The document provides guidance for running focus groups to test a re-designed brand concept for AIESEC members. It outlines 4 parts: objectives, target groups, messages, and channels. The objectives are to test if the brand concept is actionable and useful for current members. Target groups should include AIESECers of varying roles, genders, ethnicities, languages, and externals aged 18-24. Messages should inform participants about the purpose and use of information. Channels for recruitment include contacting local entities, lists of contacts from AIESEC and partner organizations, and social media if needed.

1. Global Focus Group Engagement-
Communication Guide
The purpose of this guide is to help you to create a small
campaign that should help you to engage AIESECers and
externals as participants.
It is divided into 4 parts:
1. Objectives of the campaign
2. Target groups
3. Messages
4. Channels
In case of questions please contact helenmikkov@gmail.com or
klaus.oberbauer@aiesec.net

2. 1. Objectives of the Campaign
The main objective is to test if the re- designed brand concept is actionable and useful for
our current members.
In one focus group there should be 6 to 10 AIESECers. You can run several focus groups at
the same time.
In order to create a campaign you need to specify your
a) target groups,
b) create the messages
c) find the channels to reach the people you need
...in your local entity.
Dates:
Focus group interviews should be realised from the 19th of November until the 2nd of
December.

3. 2. Target Groups
What to consider when choosing participants:
Age group: 18-24 year old students and recent graduates
Ideally each organizational levels participating in at least one group (members, middle
managers, EB, LCP, MCVP, MCP)
Have all functional areas participating in at least one group
Gender (ideally a mix of 50-50)
Ethnic population among your target audience in your country – have all ethnic
backgrounds participating in at least one group
Languages spoken among your target audience in your country – have all languages
participating in at least one group
Remember to make sure that your focus group is culturally sensitive to the audience that
you are trying to reach. Too often, the smallest details do get overlooked. If your audience
speaks a different language, try to make sure that you engage a facilitator who speaks that
language and is sensitive to the needs of your audience.
It’s important that focus-group participants have something in common for you to get useful
information about a topic you’re exploring. For example, if you are considering developing a
photography product, you’ll likely want all participants to be interested in photography in
some way. On the other hand, it’s important to ensure that participants aren’t too similar for
you to acquire a variety of perspectives and foster discussion.
Nevertheless, the focus group must be made up of a variety of people from varying
backgrounds and experiences. When looking for external participants, consider the main
target audiences your AIESEC entity is addressing during recruitments.
Suggestions: Perhaps contact people who are active in other NGOs, or people who study
branding, communication, marketing, or are volunteers already, or who are not active
participants in extracurricual activities.
3. Messages
Messages (including why they Comments:
should participate):
AIESECers
Short-term AIESECers
Externals (18-24 year old
students and recent graduates)

4. Based on the profiles create the messages targeted to specific audiences.
Put down also your communication purposes whether you want to inform the possible
participants, change their attitude, or envoke a change in their behaviour, and how you will
do it.
Why do people attend focus groups?
If you create the messages for your campaign you should focus on why people usually
participate in focus groups in order to get their interest.
One reason to attend Focus Groups is because people like to give their opinions about
various topics; they find it interesting meeting and chatting with their peers about subjects
of interest. For many it also is a break in their routine and a fun way to spend an evening.
A third reason people attend focus groups is to learn about the research technique or the
topic being discussed. Often focus groups can be very helpful to people who are seeking
additional information about a subject. They can talk with others about various aspects of
the subject, gathering much useful information.
Important note: Let your audiences know beforehand why they were selected to
participate in the group, how the information will be used, and what is the goal to give
them an overview of the focus group

5. 4. Channels
Based on the messages you can find the channels needed and most effective in your local
entity.
For internal participants communicate with your local entities to find interested people or
just ask the people you know.
With external participants it is a bit more difficult:
There are three principal ways you can find external participants for your focus groups.
One is to use lists of contacts of AIESEC or of other NGOs. These can be a recruitment
database of your LCs of applicants for the ELD programmes or a database obtained from
external events. Very practical can be to use lists of contacts from other NGOs or partner
organizations that you have in your country.
Another way, however not ideal, is to advertise for participants in social media. With this
approach it will be probably more difficult to engage specific profiles of participants. This is
why it should be only used if you can’t find enough participants by your or your partner’s
contacts.
Good luck! : )