YOUR FOCUS GROUP IS LYING TO YOU. THE STREET WON'T.
People in focus groups are polite because they want the gift card. People on the street are busy and brutal.
I see founders spending lakhs on "Market Research Agencies" to sit in a room with 10 people and ask them polite questions.
Here is the problem: Politeness is the enemy of data.
When you pay someone to be there, they will try to give you the "right" answer. They will tell you your packaging is "nice." They will say they "might" buy it.
The Brutal Truth of the Street
When we stop a stranger on the street, they have zero incentive to be nice. They are in a rush. They are skeptical. They don't care about your feelings.
If they take a sip of your drink and make a weird face, that is data. If they walk away the moment you say the price, that is data.
A "Street Test" isn't just content. It is a stress test for your value proposition. If you can convert a stranger in 30 seconds on a noisy street, you can convert anyone online.
Don't pay for opinions. Pay for reactions.
The Lisn Editorial
Marketing Strategy Team