrick, and we are here to talk all things case preparation. This is a podcast that’s really been set up for lawyers who are litigating cases in employment law and personal injury and work injury and business litigation as well.
Sometimes we talk about other stuff too, but mainly those are our main focus. And we talk about all other kinds of things that help people get ready for cases [00:02:00] and really how to’s. Today’s episode, I have brought on a wonderful guest who is going to talk about her experience doing her first focus group.
Brooke comes to us all the way from Florida. So welcome to the podcast, Brooke. Thank you. I’m excited to have Brooke because they came to me to do some focus groups. And after we did them, Brooke had some wonderful feedback for me. And I thought, you know what? This is what a lot of people out there are thinking and feeling about doing a focus group and what may be something that’s holding them back.
So I loved, and I always appreciate people giving me feedback, but Brooke also agreed to come on the podcast, which is the second hurdle. So Brooke. Let’s walk through this. Tell me what you were thinking. You guys are gearing up this case and that always helps people too. Like I know what I need to talk about.
Like we don’t really even talk about the facts actually, but just tell us like where you guys were in the case. Cause a lot of people have questions and we talk a lot about when to run a [00:03:00] focus group, like what point in a case and what case really would need one. So talk me through, tell us all about that kind of thought process when you guys were approaching doing a focus group for this case.
Brooke Grogan: All right. So thank you for having me. And I should just say first and foremost, I don’t know whether it’s right or wrong, but we brought you on early on in the case. We knew early on, we had a case with big damages and we were high valuation of the case. So I brought you on early on. And I think that really benefited the case in the long run.
Cause we got the feedback early on throughout those sessions. So there was a lot of really positive things that came from your involvement early on in the case.
Elizabeth Larrick: Good. And I think, and you tell me, you guys approached once you guys got the trial date, but the trial date was still six to eight months away.
Is that sound about right?
Brooke Grogan: Yes. So we decided we were going to do three sessions. focus group sessions. And that kind of put me at ease because in my mind, [00:04:00] having never done one before, I always envisioned a focus group, like a mediation where it’s like you go in and you present everything from A to Z and everything in between.
And the only difference between mediation and a focus group is you’re getting feedback at the end of it from complete strangers. That was What I was expecting and I was kind of a daunting thought thinking I’m going to have to really tackle an entire case throughout maybe a couple hours of a session.
So I was really happy when on our first call, you explained to me, we’re actually going to dissect the case. So we decided we were just going to tackle the opening in the first session. We were just going to tackle the liability and damages in the second session. And then the third session we decided we would use for one deer.
And that really put me at ease and knowing that I was going to have an opportunity to really focus on each really critical. Piece of the case, but over time, not all at once. So my case had a lot of moving [00:05:00] parts and I feel like the focus group your timeline. Our first session was, I think, 5 months before calendar call even and.
It forced me to prepare. It forced me to write my opening statement and deliver it five months before I was even supposed to be in court. So in the moment, I was thinking this is going to be a big commitment. But looking back, I’m so glad I prepared. I’m so glad I banged out my opening statement because I had so much time to make adjustments.
After that, and it really helped me frame the case as well. As far as file management, time management, the focus group really kept me accountable on making sure I was preparing the case in segments. So I really appreciated that.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. Awesome. And that’s a lot of times people just, you know, that same thing, the trepidation is there’s going to be so much work that’s required to do the focus group.
And it’s really not, especially like the format that we decided on, which was virtual. One of the things that. I always encourage [00:06:00] people to listen. We don’t really want to do a super long virtual focus group. Like people will lose interest. Here’s the sweet spot. Two hours, three hours, get a lot done still in one hour, but that makes you then choose.
We really have to hone in on these particular things. We can’t do everything. So I appreciate you pointing that out. What I want to ask. So let’s go back. Let’s take it back. Okay. Approaching this as you’ve never done a focus group before. What was in your mind? What were your worries? And you talked about one, the amount of work that would be acquired, like thinking, Oh my gosh, it’s going to be so much work I got to do.
What were some other things, concerns that you had about running a focus group?
Brooke Grogan: So I think initially, the concern was the cost, and when I say cost, to make sure that the file justified the cost, but also that the client was okay with it, because ultimately it comes out of the case. And I realized pretty early on in speaking with the client, they were happy, they were excited, they were so supportive of us focus grouping the case, and I think it actually helped us build [00:07:00] trust, because They realized I was willing to do whatever was necessary to understand the hard issues in the case, the complexity of the case.
And I was really trying to understand it. And I don’t know for sure, but I would guess just based on my experience in this, that most clients, if their attorneys call them and say, Hey, we’re going to be focus grouping your case. They would all have a positive reaction because number one, the attorney seeing the value in the case and number two, the case is important.
So when the attorney is taking the case and making it an important case, I think that really builds trust with the client and it means something. I think they appreciate it. So in my case, I’m sure. Probably many other attorneys may say this, but the client was so supportive of it. And so cost really, it became a non issue pretty early on.
I realized, wow, the client wants to do this just as bad as I do. He’s just as interested as I am in the feedback. So that was a surprise for me that it was received so [00:08:00] well.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah, you didn’t have to work hard to convince him he was no. Yeah,
Brooke Grogan: not at all.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And that’s been my experience too. When I ran litigation cases, and I told people, this is what I did.
They’re like, wow, that’s really cool. What a great idea. Instead of just trying to rely on your own thoughts, your own experience, you can go ask other people. Absolutely. And I think cost is important. It’s always a concern when you’re running and you’re handling costs as a law firm or as a solo. Like you’re handling those costs.
I do think it’s always super important to talk to your clients and let them know and get that approval. But thinking it’s going to be a ton of work is one of the holdout thinking it’s going to be a huge expense. And then sometimes what I also hear from people is this worry that like. They don’t really know what they’re going to get.
What really are we going to learn from the focus group that I can actually use? Was that ever a worry from you? And I know you had another podcast friend chirping in your ear, Neil Anthony, who’s been on the podcast before. And so he was probably chirping in your ear a little bit, but was that a concern at all?
Brooke Grogan: So I don’t think I was [00:09:00] so sure about what the feedback would be, but being in it, I can tell you what it ended up being. And I think. Looking back, I’m like, Oh my gosh, it was invaluable. It helped me get my case resolved. But when you’re in it, maybe you don’t really know necessarily if it’s your first time.
I appreciate it now, but my focus on the second session we had was really a game changer for me because I went in concerned about my damages and my valuation. And that’s what I thought I was going to hear everybody talking about was the valuation was too high or the injuries were problematic or what have you.
Every question that the focus groupers kept bringing up to you, I believe, and the conversation kept going right back to a liability issue that I really wasn’t expecting leaving the second focus group even I felt like I had refocused on, okay, like I had more confidence in my valuation of the case. I knew I was on the right track there, but I really needed to focus on my [00:10:00] liability, and that’s where I did focus for the next.
A couple months, I ended up getting the case resolved because of that. That was the missing piece that ended up getting the case resolved as we didn’t even make it to the third focus group. We had the three kind of staggered and just, I have to say, understanding in the focus group, they would bring up defenses and things they were thinking about in words that made them think of other things.
And it just, it helped me refine my opening, which helped me frame the case. And then, I Refocus on to back to liability. I thought I was over liability and on to valuation and I realized I had to take a step back as far as what you can get from it. I think that every case is different. There is 100%. I wish I could focus group every case because there’s 100% Something to be gotten from the focus group.
Something someone says or thinks about that you didn’t think about. There are so many perspectives. It’s not just yours. It’s so nice to check your perspective. So [00:11:00] doing it, be open minded. You will learn something. You will learn about the difficulties of the case and to have a strength in your case, I truly feel like you have to understand those difficulties and hurdles to get over them.
So it’s helpful to that for sure.
Elizabeth Larrick: That’s what my, my questions was. I know sometimes, and this is the feedback I get from other people’s watching it, it’s just like sometimes a total gut punch because they are just saying all these things that you didn’t even think about and it’s just, Whoa, wow, I missed that.
But sometimes. Again, we’re got our own point of view on things. It’s difficult to hear, but it’s always going to make you a little bit better versus not ever knowing about it. And then just going in blind with people for sure. For sure.
Brooke Grogan: Absolutely. Yep.
Elizabeth Larrick: So tell me a little bit about what was your, let’s go back to that first focus group.
You’re sitting there listening. And I think we, it was pretty, pretty general, I think on the facts and stuff. How were you feeling during that focus group? And after walk us through that, going
Brooke Grogan: into that focus [00:12:00] group, like I said, it was, we focused on the opening statement. So I had probably my opening statement, 90 percent done.
Five months out from trial, which was I think pretty early. And I sat back and just listened and I just, that’s really all I did. I feel like in that focus group was I had an opportunity to present what I would be presenting in the near future. And I just listened and I was making notes to my opening as we were going, changing certain words, like I said, were maybe not hitting home.
Like I wanted them to, or maybe I missed a few things. So it was invaluable feedback for me to. Make the changes I needed to make over the next coming months. And it was the next couple of months were like a breeze because I’d already done all the hard work early on. And I didn’t really want to do it so early on, but you were so great cause you kept me accountable.
You’d be following up like, Hey, we’re going to be presenting in a week. Do you have any questions? And I was like, okay, we got to do this. I worked with Neil, my trial partner, and we just, we spent a [00:13:00] lot of time on it early on, but then it freed up. So much of our time getting closer to trial, we were able to focus on so many other things.
I really loved having an early timeline in hindsight.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. Was there anything that surprised you from the focus groups? Not that I can think of. Okay. Okay. So I know that we did the two focus groups and then you went on to do quite a bit more in the case, meaning there were some depositions, there were some more conversations.
So how did the focus group work impact The rest of the things that you did in the case. I
Brooke Grogan: think that having done so much work on this case early on, when it was coming time to crunch time with these expert depositions and tough conversations with opposing counsels on what they perceive to be problems in the case, I just felt like I had a layer of confidence.
The conversation in my mind wasn’t me wondering what, how a jury would perceive stuff. I think [00:14:00] they would see it this way, or I think that this fact would be received in this way. I felt confident that I maybe understood even how they would understand it because I had focus grouped it twice. And I think we had 10 people, complete strangers in the first focus group, about 10 and 10.
So I had already talked to 20 people that didn’t know me, didn’t know the case. It really gave me a pulse on what the strengths of the case. And that really flowed through. I think in my conversations, I was able, I just had a layer of confidence in my conversations with the client. Changed as well because the client would always ask questions about what do you think about this?
What do you think about that? And it would always be my perspective. Well, I think this but I don’t know how a jury will receive the information and the conversation was really taken out of that context to more. This is how a jury will probably perceive this information. So it was just a different level of confidence and knowing this isn’t just my perspective, but probably this is how [00:15:00] a strangers are going to see this case as well.
So it flowed into all aspects of the case. So it made me feel more confident, my depositions, my conversations, even with my client.
Elizabeth Larrick: And that’s awesome. That’s, that’s sometimes having that feeling helps just to, and you guys got it resolved, which is. Pretty awesome. Cause when you guys came to me, the, or you guys were like, I’m pretty sure this is going to go like, we’re really, we’re 90 percent sure that we’re going to go to a trial.
So I was shocked when I got that email.
Brooke Grogan: Right. And then we got to use the last session on a totally different case. And I got to practice a voir dire cause I had never done one of those
Elizabeth Larrick: before either. So it
Brooke Grogan: was really fun.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah, exactly. Then we got to do some other stuff. Let me ask real specifically, cause I know you had to take some expert Was there anything from the focus groups that really gave you either some ideas or some confidence about particular pieces that you knew the expert was?
Either not going to agree with or didn’t even [00:16:00] consider.
Brooke Grogan: I knew from, like I said, that second focus group, which I said was a game changer. I knew what piece was missing and what the case needed. I knew what the people were looking for. The question was the same question. I kept coming back to the same question.
So in, and that deposition Came after the appropriate expert to actually fill that gap and came after that focus group and I hammered it home. I hammered it home. I probably asked the relevant question five times sideways to make sure it was like a concretized answer, but I made sure that it was like a stone, like a really strong response to that because I knew that’s what.
That’s where the interest was. So I probably spent more time on that missing link because of that second focus group. And I know I did because I changed completely changed my focus from, like I said, the valuation, which was fine to this missing link on more of the [00:17:00] liability side. So it allowed me to craft my questions more so around that missing link and spend more time on it.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And that’s one of the things I always tell people and it’s hard to kind of grasp without going through it is you’re going to hear what, where the education needs to be. You’re going to hear What it is that they need to hear from an expert because exactly truly some experts are totally they just get up there and they just go and you’re like, there’s something really specific.
I need you to talk to exactly. They don’t get it at all. And so I really love that piece came through for y’all. And when it did, because again, sometimes people time these things when they have all the expert depositions and then they go to a focus group and the focus group, like you said, you kept hearing it over and over again.
And you’re thinking, Oh, I didn’t get to have my expert fill in that piece. And I didn’t get to hammer defense expert on that piece. And so that definitely, I think really is one of the big, [00:18:00] significant things that people, We have in our minds, that focus group is really just like you said, it’s like a mock trial.
You threw everything at them and then you get feedback. If you do it early enough, you’re really coming and bringing all of that into everything else you’re going to do next. Depositions, experts, having those conversations with that opposing counsel and then having a lot more confidence in your number and your valuation that you might not have.
Brooke Grogan: Exactly. In my mind, I was not gonna gloss over that issue. I was like, I heard it, I heard it once. I heard it twice. We are gonna be focusing on that issue. Thank you. . But it was good. It it, I, I was very aware of it and that was like I said, really great, maybe unintended consequence or, I’m not sure of that se really second focus group.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. Yeah. And I think that people. Like you, you’re, sometimes people are curious about what they’re going to get and they don’t, they feel like sometimes it’s going to be like looking for an [00:19:00] Easter egg thing. But I’m like, no, they will tell you straight out and you’ll hear it more than once. And that’s when you know, okay, they’re ringing that bell.
Like that is something that we need to answer that question. Or a lot of times we may run a focus group. And I know for sure we had conversations once we finished where it was like, okay, here’s what they want to hear. Do you have this? Is this something that’s already in the case? Or do you have this witness who can come in and explain this?
Or, and you guys did, there were things that we heard about damages that Gave you confidence. Okay, good. This is how I felt about it. They secured it and then it was like, okay, how can we hammer this home if, if you guys go? And it was like, okay, we’ve gotta get the manager he worked with. We’ve gotta get people he worked with.
We’ve gotta get the boss to come in to really understand the magnitude of the job that this person was handling. And then couldn’t anymore. Sometimes we have all the things in the case, just not know how amplified they need to be. And then sometimes, like you [00:20:00] said, you got to go to that expert and ask those questions and fill those holes.
Brooke Grogan: And I think too, being in it presenting the opening, it was so helpful to have you as a third party, hearing it and really observing everything. And after the focus groups, we talked every after every focus group on your feedback as a third party, kind of. Like seeing reactions and stuff. I got a lot of information from your responses as well.
I don’t know if we had ever really talked about that, but your feedback on reaffirming, Hey, I think they sounded like they were accepting this part of the case, but now it seems like this is the question. And You and Neil were really good, like sounding boards on that conversation and affirming me and like where I needed to go.
So.
Elizabeth Larrick: Right. And I think we appreciate you so much. Of course. And I think sometimes I know for sure, cause I can remember one person in your focus group. Occasionally we have, we have 10 people, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to have 10 solid [00:21:00] people. Occasionally there’ll be a one off and I’ll be like, listen, we heard everything that Susan said, but.
Let’s just put that in a little bubble. Okay. Because that may be that extreme juror who never gets on. And I want to say you probably, I don’t want to say you had somebody like that.
Brooke Grogan: I did. And you gave me, I was like concerned and you were like, no, they’re not all going to be like that. So I really took to heart your feedback.
So I didn’t get too wrapped up in the, I’m going to say the negative comments or whatever it ended up being, but it was good having your perspective too on that.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And sometimes that happens it’s, and, and trust me, you’re not alone. That’s why when I see it happening, I generally make a little note myself and then just say, Hey, listen, we’re this person in particular, let’s just put them in a bubble because sometimes what will happen is our brain will just hear that comment.
And then. What I hear from lawyers, everyone felt that way. And I’d have to be like, no, that was just Susan. And nobody jumped on [00:22:00] Susan’s bandwagon. So that’s one of those things of having that extra person. And I always even like having you and Neil listen, and you guys then having that immediate feedback right after the focus group.
And that, and I’m glad we’re talking about that because sometimes people just, you know, Okay, good. Got it. Gone. And so if you like talk it through and sound off each other, you’re going to get such like a more in depth understanding of kind of what happened, especially bouncing it off another lawyer who just saw it.
And then we always, I think that having that immediate, like, Feedback so that you don’t go chasing that rabbit, that one little person who mentions that one kind of crit. No, come back. We’ll let Susan do her thing. You’ll know how to spot a Susan, but the majority of people, like you said, that it’s gonna, if somebody says something you’re looking to see who else is going to pick up on that and if it’s going to come back.
That’s always I think helpful to go back and look like, okay,
Brooke Grogan: I think to the [00:23:00] majority of people, if not all, maybe but one were very committed to the process. I felt like I was getting really organic, real responses. And that’s a credit to you, too, in finding these people that are committed to the process.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah, I think it’s just a matter of making sure everybody understands what everyone’s role is, and I think it’s so critical that when you’re running, especially an opening statement, like, you don’t then do all the questioning, right? Then they’re like, your brain’s confused. Wait a second. You’re obviously not neutral.
You just gave me this very biased, you know, statement. And so I think having that extra neutral third party to come in and be like, okay, I’m just here to ask questions. And we try really hard to make our questions a very open ended, right? Like, how are you feeling? And how do you think? And put this in the chat and give me your thoughts.
And that way we’re really. Getting everybody. And I always tell people it’s so key. It’s just like a [00:24:00] classroom. Like everybody has to have that individual attention. And in zoom, that’s really the only way to manage people. Otherwise you literally don’t get what people are saying. Cause zoom cut somebody off.
That’s another. Reason why I really love like comparing in person versus zoom is in person. So many people, especially post pandemic, I don’t know what it is. Talk over each other constantly. And it’s as a moderator, it’s a constant, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Cause you’re missing it and having someone to go back, repeat it.
Like someone’s going to lose something in there. So I appreciate zoom in that sense of being able to gather everybody up individually. Me
Brooke Grogan: too. And if you can present your case on zoom. You can present your case in person because zoom, I think when you’re standing up and you can actually move around, it’s more effective.
So if you can do it on zoom and you may have a better pool on zoom as well. A lot of people don’t want to go in person because of concerns, COVID concerns or masking situations. I think you get a better, a larger pool of people probably [00:25:00] doing it via zoom rather than not just like a narrow group of people that, you know, you know, Don’t want to be in person.
Elizabeth Larrick: Right, and that’s what I was going to say. Did you have any concerns about being virtual? Versus in person?
Brooke Grogan: I didn’t. I actually prefer it because, especially when you’re presenting, it’s so much easier to present. You share your screen, it’s right in front of the people. They can all see it. There’s no issues.
They can hear you, they can see it. I have no problems, uh, doing it via Zoom. And like I said, it’s probably you get a better pool of people. So I personally prefer it, but I don’t have any experience on the other side of doing it in person. So I don’t know, but I didn’t find that there were any issues for me.
I love that you posed your questions throughout the session. People, I could see their responses in the comments. It was what I was looking for. It, it, it achieved what I was looking for.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And again, we you’re in Florida, I’m in Texas. We couldn’t do it otherwise, [00:26:00] but that’s what I hear from so many people in doing the in person is they don’t even literally want to get in the car and drive somewhere.
We always try to have free parking wherever we go, or if we do reimburse it, but people even just, I don’t even, that’s what I hear. I don’t want to fight traffic. I don’t want to come down there and have some kind of crappy lunch and then sit through and. Maybe I’ll get sick or whatnot. So it’s, we definitely have a lot better response to recruiting for virtual versus in person.
Oh yeah. I would imagine. Yeah. And then I would just say the other thing thinking about cost wise to get some people to come in person, the cost is much higher because, Everything, renting a space, and then just paying people for their time, has really significantly changed since the pandemic. So that was definitely a helpful thing with virtual is we cut a lot of that stuff out.
Oh, it’s
Brooke Grogan: good to know.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Brooke. Let me ask you to check in because we’ve got lots of people who are listening to the podcast and maybe they’re thinking about running their own focus [00:27:00] group or they’re on the cusp of like maybe pulling the trigger for a focus group. What would you, what would you tell them?
What would you, what would your advice be to them?
Brooke Grogan: I kind of think if you have a case that has damages, like decent damages, regardless of the rest of it, invest in the case, the client will be appreciative of it, and once you do one, you’ll understand why you will want to do more. It helps you prepare early on, it helps you build confidence in your case, it helps build trust with your client, and like I said, if you have a case that warrants it with damages, I’m pretty confident you’ll get good feedback and have a good experience, like I did.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And I would say just to that, that after that we, the first focus group, I think we did was just a one hour, just a one hour shot. We just did an overview. And I think that’s one of the ones where we really were like, Oh, we need to take, you guys need to take a step back. We need to really take this next one and look at.
Liability just to make [00:28:00] sure you guys are hitting it spot on. So I appreciate you saying that because sometimes you have to start a little small, just to alleviate some of those concerns and then be able to feel like, Oh, okay, now let’s move forward with a longer one, a bigger one, more preparation on you.
And then you’ll get more out of it.
Brooke Grogan: Yeah, and I think along the way adjustments can be made. If you feel like you’ve really hammered home one aspect, you can always change the scope or the topic area of the next focus group, which is, I like that as well. We had our timeline and our subjects, but I think there was an understanding if we needed to refocus and We ended up doing that for the third one.
We made it into a voir dire. There was a lot of flexibility, but you were really helpful in, again, with the feedback on, Hey, maybe the next one, this is what we do. Your suggestions were really helpful. And I’m glad we implemented them because you’re more experienced in the focus group. I relied on you a lot for the feedback on how they should be run.
And it’s exactly where we should have been focused. And it was exactly what needed to be done to get the case resolved. In my case. It all really worked out. All came [00:29:00] together.
Elizabeth Larrick: Yeah. And you guys gave yourself a buffer. You gave yourself a month to almost 40 days between each one, just to buffer it and give yourself time.
And I think that’s a really smart move. Because when you jam it all in there and do two, one week apart or two week apart, you’re really having to buckle down to make those changes, those adjustments and go back and think and marinate and think, okay, do we need that question again? Or can we change it? So yeah, you guys really, I think, approached Having that space there, super thoughtful, like knowing yourself, knowing your caseload and other things that have to get done and not try to pile it on at the last minute.
Awesome. Brooke, I really appreciate you coming on and sharing your perspective about focus groups and your first time experience. Thank you so much for having me. Awesome. All right. All of Brooke’s contact information is going to be in the show notes. If you have questions for her about focus groups, I know she’d be happy to feel those.
And of course, if you have anything in [00:30:00] Florida, Florida is a big place. I’ve learned this. through working with people in Florida and knowing, Hey, do you do something in Tampa? Absolutely not. Here’s this other person. But I know that anyhow, we’ll have that contact information for you guys. If you have questions for Brooke, I know she’d be happy to connect and talk about that.
Or if you have a case in Florida, happy to put that too. Okay. Thank you all so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform. And if you haven’t done so, let’s connect on LinkedIn. My LinkedIn connection will be in the show notes. All right. Until next time.
Thank you.