Think of the word, “salon,” and what comes to mind? A period piece? Lively discussion of topics and trends? Rich and insightful analysis? Now consider the word, “digital,” and ask the same question. A different set of associations pop up…modern, fast, technological. Well, at BRS we have blended the two in order to develop a cutting edge research tool. We call them Digital Salons.

Digital Salons are online discussions with a select group of respondents that function as a slow moving, thoughtful and rich focus group, conducted in the cyberspace of a bulletin board. The methodology is fairly simple. We recruit respondents just as we would a focus group, according to a set of criteria that match the client's needs. We then invite them to participate in our Digital Salon, an online discussion where they can respond to questions, post their own thoughts or comments, or reply to the direct inquiries from other respondents. Just like the salons of old, the conversation can be either deep or broad, and the participants leave their marks in the form of their ideas, thoughts, and associations.

What we have found is that the pacing and accessibility of our Digital Salons make them a great alternative to traditional groups for a number of reasons.

First, it's easy. Respondents can participate at their convenience, in their homes or offices, whenever and wherever they have Internet access. No need for a facility, or finding a time to get a critical mass of the right kind of respondents together at the same time. For those who find it difficult to get away from the office or home, the Digital Salon is the perfect alternative.

Second, it's private. The anonymity of responding digitally gives many respondents the freedom to answer questions more candidly than they would in a face-to-face encounter. This can be a great solution to those situations where the inquiry ranges into personal issues that are not easily tackled in a group setting.

Third, the pace gives respondents time to really think about a question and compose a thoughtful answer. Unlike traditional focus groups, where the nosiest or the fastest respondents can short circuit the dialogue process, this medium allows each person to contribute…after they have had a chance to think about what they want to say. And everyone gets their chance.

Fourth, and this is a real benefit for the moderator, there is no need to travel. The Digital Salon can be managed from the comfort of your own office. It's day work…a refreshing alternative to the late evening, fatigue filled room of the focus group. “

Digital Salons can stand on their own, or can be used as an adjunct to traditional focus groups. For example, in some recent projects we have started the inquiry process using focus groups, then massaged the learnings we gathered into positionings, and finished by testing the positionings using Digital Salons. In the past, we would have run a second series of groups to test the positionings, but this often takes too much time and is a long way to go for a limited benefit. Digital Salons served as a quick and customizable cap to follow up on the key learnings, and the setup and management was minimal.

Naturally, Digital Salons are not for everyone or for every topic. The vitality of a face-to-face meeting is something that you can't really replicate in the online world. But, even with those limitations, we are finding it to be a robust research tool, one that combines the thoughtful, reflective process of the days of the salon with the fast-paced, buzz of the digital age.