Clients ought to realize that ideas and groups don't always work out the way you expect. Take no for an answer Negative feedback is as important as positive feedback, especially in highlighting potential pitfalls. Rather than admit a product is not appealing, however, marketers often settle for half-hearted responses. The greatest sin of all is not to be there. The best response you can get from a focus group is often nonverbal.
Body language can show real enthusiasm, genuine disinterest, or intractable opposition.
But it's difficult to include subtle responses in a report. If you are not at the focus group, you won't know what happened. The president of a famous cheese company sat in stunned disbelief as one group after another criticized his cheese, his company's advertising and his company. No report could have communicated what he learned by sitting in back of the mirror. His sales doubled.