FOCUS GROUPS BOOK

Prac=ce =p: While of course your opening statement by its very nature will include your
sta=s=c, safety rules, checklists and the defendant’s arguments, don’t get overwhelmed by
tes=ng, asking about or trying to focus on assessing every single aspect of the opening at one
=me. Always remember that there needs to be an objec=ve when focus grouping, and the
opening is no different. Step back and remember every =me that your opening will be focus
grouped dozens of =mes, and that cramming every single objec=ve into one focus group is not
necessary, but also overwhelming for both you and the focus group par=cipants.
How to do an opening statement focus group:
Here we have a two-fold process. The first, is that you will be focus grouping your own opening
statement alone. Remember, if we cannot win our opening on its own, it will never hold up to
being juxtaposed with the defense opening. You give your own opening statement as many
=mes as it takes to get a unanimous focus group. It may take you ten =mes, but you cannot
move on to the second stage, which is pu[ng it up against the defense opening, un=l this
happens.
Mr. Keenan has wriRen:
Now, when you conduct your opening statement focus group one thing is for sure
– you'd be9er win it. If you give your opening statement and people are not
100 percent lockstep with you, then your opening statement isn’t ready and
you've got to keep revising unBl you get that unanimous focus. In the last couple
of cases I've tried, we haven't go9en a unanimous opening statement focus
group unBl the 15th (or more) try. If you do it right and keep perfecBng it – like