Qualitative Research

Isurus helps clients conduct qualitative interviews and focus groups with B2B audiences.

Qualitative research explores the “what,” “why,” and “how” behind buyer behavior. It is particularly useful for examining the perceptions, motivations, and decision dynamics that influence how organizations evaluate vendors and solutions.

Common use cases for qualitative research include identifying unmet needs, understanding how buyers interpret product and marketing messages, and exploring the factors that influence vendor selection.

Qualitative methodologies include:

In-Depth Interviews (IDIs)

IDIs are guided one-on-one discussions with individual participants. Interviews typically last 45–60 minutes; highly technical topics may require more time. They are often the only practical research approach for engaging senior executives, specialized roles, or niche B2B audiences.

Focus Groups

A focus group is a moderated discussion with small groups of participants, conducted either in person or online. The group format encourages interaction and the exchange of ideas, revealing shared assumptions, points of disagreement, and the language buyers use to describe their needs. Many clients value the opportunity to observe the sessions in real time, which helps bring customer perspectives to life.

Online Bulletin Board Groups

In this approach, also known as asynchronous focus groups, discussions take place over several days in an online forum. Participants respond to questions, review materials, and interact with other participants over a few days. This approach is particularly useful when the topic is complex or when respondents need time to review detailed information such as product concepts or messaging alternatives. The asynchronous nature of the discussion enables the client and research team to consider and react to findings in real time.

 

Qualitative research engages participants in open-ended discussions. Therefore, effective moderation is critical, especially in B2B markets where topics can be complex, and the participants are often senior decision-makers. At Isurus, the founding partners moderate the interviews and groups. Their more than twenty-five years of experience enable them to keep the discussion focused on the business question behind the research and to guide the conversation with the judgment that comes from experience.

“Moderation was expert-level. Moderation is truly art and science, and when you find someone who can ask a question crisply and adapt on the fly while staying true to the overall learning agenda, you stick with those people. There’s a sense of comfort and ease that they bring to those studies that we wouldn’t be able to achieve with a different partner.”

– B2B Strategy Consulting Client

How does Isurus find interview and focus group participants?

For qualitative studies, Isurus sources participants from expert networks and through traditional recruiting approaches, including email, phone, and social media.

We specialize in conducting research with B2B audiences. This, along with our decades of experience, enables us to provide realistic assessments of what is feasible in terms of methodology and scope.

How many in-depth interviews do we need to conduct to identify trends?

In many B2B qualitative studies, consistent themes begin to emerge after roughly five to seven interviews within homogeneous audiences. If the audience segments are likely to differ meaningfully, we typically recommend conducting five to seven interviews per segment.