6. You have recently been hired by an advertising agency as its marketing research director. In making a presentation to a medical practice in the evening for a web-strategy campaign, the discussion turns to some research the ad agency has proposed presenting to the group. The medical practice is a rather large group covering western Virginia and eastern Tennessee with 12 satellite clinics and two ambulatory surgery centers, one in each state. The agency has decided to conduct four virtual focus groups.

As you outline how these will be conducted, a physician introduces himself and says, “I was a math major in college, a statistics major actually. How can we rely on four focus groups made of not too many people and base our approach to mount a campaign and build a strategy for our group? How many people would we survey in a statistical, quantitative survey? I am not comfortable with this. You won’t even be seeing these people face to face.” He then sits down as some of his partners nod in agreement.

Provide a rationale.