10 min read
Advisory board pay: what advisors get paid in cash and equity, and how to ask
Advisory board pay by board type: equity at startups, cash at private companies, per-meeting fees on scientific advisory boards, nonprofits, and how to ask.
Better conversations.
Better decisions.
Find people worth talking to, ask better questions, and choose the right tools for the job.
357 articles
Earning as an expert
10 min read
Consulting invoice template for hourly and per-call work
A copyable consulting invoice template for hourly and per-call work, with each field explained, payment terms, late fees, W-9 notes and how to chase late payments.
9 min read
Dialectica expert: how joining, rates and payment work
How Dialectica experts are recruited, how the hourly rate is set, when bank transfers arrive, what the Terms of Engagement cover and what Dialectica never publishes.
10 min read
Expert network compliance: what you can and cannot say on a paid call
Expert network compliance for experts: the MNPI rule, current and former employer limits, the usual pre-call questions, ending a call that goes too far, and government roles.
9 min read
Expert witness pay: the rates, who pays for each hour, and how to collect
Expert witness pay: median hourly rates for review, deposition and trial, published fee schedules, retainers, who pays for depositions, contingent fees and taxes.
10 min read
How to become a fractional CFO: sell the event you have already run
How to become a fractional CFO: the experience clients expect, picking a niche, first clients, client limits, contracts, E&O insurance and when you need a CPA.
7 min read
Paid surveys for doctors: what physician panels pay, and what gets reported
Paid surveys for doctors: what physician panels say they pay, why blinded market research usually stays out of Open Payments, expert calls, screeners and taxes.
9 min read
Side hustle for doctors: 6 options compared, and which to try first
Side hustle for doctors: expert calls and surveys, chart review, medical-legal work, startup advising, medical writing and locums, compared on pay, time and risk.
10 min read
Side hustle for lawyers: 6 options compared, and the rules that matter
Side hustles for lawyers compared on pay, time and risk: paid calls, contract review, teaching, writing, startup advising, plus Rules 1.6, 1.7, 5.5 and insurance.
9 min read
Side hustle for nurses: 6 options compared, and which to try first
Side hustles for nurses compared on pay, time and conflict risk: paid calls, surveys, legal nurse consulting, chart review, telehealth, writing and teaching.
8 min read
1099 consulting income taxes: what you owe on expert call and advisory income
How 1099 consulting income taxes work in the US: the new $2,000 1099-NEC threshold, 15.3% self-employment tax, Schedule C and SE, and quarterly deadlines.
7 min read
Day rate consultant pricing: define the day before you name the number
When a day rate consultant fee beats hourly or project pricing, how to define a day, published day rate reference points, and the contract terms that protect it.
8 min read
Expert call rate: how to pick the one number you quote every network
How to set your expert call rate: start from what networks publish, adjust for seniority, scarcity and compliance, keep one number, and check what proration pays.
7 min read
Expert network jobs: the paid projects experts get, and the staff roles that recruit them
Expert network jobs come in two kinds: paid project work for professionals at GLG, Guidepoint, Third Bridge and Tegus, and salaried associate roles recruiting them.
8 min read
Fractional executive rates: what each C-suite role asks, and how to set yours
Fractional executive rates for CTOs, CMOs, COOs, CPOs, CHROs and CFOs, how to turn a full-time salary into a monthly retainer, and how many clients to plan for.
9 min read
GLG network member: what the title means and what you agree to
A GLG network member is an expert who signed GLG's membership terms. What you agree to, how projects arrive, what GLG may share, and how to opt out.
8 min read
Guidepoint expert pay: what the Advisor terms say about your rate and payment
Guidepoint pays Advisors their agreed rate, prorated to full minutes, typically within 15 days of a request. What its terms say about pay, compliance and taxes.
7 min read
Paid surveys for professionals: which panels pay, and what they say in writing
Paid surveys for professionals: what healthcare and B2B panels such as Sermo, ZoomRx and Respondent say they pay, how screeners work, scam signs and US tax.
7 min read
Side income for executives: five options, ranked for someone who still has the job
Side income for executives who still have the job: paid calls, advisory equity and outside boards ranked, plus board limits, insider rules and approval.
7 min read
Speaking fees: what to charge when you are asked to give a talk
Speaking fees for professionals: bureau-listed ranges, honorarium vs fee vs expenses, why some conferences pay nothing, and how to price your first paid talk.
8 min read
AlphaSights expert pay: what AlphaSights says in writing, and what it leaves out
AlphaSights pays experts an agreed hourly rate, pro rata, on 30-day terms. What its own pages say about pay, compliance and taxes, and how to pick your rate.
8 min read
Consulting after retirement: how to earn from your experience without a full-time job
Consulting after retirement for executives: the formats that fit, why fresh experience pays, pricing, and the Social Security, tax and Medicare rules to check.
7 min read
Fractional CFO hourly rate: what benchmarks show, and why a retainer beats billing hourly
Fractional CFO hourly rate: what posted and asking-rate benchmarks show, how to set a retainer from your rate, check your effective rate and stop scope creep.
7 min read
How to become a board member: the realistic path from a nonprofit seat to a paid directorship
How to become a board member as a working executive: start with nonprofit and private boards, get findable, know what directors are paid and check D&O cover first.
9 min read
How to become an expert witness: the rules, the CV, the pay and the cross-examination
How to become an expert witness: what Rule 702 requires, consulting vs testifying, building a CV and fee schedule, Rule 26 disclosures and conflicts checks.
8 min read
Moonlighting policy: how to read yours before you take paid expert calls
How to read your moonlighting policy before paid expert calls or consulting: conflict, confidentiality and IP clauses, state law limits, and how to ask for approval.
8 min read
Non-executive director pay: what UK boards pay, and what the seat costs you in time and tax
Non-executive director pay in the UK, from FTSE 150 fees to public bodies and unpaid charity seats, plus time commitment, PAYE tax, US director pay and the first seat.
8 min read
Side hustle for engineers: 7 options compared, and which to try first
Seven side hustles for software, mechanical, electrical and civil engineers compared on pay, time and employer conflict risk, with the one to try first.
7 min read
Tegus expert calls: what happens to your words after you hang up
Tegus expert calls are recorded, transcribed and published to AlphaSense subscribers after an embargo. How experts are paid, the compliance rules, and what not to say.
8 min read
Third Bridge expert: what the calls, the published interviews and the pay terms say
How being a Third Bridge expert works per its own terms: one-hour client calls, analyst-led interviews published to subscribers, per-minute pay and the employer rules.
8 min read
Advisory shares: what advisors actually get, and what to check before signing
Advisory shares are usually stock options or restricted stock, not a special share class. How vesting, the 83(b) election and option taxes work for the advisor.
8 min read
Consulting rate calculator: turn a target income into an hourly rate, day rate and project price
A consulting rate calculator worked step by step: salary, benefits, 15.3% self-employment tax and costs, divided by billable hours, then a day rate and a project price.
8 min read
Consulting side hustle: how to earn on the side without risking your job
How to run a consulting side hustle while employed: the contract clauses to check, formats that fit around a job, pricing, US taxes and first clients.
7 min read
Expert network calls: what happens on one, from the expert's side
What happens on expert network calls from the expert's side: screening questions, compliance rules, the one-hour call, what never to say and how to get asked back.
6 min read
Expert network consulting: how to become a paid expert for GLG-type networks
How to become an expert network consultant: getting recruited by GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint and Third Bridge, writing a profile, compliance and your first call.
8 min read
Get paid to give advice: 7 ways professionals do it, and how each pays
Seven real ways to get paid to give advice, from expert network calls to advisory equity and coaching, with what each needs from you and how the pay works.
6 min read
How much does GLG pay? What the public record says, and what it doesn't
GLG pays the hourly rate you set, prorated by the minute. What GLG's own pages and IPO filing say, why online figures are unreliable, and how to pick your rate.
7 min read
How to become a board advisor: get the first seat by helping before you are asked
How to become a board advisor: the advisory board vs board of directors difference, how to get your first seat, and what to agree on before you say yes.
7 min read
How to become a subject matter expert: go narrow, then make it visible
How to become a subject matter expert: choose a narrow area, go deeper than your job asks, leave evidence others can check, and get paid through calls, advising or consulting.
7 min read
Startup advisor compensation: what the equity grids say and what advisors really get
Startup advisor compensation is usually 0.05% to 1% equity vesting over two years. FAST and Carta benchmarks, vesting terms, taxes and what to ask for.
Paid outreach
6 min read
BANT sales qualification: ask about need first, budget last
What BANT means, its IBM origin, why asking for budget on the first call backfires, a need-first version with questions, and when to use MEDDIC instead.
9 min read
Follow up email after no response: send one or two, then stop
How long to wait, how many follow ups to send, what to add so it gets read, a fill-in template, five examples and the note that closes the loop.
8 min read
Introduction email: 3 kinds, with a fill-in template for each
How to write the three common introduction emails: introducing yourself, asking for an intro and connecting two people, with a forwardable blurb and fill-in templates.
7 min read
LinkedIn connection message: 200 characters and 7 templates
What to write in a LinkedIn connection message: the 200-character note limit, monthly note limits for free accounts, seven short templates and when to use InMail instead.
8 min read
MEDDIC: six questions to answer before you forecast a deal
What MEDDIC stands for, where it came from, how MEDDPICC extends it, and a one-page qualification sheet you can fill in mostly before the first call.
8 min read
Meeting request email: how to get 20 minutes with a busy person
How to write a meeting request email a busy person says yes to: why them, one question, 15 or 20 minutes, two times plus a link, and four examples.
9 min read
Networking email: one ask, under 125 words, and 5 examples
How to write a networking email to someone you don't know well: who to write to first, how to open, one ask, a forwardable intro note and five example emails.
4 min read
How to get meetings with heads of finance without a warm intro
To get meetings with heads of finance, find who owns your problem, ask about one decision they made, time it away from month-end close and pay for their time.
5 min read
How to pay an executive for a short call, and pay only if they respond
To pay an executive for a short call and pay only if they respond, send a paid invitation that charges you only when they book or answer. Here is how.
5 min read
How to reach busy people: send fewer invitations, follow up twice, pay by seniority
To reach busy people, send a short paid ask from warmed-up inboxes, follow up twice at most and price by seniority. Volumes, cadence and price ranges, with sources.
5 min read
Account-based selling: ten accounts you understand beat fifty you don't
Account-based selling: pick a few accounts, fit the research on one page, map who is involved in the purchase, and contact several people openly.
6 min read
Cold email templates: 7 for B2B, none with a fake 'Re:'
Seven B2B cold email templates, each for one situation: a specific reason, a problem check, a referral, a research call, a follow-up and more, plus CAN-SPAM basics.
5 min read
Cold outreach to executives works best when it is rare
Cold outreach to executives works when it is rare and specific: contact the person who owns the problem, research them, write a short message and make one small ask.
6 min read
How to write a cold email in 7 steps (two happen before you type)
To write a cold email, pick one person for a true reason, ask for one small step, meet CAN-SPAM basics and plan one or two follow-ups that add something.
5 min read
Sales prospecting is mostly research. Here is how to do it before you send anything
Sales prospecting is mostly research: describe who to look for, build and filter a B2B account list by fit and timing, find the owner and prepare each contact.
3 min read
How to set a research participant incentive budget (and when your card gets charged)
Budget for the total you pay, which is more than the participant's share: platform and recruiting fees, card holds, charge timing and cancellation costs.
4 min read
Paid research interview invitation template that fits in 500 characters
A paid research interview invitation template: say who is asking, the topic, the time and the pay, preview the recipient's version, and follow up only to clarify.
5 min read
Paying research participants for unbiased feedback: pay for the hour, never the opinion
Pay research participants for the time they agreed to give, never for agreeing with you. A plain policy, wording to adapt and how to handle the awkward cases.
3 min read
Why research outreach gets no replies (the silence won't tell you)
Research outreach gets no replies for reasons silence can't show. Check the message, the recipient's fit and the request status before sending more.
Expert research
7 min read
Consulting fees: five structures and how to compare quotes
The five consulting fee structures, when each is fair to the buyer, and a worked calculation that turns any quote into an effective hourly rate.
7 min read
Expert opinion: how to get one you can use for a business decision
A usable expert opinion comes from someone who recently made a similar decision. How to choose experts, ask, score three answers and discount confident forecasts.
6 min read
Paid research studies: what they pay and how to spot the scams
Paid research studies and focus groups often pay $60 to $100 an hour. The main kinds, published pay data, FTC scam warning signs, and when an expert call fits better.
7 min read
Retainer agreement: three kinds and seven clauses to check
A buyer's guide to a consulting or advisory retainer agreement: the three kinds of retainer, the clauses that matter, a fill-in outline and when a paid call is cheaper.
10 min read
Alternative data: what investors buy, and where the legal risk sits
Alternative data is information investors use beyond filings and prices. The main types, how to test a dataset, and the SEC, scraping and privacy risks.
8 min read
Business coach cost: what owners pay, and when an operator is the better buy
What a business coach costs per session, per month and per package, what moves the price, when a few operator calls beat coaching, and how to check a coach.
8 min read
Consulting agreement: eight clauses, and when you need none
The eight clauses a consulting agreement needs, from scope and payment to IP assignment and liability caps, for both sides, and when a paid expert call needs none.
10 min read
Consulting proposal template: nine sections, filled in, with three ways to price
A copyable consulting proposal template in nine sections with a filled-in example, the discovery questions to ask first, and how to price with fixed fees, value or retainers.
9 min read
Fractional product manager: when to hire one and what it costs
A fractional product manager does your product work part-time for about $120 to $175 an hour. When to hire one, how to scope it and which red flags to avoid.
7 min read
Paid advice: when it beats asking for free, and how to get your money's worth
Paid advice is worth it when one specific person has the answer. How to pick them, frame the question, price it fairly and avoid trusting it just because you paid.
9 min read
MNPI: what material non-public information is, and what never to say on an expert call
MNPI is material non-public information. Learn what courts and the SEC count as material and public, when tipping is illegal, and how to run a clean expert call.
9 min read
Statement of work template: write "out of scope" and acceptance criteria first
A copyable statement of work template with a filled-in example, how a SOW differs from an MSA and a proposal, and why to write out of scope first.
8 min read
Fractional CEO: worth it only if the reporting lines move
A fractional CEO runs your company part-time on a retainer, about $7,800 to $13,000 a month by one marketplace's data. It works only if the founder hands over real authority.
6 min read
"Can I pick your brain?" gets ignored. Here is the version busy experts say yes to
Why "can I pick your brain" gets ignored, and how to rewrite it with one question, a time limit and a reason, plus when to pay for the expert's time.
7 min read
Coffee chat questions: 26 to ask and 5 to rewrite
The best coffee chat questions ask about the person's own recent work. 26 to pick from by goal, 5 to rewrite, and how to keep time and follow up.
7 min read
Fractional CPO: worth hiring only if the founder will hand over product decisions
A fractional CPO leads product part of the week, often for $150 to $230 an hour. Hire one only once the founder is ready to hand over product decisions.
7 min read
How to become a consultant: sell a problem you've already solved three times
Become a consultant by selling a problem you have solved before: test demand while employed, package and price the work, set up the basics, then find clients.
7 min read
Interim executive: who to hire when the job can't wait for a search
An interim executive fills a senior role full-time, then leaves on purpose. When to hire one, how interim differs from fractional, UK day rates and the mandate to write.
8 min read
Key opinion leader (KOL): how to find the people your field actually listens to
A key opinion leader (KOL) is someone whose view moves a field. How to find KOLs in public records, what to ask them and the payment rules to check first.
6 min read
Operational due diligence: can the plants deliver the plan?
Operational due diligence tests whether operations can deliver the deal's plan: capacity, costs, supply, people and safety records, plus who to call.
5 min read
A due diligence checklist with the workstream most lists skip: expert calls
A due diligence checklist by workstream (financial, legal, commercial, technology, people, operations), plus outside expert calls that test the seller's claims.
7 min read
Advisory board: start with your gaps, and expect smaller grants than the templates suggest
Build a startup advisory board from the gaps in your team, trial each advisor on real work first, and set equity with the FAST template and Carta's lower medians.
6 min read
Channel checks: what distributors can tell you, and where the insider trading line is
Channel checks show how a company is selling by asking distributors, retailers and resellers what they see. Here is how investors run them, and the SEC's limits.
5 min read
Commercial due diligence: test the three claims your price depends on
Scope commercial due diligence around the claims your price depends on, then call customers, lost prospects and operators who could prove them wrong.
6 min read
Expert interview: five steps, and one line you should never ask an expert to cross
Run an expert interview in five steps: pick someone who did the work, ask what they did, stay clear of MNPI and confidential data, and take usable notes.
6 min read
Hiring a consultant: worth it once you can describe the deliverable
Hiring a consultant pays off when you can describe the deliverable. If you still need information, a few paid expert calls are usually faster and sharpen the brief.
6 min read
How to find a mentor: ask for 20 minutes, not a mentorship
Find a mentor by naming the help you need: free SCORE and SBA programs for general business advice, a small specific ask for industry mentors, a paid call on a deadline.
6 min read
Investment research: read the filings, then call the people who would know
Investment research starts with a thesis you could be wrong about: test it with filings and industry data, then customer and expert calls that stay clear of MNPI.
6 min read
Technology due diligence: a checklist for checking the sales deck against the code
Technology due diligence tests whether the software, security and team can carry the deal. A request checklist, and when to bring in an outside technical expert.
5 min read
What is a subject matter expert (SME), and how do you find the right one?
A subject matter expert (SME) makes sure your work is right about a field you don't know. Where to find an SME and how to check their experience fits your question.
5 min read
Consultant hourly rates: why $55 and $150 can both be fair
What a consultant hourly rate pays for, public reference points from Upwork and BLS, and how pricing one paid advice call differs from pricing a project.
4 min read
Executive coach cost: expect more than the $244 average
Coaches reported a $244 average session fee worldwide, and executive coaches charge the most. How engagements are priced and how to estimate a total.
4 min read
Fractional CFO cost: $1,600 to $12,000 a month, and the work decides where you land
A fractional CFO costs about $1,600 to $12,000 a month on published US prices, or £600 to £1,200 a day in the UK. Scope the work to know your number.
6 min read
Fractional CIO: when part-time IT leadership is enough, and what it costs
A fractional CIO makes your senior IT decisions part-time. When one fits, what published hourly and monthly rates say (and their limits), and how to pick one.
5 min read
Fractional executive: when a part-time leader beats a consultant or a full-time hire
A fractional executive runs one function in your company a few days a week. Here is when that beats a consultant, an advisor or an interim, and how to set it up.
4 min read
How to ask an expert online: free forums work until you need one specific person
To ask an expert online, use a free forum when many people know the answer, and pay for a call when you need one person's experience. Four routes compared.
5 min read
Industry research: how to learn an unfamiliar industry in one week
Industry research in five days: classification codes, public numbers, annual reports and conversations with people who do the work, ending in a one-page brief.
4 min read
Informational interview questions: ask about last Tuesday, not a typical day
The best informational interview questions ask about the person's recent work. A question bank for warm-ups, the work, career path, industry and closing, plus four to rewrite.
5 min read
Informational interviews: ask for 20 minutes, not a job
An informational interview is a 20 to 30 minute talk about someone's work, never a job ask. Who to ask, a request template, and how to run and follow up on the call.
5 min read
What is an expert network? How it works and what it costs
An expert network finds industry experts and books paid calls with them. How the process works, what published prices show, and what the expert is paid.
4 min read
Evaluate expert relevance before booking a call: check the work, not the title
Judge an expert by the work they personally did and when they did it, then let the first call decide whose perspective you need next.
5 min read
Expert interview questions for an unfamiliar industry: follow one real order
Learn an unfamiliar industry by asking an expert about one real transaction: who starts it, who pays, who decides and what breaks the usual route.
5 min read
How to prepare for an expert interview: start with the decision it should change
Prepare for an expert interview by naming the decision it should change, then write a one-page brief that splits public facts from firsthand experience.
5 min read
Market research interviews: ask each person only what they can know
Market research interviews work when each customer, supplier or operator is asked only what they can know. Map the handoffs, then fill the gaps.
3 min read
What to do when an expert cannot share confidential information: stop asking
When an expert cannot share confidential information, stop asking, change the question only if they can discuss it, and note the gap you still have.
3 min read
What to do when experts disagree in research: check they measured the same thing
When experts disagree, first check whether they described the same work under the same conditions. Then test the one fact still in dispute.
Customer discovery
8 min read
Flat rate pricing: quote one price, and price in the overrun
Flat rate pricing charges one fixed price for a defined job or plan. When it fits, how to set the number from past jobs plus a risk buffer, and how to scope it.
9 min read
Customer development: Steve Blank's four steps, and when to move on
Steve Blank's customer development model in four steps: discovery, validation, creation and company building, with the evidence that tells you when to move on.
10 min read
Customer needs analysis: find the job behind the request
A step-by-step customer needs analysis: separate requests from jobs, write outcome statements, score them by importance and satisfaction, and use it in sales calls.
8 min read
Customer pain points: find them in behavior, then rank them by cost
Customer pain points are problems customers already pay for in time or money. The four common types, how to find real ones, and how to rank them by cost.
9 min read
Value proposition canvas: fill the customer side from interviews before the product side
A value proposition canvas maps customer jobs, pains and gains against your offer. Fill the customer side from interviews, rank pains by severity, then test fit.
7 min read
Cost plus pricing: use it as the floor under your price
Cost plus pricing adds a markup to unit cost. Here is the formula, the markup versus margin mistake, where cost-plus fits, and why software should price above it.
6 min read
Penetration pricing: launch low only if you can raise the price later
Penetration pricing launches low to win share, then raises the price. It works with network effects or switching costs, and fails when price is the only draw.
8 min read
Psychological pricing: what holds up and what looks cheap
Psychological pricing tactics like charm prices, anchors and decoys, what the research shows for each, which ones survive in B2B, and how to test them with buyers.
7 min read
Skimming pricing works when early buyers pay to be first
Skimming pricing launches a new product high for eager early buyers, then steps down. Here is when market skimming works and how to plan the price drop.
8 min read
Bundle pricing works when buyers value the parts differently
Bundle pricing sells several products for one price. It raises revenue when buyers want different pieces, and hides value when everyone wants the same one.
4 min read
Customer discovery interviews with hospital procurement: who to ask and what to ask
How to run customer discovery interviews with hospital procurement: whom to interview, where to find them, what to ask and how to invite them.
8 min read
Freemium pricing works when the free plan stops at the team
Freemium pricing fits B2B software when one person gets value alone and paying starts once a team relies on it. Otherwise use a free trial or a reverse trial.
8 min read
Subscription based pricing: choose the model by how your buyers budget
Subscription based pricing charges a recurring fee. Choose flat, per seat, tiered or hybrid by how buyers budget and why customers churn, then set annual terms.
6 min read
B2B buying process: the six buying jobs and who really does them
How the B2B buying process works: Gartner's six buying jobs, who sits in the buying group, a hospital example, and questions that show how a customer buys.
7 min read
Customer advisory board: how to run one where customers do 80% of the talking
A customer advisory board works when executives mostly listen. Pick a model, invite peers and a few critics, run meetings that end in decisions.
6 min read
How to run a fake door test that measures demand without annoying anyone
A fake door test is a button for a feature you haven't built. Set the threshold first, tell clickers the truth at once, size the test and never take money.
6 min read
The Mom Test, explained: why your mother loves your idea and customers might not
The Mom Test in plain terms: ask about what people have actually done, distrust compliments and predictions, and judge interest by what they commit to.
6 min read
Buyer personas should explain why someone bought (job titles rarely do)
A buyer persona should explain why someone bought. Build one from interviews with recent buyers, using five question areas and a one-page B2B template.
5 min read
How to find product-market fit: find who would miss you, then build for them
Find product-market fit by narrowing to the customers who would be upset to lose your product. The signals to watch and a monthly loop to get there.
5 min read
How to price a product: find three numbers, then test between them
Price a product from three numbers: your cost floor, the buyer's alternatives and the value you create. Then test a range with buyer interviews and adjust.
6 min read
How to run a discovery call where the buyer does most of the talking
A good discovery call ends with a yes, a no or a booked next step. Prepare for 20 minutes, agree the agenda, ask about real events and send a same-day summary.
5 min read
Ideal customer profile: build it from the customers you already won
Build an ideal customer profile from the deals you won and kept, interview those wins to learn why, and test the profile against losses and churn.
6 min read
Jobs to be done, explained: why a milkshake's real rival is a banana
Jobs to be done says customers hire products to make progress in a situation. Here are B2B examples, the four forces behind a switch and an interview guide.
6 min read
Market validation: stop counting compliments and ask for a paid pilot
Market validation is proof buyers will give something up for your idea. Set pass or fail criteria, run problem interviews and expert calls, then ask for a pilot.
6 min read
Product discovery: how to learn what not to build before you build it
Product discovery is how a team decides what to build: story-based interviews, three competing ideas, tests of the riskiest assumptions and the right expert call.
5 min read
SaaS go-to-market strategy: pick one segment, then let price decide how you sell
A SaaS go-to-market strategy is a segment plus a sales motion. Pick the segment first, then let price and approvals decide how you sell, checked by interviews.
5 min read
Sales discovery questions that ask what happened, not what buyers would do
B2B sales discovery questions that ask about recent events, costs and people, grouped by what you need to learn, plus a 45-minute industry research step.
5 min read
Tiered pricing: copy the pattern from GitHub, Notion and Slack, not their tiers
Tiered pricing works when each tier fits a real kind of buyer. See what GitHub, Notion and Slack show, then set your own tiers from customer interviews.
5 min read
Usage-based pricing lives or dies on one choice: what you charge for
Usage-based pricing depends on the unit you charge for. Public examples from Twilio, AWS, Stripe, Notion and GitHub, four tests and the questions to ask.
5 min read
Value-based pricing: how to set a price from your customer's own numbers
Value-based pricing charges a share of what you save a customer versus their next-best option. A worked example, plus the interview questions that get the numbers.
6 min read
Win-loss analysis: how to hear why buyers really said no (and yes)
Win-loss analysis means interviewing won and lost buyers soon after they decide, then comparing the groups. How to scope it, how many to talk to, who asks and what.
5 min read
Customer discovery: write down what you believe, then go prove it wrong
Customer discovery means testing your beliefs about customers by talking to them before you build. How to write beliefs you can disprove and learn from each call.
6 min read
Customer interviews: four stages, starting with the decision you need to make
Customer interviews work when they start from a decision: plan around it, recruit people who do the work, ask about real past events, then check notes against it.
5 min read
Market research to start a business: try to kill the idea before you build it
Market research to start a business: test the riskiest assumption with interviews, size the market from the bottom up, and get a price commitment before you build.
5 min read
Target audience research: why your analytics can't tell you why people buy
Target audience research uses records and public data for who and where, and interviews for why people buy. Then write a description with its evidence.
3 min read
A customer discovery research plan that fits in two weeks
A customer discovery research plan fixes the question, the people and the review dates before you invite anyone. Here is one that fits in two weeks.
6 min read
Customer discovery for spreadsheet replacement software starts with one row
Customer discovery for spreadsheet replacement software: follow one real item through the file, map the handoffs, and list what a replacement must keep.
6 min read
Customer discovery interview script: spend 30 minutes on one real event
A 30-minute customer discovery interview script: timed prompts that rebuild one real event, branches for when the call goes off plan, and a debrief.
4 min read
Customer interview questions: start with the last time it happened
The best customer interview questions ask about a recent, real event. A question bank, follow-ups that keep the answer out of the question, and buying questions.
2 min read
How many customer interviews do you need? Fewer than you think, then check
Plan 4 to 8 customer interviews for one focused question, then read your notes. Stop when you can decide, and switch tests when interviews can't answer.
5 min read
How to choose your first customer segment: name a problem, not an industry
Choose your first customer segment by a specific problem, not an industry, then compare candidates on evidence, alternatives, buyers and access.
4 min read
How to find customers to interview before anyone has bought
Find customers to interview before launch by looking for people already doing the work: software directories, job descriptions and event speakers. Bookkeeping example.
6 min read
How to interview B2B buyers, users and champions (they want different things)
Interview B2B buyers, users and champions about the part of the purchase each one did, then turn their conflicting answers into design questions, not a vote.
5 min read
How to interview churned customers: start long before they canceled
Interview churned customers about what changed before they canceled. A timeline separates setup problems, changed needs, the final trigger and what they do now.
6 min read
How to interview lost deals: rebuild the decision before you trust the reason
To interview lost deals, rebuild the buying decision in order first. Then test whether the stated reason was a real dealbreaker or a tidy story told afterward.
5 min read
How to research willingness to pay without asking "what would you pay?"
To research willingness to pay, reconstruct past purchases, separate value from budget and authority, then watch what buyers do with a concrete offer.
5 min read
How to validate feature requests: find the job behind "just add export"
To validate a feature request, find the task behind it, compare several fixes including doing nothing, and test the biggest unknown before the roadmap.
6 min read
Problem interviews vs solution interviews: why a good demo proves nothing yet
Problem interviews vs solution interviews: learn the current problem first, then test your idea. A decision tree and paired scripts keep the evidence separate.
6 min read
The customer research decision memo: six parts that turn interviews into a test
A customer research decision memo states the recommendation, links it to evidence, shows the case against it and names the next test. Format and fictional example.
Research methods
8 min read
CPG market research: buy scan data last, call the category manager first
CPG market research for small brands: what scan data shows and misses, how to use velocity, shopper and package tests, and which trade people to call.
9 min read
Customer effort score (CES): ask if it was easy, then ask what was hard
Customer effort score asks if you made it easy to get something done. The CES 2.0 question, the 1 to 7 scale, the formula, when to ask, and CES vs NPS.
9 min read
Gabor-Granger pricing: find the revenue peak, then assume it runs high
The Gabor-Granger method asks if people would buy at a ladder of prices to build a demand and revenue curve. How to run it, read it, and where it misleads.
9 min read
Market opportunity analysis: find the one guess that decides go or no-go
How to run a market opportunity analysis that ends in go or no-go: define the buyer, size it bottom up, check rivals and timing, test the key guess. Scorecard included.
9 min read
MaxDiff analysis: show four or five items per set, ask 200 people, then count
MaxDiff analysis (best-worst scaling) ranks a list by asking for the best and worst item in small sets. How to design sets, size the sample and score results.
10 min read
Stakeholder interviews: ask everyone the same questions, then map the disagreements
Stakeholder interviews are one-on-one talks with project insiders before kickoff. Ask everyone the same core questions, then map where their answers disagree.
10 min read
Assumption mapping: how to run the session and pick your first test
Assumption mapping plots what must be true for an idea by importance and evidence. How to run a two-hour session and turn the riskiest note into a first test.
9 min read
Diary study: how to run one people keep logging until the last day
A diary study has people log behavior as it happens over days or weeks. How to pick a logging trigger, set the length, pay in installments and limit drop-off.
9 min read
Ethnographic research for product teams: watch people where the work happens
Ethnographic research means watching people in their own setting. Most teams need a week of diaries and six half-day visits, not months of fieldwork.
9 min read
Heuristic evaluation: three reviewers, Nielsen's 10 heuristics and one afternoon
A heuristic evaluation checks an interface against Nielsen's 10 heuristics. Use three to five evaluators, rate severity 0 to 4, then test with real users.
9 min read
Kano model: sort features into must-haves, performance and delighters
The Kano model sorts features by how customers feel with and without them. How to write the paired questions, score them, read results and know when it fails.
10 min read
Opportunity solution tree: how to build one from real interview stories
How to build an opportunity solution tree: pick one outcome, pull opportunities from interview stories, choose a target, test three solutions, and avoid six common mistakes.
9 min read
Price testing: survey first, A/B test last (and only with the traffic for it)
Price testing methods from cheapest to riskiest: Gabor-Granger and Van Westendorp surveys, fake doors, quote tests, cohort tests and A/B price tests.
9 min read
RFI vs RFP vs RFQ: which one to send, and when to skip the RFI
RFI vs RFP: an RFI learns what exists, an RFP asks for priced solutions to a defined need, an RFQ prices a known spec. Plus when to skip the RFI.
8 min read
Semi-structured interview: fixed core questions, free follow-ups
A semi-structured interview asks everyone the same core questions, then follows up freely. How it compares, how to write the guide, probe and analyze.
9 min read
White space analysis: build the grid, then check the empty cells with buyers
White space analysis maps customer groups against needs to find unserved cells. How to build the grid, sort empty cells and confirm demand with buyers.
8 min read
Brand research: match each question to the cheapest method
Brand research measures awareness, associations, whether buyers think of you and brand equity. Here is which method answers each, and the cheap B2B version.
7 min read
Exploratory research: the marketing research you do before the survey
Exploratory marketing research turns a vague problem into testable hypotheses before you run a survey. Methods, an example, and when to stop exploring.
8 min read
Omnibus surveys: when renting three questions beats a study
Omnibus surveys let many clients share one national poll, paying $500 to $1,000 per question. When they beat a custom survey, and when they fail.
8 min read
Real estate market research: six free datasets, then four local calls
Real estate market research for a local market: which federal dataset answers which question, what the numbers miss, and which four local people to interview.
8 min read
System Usability Scale (SUS): the 10-question system usability survey and how to score it
The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a 10-item system usability survey scored 0 to 100, where 68 is average. The items, scoring steps and a worked example.
8 min read
Tree testing in UX: check the menu with 50 people before anyone designs a screen
A tree test in UX asks people to find things in a text-only version of your menu. Write tasks without tree words, recruit about 50, and read directness.
8 min read
Agriculture market research: size it with USDA data, then call growers before planting
Agriculture market research for agtech and input companies: count acres and farms above a sales line with USDA data, then talk to growers, agronomists and dealers off-season.
7 min read
Automotive market research: read the supplier rulebook before you size the market
Automotive market research for suppliers starts with the carmaker's published supplier rules, then sizes demand with public production and sales data, then interviews buyers.
7 min read
Card sorting in UX: sort with 15 real users before you draw the menu
Card sorting in UX means users group labeled cards so menus match how they think. Run an open sort with at least 15 people from your real audience.
7 min read
Food and beverage market research: free data first, then call buyers
Food and beverage market research should start with free USDA and Census data, add scan data when a retailer expects it, and center on calls with buyers and co-packers.
8 min read
Generative research: what to do before you know the problem
Generative research finds the problem worth solving before you design anything: open interviews, field visits and diary studies with people who do the job.
8 min read
Market trend research: five checks before you trust a trend
Market trend research for a one-off question: check public data series, filings and job postings, then call people who see the trend every day.
7 min read
Porter's competitive strategies: pick one, then ask buyers
Porter's competitive strategies are cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Pick one on purpose, then use win-loss interviews to check buyers reward it.
8 min read
Retail market research starts with Census data and ends in the aisle
Retail market research uses free Census data for the channel trend, store visits for the shelf, and calls with buyers and store managers to learn what keeps a product stocked.
7 min read
Syndicated research: when to buy the report and when to commission
Syndicated research is a study a firm runs once and sells to many buyers. Buy it for market size and major players; use custom research or interviews for your niche.
8 min read
UX competitive analysis: score competitor flows, then ask people who switched
A UX competitive analysis walks two to four competitor flows against Nielsen's 10 heuristics, then interviews people who switched to learn which differences matter.
6 min read
Concept testing: rank ideas on what buyers say, then test what they do
Concept testing works for comparing product ideas and finding confusion, not for forecasting sales. Write each idea the same way, then follow up with a behavior test.
6 min read
Contextual inquiry: why watching someone work beats asking them about it
Contextual inquiry means watching people do their real work and asking as they go. Use it for complex processes, run it in four parts and avoid the common traps.
6 min read
Delphi method: how to get experts to agree without putting them in a room
The Delphi method gets experts to a forecast through anonymous rounds with feedback. How to run one, a worked example with numbers, and where expert calls fit.
7 min read
How to write a discussion guide that sounds like a conversation (with a 45-minute template)
A discussion guide is a loose map: open questions in order, follow-ups ready. Seven steps, a timed 45-minute template, and focus group and usability versions.
6 min read
In-depth interviews (IDIs): when one long conversation beats a survey
In-depth interviews fit when you need to know why people buy, switch or stop. How many to run, how to write the guide, and how to report what you found.
6 min read
Market intelligence: market research that stays current (with a routine)
What market intelligence is, how it differs from competitive intelligence, the free sources that feed it, and a monthly routine a small team can run.
6 min read
Message testing for B2B: make buyers explain your copy back to you
B2B message testing: write variants that make different claims, have buyers explain them back, run a monadic survey, and size any A/B test before you start.
7 min read
PESTLE analysis is easy to fill in and hard to use. Here is how to tie it to a decision
A PESTLE analysis is useful only when each factor is tied to a decision. A template, a made-up EV charging example and whom to interview for each factor.
5 min read
B2B pricing strategy: which of the five to use, and the research behind it
A B2B pricing strategy usually combines cost-plus, competitive and value-based pricing. How each of the five works, a worked example, and the research to back it.
7 min read
Biased survey questions: leading, loaded and double-barreled examples (and fixes)
Biased survey questions, with examples: leading, loaded, double-barreled, agree-disagree and lopsided scales, plus how to rewrite each so the answers mean something.
5 min read
Churn analysis for B2B: the average hides who left, and only they can tell you why
A B2B churn analysis is half arithmetic, half phone calls: calculate churn, GRR and NRR, cut by cohort until losses cluster, then interview those customers.
7 min read
Competitive analysis template: a copyable matrix, filled in for you
A copyable competitive analysis template and competitive matrix, with a filled example and rows that keep competitor claims apart from what buyers told you.
6 min read
Competitive intelligence: how to watch rivals without becoming a spy
Competitive intelligence as a monthly routine: public sources to watch, SCIP's ethics rules, and how to interview former employees without asking for secrets.
6 min read
Competitive landscape: ask where buyers go if prices rise 5%, then draw the map
A competitive landscape maps every option a buyer could switch to. Set the boundary with a 5% price question, group players by what buyers value, then check it.
4 min read
Competitor pricing analysis: compare the job, not the $10 headline price
Competitor pricing analysis compares what one customer pays for one job: the plan that fits, the billing unit and terms, then what recent buyers say mattered.
6 min read
Competitor pricing research: how to find B2B prices hidden behind "contact sales"
Competitor pricing research when B2B prices are hidden: read current and archived pages and procurement records, ask buyers who got quotes, and never ask rivals.
5 min read
Conjoint analysis: plan for at least 300 respondents, then decide if pricing needs it
Conjoint analysis is worth it for pricing when you face a real packaging decision and can reach 300+ qualified buyers. Before that, cheaper methods get you further.
5 min read
Customer journey mapping for B2B: a map without interviews is a list of guesses
Customer journey mapping for B2B in five steps: set the scope, read what you have, draft a hypothesis map, test it in customer interviews, then share it.
7 min read
Customer survey questions for B2B: ask eight or fewer, then call the people whose answers puzzle you
Customer survey questions for B2B: ask eight or fewer, word them around recent events, then call the respondents whose answers you can't explain.
4 min read
Ecommerce market research starts in your own search bar, not an industry report
Good ecommerce market research decides one thing: what to stock next. Read store searches, orders and returns first, then Google Trends and rivals, then interview.
5 min read
Focus group research is good for words and bad for behavior. Here is when to use it
Use focus group research to hear how similar people react and talk about a topic together. Use one-on-one interviews to learn what each person actually did.
5 min read
Go-to-market strategy comes down to five choices. Most plans skip the one about how people buy
A go-to-market strategy is five choices: first buyer, problem, purchase path, channel and price. Check each with buyer research before you spend on a launch.
5 min read
Go-to-market strategy template that flags your guesses
A copyable go-to-market strategy template: nine sections, the research each one needs, and a tag on every answer so your guesses become a research list.
5 min read
How to collect customer feedback in B2B: eight methods, and the one that explains why
Collect customer feedback in B2B by pairing cheap passive channels like support tickets with scheduled calls. Tickets show where people struggle; calls show why.
6 min read
How to write survey questions backwards, starting from the decision
Write survey questions from the decision backwards: one question per fact that could change it, asked about recent behavior, with opt-outs and a pretest.
5 min read
Likert scale questions: good examples and five ways they go wrong
Likert scale questions with examples for customer surveys, the five design mistakes that skew answers, and why the average can hide a split market.
6 min read
Market research survey questions that count what buyers do, not what they promise
Market research survey questions for sizing, pricing and positioning, with the wording to use, why each works and how to check the answers before you act.
6 min read
Net Promoter Score tells you where to look, not why. Here is how to read it
Net Promoter Score is promoters minus detractors on one 0 to 10 question. How to calculate it, find its margin of error, know its limits and call people to learn why.
6 min read
Open-ended survey questions: the text box people skip, and how to fix it
Open-ended survey questions with examples that work, what they cost in skipped answers and reading time, and when a 30-minute interview beats a text box.
6 min read
Porter's five forces: who keeps an industry's profit (and how to check)
Porter's five forces in plain English, a worked example, and the interview questions that tell you whether each force is really as strong as you think.
5 min read
Pricing research: settle who pays before you test a price
Pricing research should settle who pays and what unit you charge on before the price. Here is which method answers which question, with example wording.
5 min read
Product survey questions: ask about what just happened, then call a few people
Good product survey questions ask about a moment that just happened, from setup to cancellation. Ask three to five, keep it to a minute, then call a few respondents.
6 min read
Request for proposal (RFP): most of the work happens before you write it
A good request for proposal starts with research on users and suppliers. Then use an 11-part outline and publish weighted evaluation criteria before bids arrive.
5 min read
Restaurant market research with Census data, NAICS codes and a lunch stakeout
Restaurant market research for one site: pull Census ACS, OnTheMap and NAICS 722511/722513 establishment counts, watch the lunch rush, then test before you sign a lease.
6 min read
SWOT analysis: four lists of opinions until you check them
A SWOT analysis is only as good as its evidence. Use this template and worked example, check each item with customers and industry people, then turn it into actions.
5 min read
TAM, SAM and SOM: the math matters more than the numbers
TAM, SAM and SOM defined, with a bottom-up example built from BLS data and a checklist for showing the math on your market slide so investors can follow it.
6 min read
The procurement process in nine steps, and the three where sellers have the most say
The B2B procurement process runs nine steps, from defining the need to renewal. Sellers have the most influence in the first three, often before buyers call.
6 min read
Types of survey questions: seven formats and the job each one does best
The seven main types of survey questions, from yes/no to open-ended, with examples and one rule for choosing: pick the format by what you need to learn.
6 min read
Usability testing: watch five people struggle, fix it, then watch five more
Usability testing works best in small rounds: five realistic users, tasks that describe situations, fixes, then five more. Here is how, including for B2B experts.
6 min read
Van Westendorp price sensitivity meter: four questions and what they can't tell you
How to run the Van Westendorp price sensitivity meter: the four questions, a worked example you can check by hand, and why it won't forecast B2B sales.
5 min read
Vendor due diligence: 18 questions to ask, and the reference the vendor didn't pick
Match vendor due diligence to the risk: ask 18 questions drawn from U.S. regulators' guidance, then call a customer the vendor didn't hand you.
5 min read
Vendor selection: the scorecard narrows it down, reference calls decide
Vendor selection works best when a weighted scorecard narrows the field and reference calls test the weakest scores. Here is a worked scorecard and the calls.
5 min read
Voice of customer (VoC): sort the feedback you already have before asking for more
A voice of customer program starts with tickets and notes you already collect, adds one or two scores, and uses interviews to explain what moved.
5 min read
What is a good NPS score? Above 0, and then it gets complicated
A good NPS score is anything above 0, and Survicate calls 30+ doing well. Why published benchmarks disagree and how to check your own score before comparing.
5 min read
Willingness to pay: treat every survey answer as a ceiling
Willingness to pay from a survey runs high. Compare direct questions, Van Westendorp, conjoint and real offers, and the bias in each, before you set a price.
4 min read
B2B market research: count with public data, then ask the people who do the work
B2B market research works best as public data for sizing plus a few interviews with operators and buyers. A plan for picking the decision, the roles and the people.
4 min read
Brand awareness survey: ask who they remember before you show the list
How to run a brand awareness survey: unaided before aided, the question order that keeps answers honest, how many responses you need and how to read changes.
6 min read
Competitor analysis: the rival you most need to beat might be a spreadsheet
A competitor analysis lists what buyers could choose instead of you and why: public facts, buyers who compared, and former staff who keep their secrets.
4 min read
Consumer behavior research: trust the order history over the survey
Consumer behavior research works best when it starts with what people did (purchase data, tests, diaries) and uses interviews to explain why.
4 min read
Consumer research: ask about the last thing they bought
Consumer research works best as a small round of interviews about a recent purchase: who to recruit, how to pay them, what to ask and how to use the answers.
5 min read
Customer research methods: start with the question, and the method picks itself
Pick customer research methods by your question: interviews and observation explain why, surveys and analytics count how many. Plus a sequence for small teams.
5 min read
Healthcare market research: why one doctor can't answer your questions
Healthcare market research means interviewing clinicians, administrators and payers, keeping patient details out of notes, and settling drug and device reporting duties.
4 min read
International market research: how to study buyers in a country you don't know
International market research in practice: read the country guide, translate questions for meaning, find local buyers and check whose privacy law applies.
5 min read
Market entry research: find the deal-breaker before you enter a new market
Market entry research for a new country or segment: list what could differ, read the country guide, talk to buyers and distributors, then run a small test.
5 min read
Market research consultant: when one senior person beats a whole firm
Hire a market research consultant for expert judgment on a focused study. Here is when a firm or your own interviews fit better, what each costs and how to vet one.
5 min read
Market research firms come in five types. Pick yours before you call one
Choose the type of market research firm first, then write a brief and compare proposals on method and team. Published prices, timelines and when to skip a firm.
5 min read
Market research for a new product: test the problem first, the market size last
Research a new product in order: reframe the idea as a problem, use internal data, interview buyers, test the concept and commitment, then size the market.
5 min read
Market research for small business: start with one decision you have to make
Small business market research should answer one decision cheaply: your own records, free Census data, a few conversations and a small paid test.
5 min read
Market research methodologies: pick the question first, then the method
Market research methodologies compared: what each method answers, where it fails, and a made-up refill program that uses four of them to make one decision.
5 min read
Market research pricing: published prices, and what eight interviews cost
Market research pricing from published vendor pages: reports, survey responses, interview recruiting and expert calls, plus what eight interviews would cost three ways.
4 min read
Market segmentation research: find the groups that change how you sell
Market segmentation research for small teams: interview to find the differences that matter, count each group with data, and skip the big clustering study until you need it.
5 min read
Market size research: count buyers from the bottom up, not 1% of a huge market
Market size research works best bottom-up: count the unit you charge for with free BLS and Census data, build TAM, SAM and SOM, then test your guesses.
5 min read
Pharmaceutical market research for small teams: settle safety reporting first
Pharmaceutical market research on a small team: read free trial and label data, interview prescribers and payers, and plan adverse event reporting first.
4 min read
Primary market research: interview first, count later
Primary market research is data you collect yourself. Plan it around one decision, interview in rounds of four to eight, then survey only what you can count.
5 min read
Product research survey: write the result sentence before the questions
A product research survey counts how many people think something. Write the sentence you want to prove first, then the questions, then call people about the answers.
5 min read
Qualitative market research: how to find out why people actually buy
Qualitative market research explains why people buy, switch or give up. Pick a method, size the study, recruit the right people and report what you found honestly.
4 min read
Qualitative research interview questions: ask about the last time, not the usual
How to write qualitative research interview questions that get real stories: open question stems, probes that dig, and a broad-to-specific order.
6 min read
Quantitative market research: who answered matters more than how many
Quantitative market research counts how many and how much. Pick a method, write countable questions, size a survey with a margin of error table and report it honestly.
5 min read
Secondary market research: free data first, then spot where it runs out
Secondary market research uses data others already collected. The free sources worth checking, four tests for each number, and the signs you need interviews.
5 min read
Target market analysis: why the biggest market is often the wrong one to pick first
Target market analysis picks one market to sell to first. Set criteria, count each market with public data, fill the gaps with interviews, then test the choice.
4 min read
The product-market fit survey: one question and a 40% line
The product-market fit survey asks how users would feel without your product. The 40% line is a rough signal; follow-up interviews explain the score.
6 min read
Your market research survey should come second, after a few interviews
A market research survey counts answers you already understand. Run a few interviews first, write simple questions, pretest, then call the surprises.
2 min read
Customer interview notes template: write less, then ask the next question
A good customer interview notes template is nearly blank. Jot a few words and your next question during the call, then expand them right after.
5 min read
Interviews vs surveys in customer research: are you asking why, or how many?
Interviews explain why and surveys count how many. Pick by the claim your customer research must support, and use observation and product data for the rest.
2 min read
Live interviews vs written responses in research: book a call for follow-ups
Choose a live interview when you expect follow-up questions and a written reply for one focused question. In Instant Expert, the recipient picks text or voice.
Research synthesis
9 min read
Customer insights: if it changes no decision, it is a fact
A customer insight explains why customers behave as they do and changes a decision. How it differs from data, where to find one, how to write it and test it.
9 min read
Empathy map: build it from interview notes, or it is fan fiction
An empathy map shows what a user says, thinks, does and feels. Fill it from real interview notes, tag every note with its source and label guesses.
6 min read
Affinity mapping: how to turn a wall of sticky notes into decisions
Affinity mapping works when you finish with findings and actions: one observation per note, sort silently, count people instead of notes, then agree what to do.
5 min read
Customer journey map template for B2B, with an evidence row that admits the guesses
A copyable B2B customer journey map template with an evidence row for every guess, a filled-in example, and the interview questions that fill each cell.
4 min read
Customer research repository template: three tabs and a rule about who sees what
A customer research repository template for a small team: linked source, finding and decision records, tight access rules and an owner for upkeep.
3 min read
How to analyze customer interviews: group by the reason, not the complaint
Analyze customer interviews by starting with your decision, writing down what people did, and grouping actions by the reason behind them before you choose a test.
3 min read
How to combine customer interviews with product analytics (and not fool yourself)
To combine customer interviews with product analytics, check what customers said against clean records, then use the gap to pick your next question.
5 min read
User research readout presentation: plan for the person asking "how do we know?"
A user research readout presentation should end in a decision. Use a 45-minute agenda and an objection map so skeptics help you get there.
Expert network comparisons
6 min read
Intro.co and Clarity.fm alternatives: 10 ways to reach people who aren't listed
The best Intro.co and Clarity.fm alternatives for reaching people who aren't listed: expert networks, research panels, Minnect and direct paid invitations.
6 min read
AlphaSense pricing isn't published. Here are the three numbers that are
AlphaSense doesn't publish platform prices. Its AWS listing shows $20,000 for basic access, Vendr reports an $18,375 median, and Tegus calls cost the expert's rate plus $75.
5 min read
Expert network companies compared: GLG, Tegus, Third Bridge, Guidepoint and more
The main expert network companies side by side from their own sites, with GLG vs Third Bridge, Tegus and Guidepoint, and which firms publish prices.
3 min read
Tegus pricing: the expert's rate plus $75, and the part nobody publishes
Tegus pricing explained: what a Tegus expert network call costs, what AlphaSense platform access involves, the questions to ask sales, and alternatives.
3 min read
AlphaSights expert network: hire a team to find experts, or go direct?
AlphaSights is an expert network whose account teams custom-source and qualify experts for your brief. When that is worth it, and when to send paid invitations yourself.
3 min read
GLG expert network: how it works, and when to invite the expert yourself
GLG is an expert network that matches clients with specialists for one-on-one calls. Use it for managed recruiting; go direct when you know whom to ask.
3 min read
Guidepoint expert network: when the research library pays off, and when one call is enough
The Guidepoint expert network fits teams that will use its interview library, surveys and call support. For one conversation, a direct paid invitation is simpler.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs AlphaSense: a research library or one paid conversation?
Pick AlphaSense to research markets across many sources, with Tegus calls on top. Pick Instant Expert to choose one person and send them a paid invitation yourself.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Arbolus: read the customer feedback first, or ask one person?
Arbolus combines software-customer feedback, structured Q&A and expert calls. Use it to study a vendor's customer base. Use Instant Expert to ask one person directly.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Atheneum: buy the conversation or hand over the whole study
Pick Atheneum to hand over interviews, surveys and reports. Pick Instant Expert to reach people for paid calls and replies you run yourself.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Capvision: do you need a conversation or a finished dataset?
Use Capvision when you want consultations, translation or a managed survey delivered. Use Instant Expert to pick people and invite them to a paid call or reply.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Dialectica: hire a team to find experts, or find them yourself
Use Dialectica for custom expert recruitment and Origin company research. Use Instant Expert to find people and send paid invitations yourself.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Focal Fact: do you need a reply, a report or a workshop?
Use Focal Fact for matched experts plus written reports or on-site workshops. Use Instant Expert when one call or reply from someone you pick will answer it.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs GrapeData: are you exploring or counting?
Use GrapeData to run a B2B survey with recruiting and quality checks. Use Instant Expert to explore one person's experience in a paid call or reply.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs IDR: choose IDR when you need a moderator or a translator
Choose IDR when an expert interview needs a moderator, translation or managed recruiting. Choose Instant Expert when you will pick the person and lead the call.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Knowledge Ridge: do you need a conversation or a finished piece of work?
Choose Knowledge Ridge when you need reports, workshops or a longer expert assignment. Choose Instant Expert when one focused paid call or reply is the whole job.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Maven: ad hoc calls from $150, so compare the people
You can try Maven without an annual contract: Ad Hoc Access starts at $150 for 30 minutes. Compare those calls with Instant Expert's individual offers.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs NewtonX: who answers your questions?
Pick NewtonX to have a B2B study recruited and run for you, and Instant Expert to choose people and lead the call yourself. Check which NewtonX answers are simulated.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Nextyn: do you have six hours to run the interviews?
Pick Instant Expert to lead the call yourself, and Nextyn when your team can't attend every interview and wants human or AI moderators to deliver findings.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs proSapient: who should be asking the follow-up questions?
Pick proSapient to have experts sourced and interviewed for you, including by an AI moderator. Pick Instant Expert to lead the call yourself or get a paid reply.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs RightAngle Global: four call terms to get in writing
Pick RightAngle Global for a team that sources experts against your brief, and Instant Expert to pick people yourself. Get the grace period and extra-minute terms first.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Silverlight Research: who finds the expert for your one call?
Both can work for a single consultation. Pick Silverlight Research to have its team source and arrange the expert, and Instant Expert to choose and invite people yourself.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Techspert: a healthcare research team or one call you run?
Pick Techspert for a healthcare study that needs specialist recruiting and interview analysis. Pick Instant Expert for one paid call you choose and lead.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs VISASQ/COLEMAN: who finds the expert, and who runs the call?
Pick VISASQ/COLEMAN when you want a team to find experts and arrange calls, with a moderator if needed. Pick Instant Expert to choose people and invite them yourself.
5 min read
Instant Expert vs Xperts Council: commission the expert search or run it yourself?
Pick Xperts Council to have consultants run a bespoke expert search. Pick Instant Expert to find or import people yourself and offer each a paid call or reply.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Zintro: one paid answer or a week-long diary study?
Pick Zintro when a research study needs participants recruited and coordinated. Pick Instant Expert to choose professionals and pay them for a call or reply.
3 min read
Third Bridge expert network: read its interview library or ask someone new?
Third Bridge is an expert network with an interview library and account managers who source experts for calls. Here is when a direct request fits instead.
Using Instant Expert
5 min read
MCP servers for expert calls: Instant Expert, Guidepoint and Third Bridge compared
MCP servers for expert calls compared: Guidepoint and Third Bridge expose transcript libraries; Instant Expert lets an agent find people and request new calls.
4 min read
Is Instant Expert worth it? Straight answers to six common doubts
Instant Expert is worth it when you can name the experience you need. Straight answers on finding people, paying them, imports, formats and reputation.
Research formats
6 min read
Focus group questions: a sample 90-minute route, from warm-up to wrap-up
Focus group questions in Krueger's five stages, with a sample 90-minute route and moderation tips, including what to do about the person who talks the most.
5 min read
Research interview recording consent: why "Is it okay if I record?" is not enough
Ask for research interview recording consent by explaining what you capture, who uses it and what people can decline. A checklist and adaptable script.
Participant recruitment
5 min read
Research participant recruitment for B2B studies: never trust a single channel
For B2B research participant recruitment, run two or three channels, track every candidate to the session and check experience before booking.
5 min read
How to recruit research participants beyond existing customers without losing focus
Recruit beyond your customers when the decision needs nonusers, former users and people on alternatives. Map the groups, ask about one shared event, fill the biggest gap.
5 min read
Research participant recruitment brief template: write down what your recruiter can't guess
A research participant recruitment brief template that splits essential experience from useful variation, with a copyable example and rules for exceptions.
3 min read
Research screener questions: the three that beat a job title
Good research screener questions check what someone personally does, when they last did it and where, with a rental-return example of what to ask next.
Recruiting
4 min read
Candidate brief template: make every requirement name a task
A candidate brief template that turns a hiring wish list into real tasks, entry capabilities, learnable skills and the evidence to look for.
4 min read
How to compare interview candidates without letting the best storyteller win
Compare interview candidates against the job requirements first, with an evidence matrix that separates low ratings from missing information.
3 min read
How to research a role before hiring: ask someone who has already done the job
Research a role before hiring by listing the work that keeps going wrong, then asking someone who has done the job what it really takes. Write the job after.
5 min read
Interview scorecard template: what a four out of five hides, and how to build one from real work
Build an interview scorecard template from one real task: a question that asks for an example, rating anchors written in advance, and a rule for missing evidence.
4 min read
Structured first interview template: three questions in 40 minutes
A structured first interview template for a small team: three job-related questions, neutral probes, evidence notes and real time for the candidate's questions.
Research recruitment
5 min read
How to recruit research participants with accessibility needs, starting with the invite
Accessible recruitment starts at the invitation. Ask about practical needs, then give every agreed arrangement an owner and a check before the session.
3 min read
Research participant no-show? What to do before you assume they forgot
When a research participant hasn't joined, check the booked time and your own link first, then use the missed-call options on the request.
Sales tool comparisons
2 min read
Instant Expert vs 6sense: a score says where to look, a person says what happened
6sense helps sales and marketing teams prioritize accounts. Instant Expert invites a chosen person to a paid call or reply. Pick by what you need next.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Adapt.io: a prospect list or one useful conversation
Adapt.io builds prospect lists with monthly and daily contact limits. Instant Expert invites selected people to a paid call or reply. Here is when to use each.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Clay: Clay builds the list, Instant Expert gets the conversation
Use Clay to research companies and run outreach across many prospects. Use Instant Expert to invite a few specific people to a paid call or reply.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Cognism: contact data for your sales team or a paid call with one person?
Choose Cognism for prospecting data and CRM enrichment. Choose Instant Expert to offer selected people payment for a call or reply.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Findymail: when clean contact data isn't the missing piece
Findymail finds and verifies contact details and maintains CRM records. Instant Expert pays selected people for a call or reply. Fix the right problem first.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs FullEnrich: you might not need more contact data
FullEnrich fills missing contact details with waterfall enrichment. Instant Expert offers a person payment for a call or reply. Know which gap you have.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Instantly: run a campaign or pay for one call
Instantly runs cold-email campaigns from your sending accounts. Instant Expert invites selected people to a paid call or reply. Pick by what you need next.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Kaspr: LinkedIn contact details or a paid call?
Kaspr gets LinkedIn contact details into your CRM and dialer. Instant Expert invites a known person to a paid call or reply. Plans and credits compared.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Lead411: a hiring signal says where to look, a conversation says what's wrong
Lead411 finds contacts and flags growing companies for steady prospecting. Instant Expert pays a chosen person for a call or reply about one defined question.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Leadfeeder: website visitor data or a paid conversation?
Leadfeeder shows which companies visit your website. Instant Expert invites people to paid calls or replies, whether or not they ever saw your site.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs LeadIQ: faster prospect capture or one paid conversation?
LeadIQ moves prospect details into Salesforce and your sales tools. Instant Expert pays a selected person for a call or reply. Credits and pricing compared.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs lemlist: run a campaign or pay for one specific conversation
lemlist runs sales campaigns across email, LinkedIn and calls. Instant Expert offers a chosen person payment for a call or reply. Pricing units compared.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Lusha: one buys contact details, the other buys someone's time
Lusha sells contact details and runs email sequences. Instant Expert pays a specific person for a call or reply. Here is how the credits and costs differ.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs People Data Labs: records for your software or a call with a person
Choose People Data Labs when an application needs structured person records. Choose Instant Expert when you need a paid call or reply from a person.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Prospeo: a contact export or a paid conversation
Prospeo builds prospect lists and charges credits to export contact details. Instant Expert pays a chosen person for a call or reply. Compare costs and uses.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs SalesIntel: research on contacts or a paid conversation
SalesIntel researches and updates sales contact data. Instant Expert pays a chosen person for a call or reply. Compare Research on Demand, pricing and fit.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Seamless.AI: a sales workspace or one paid invitation
Seamless.AI is a sales workspace for contact search and outreach. Instant Expert pays a chosen person for a call or reply. Compare pricing, imports and fit.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Smartlead: email campaigns at scale or one paid conversation
Smartlead runs email campaigns from many mailboxes with a shared inbox. Instant Expert pays chosen professionals for a call or reply. Plans, prices and when to use each.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Snov.io: campaign credits or paid calls and replies
Snov.io finds contacts and runs email campaigns on two monthly limits. Instant Expert pays chosen professionals for a call or reply. Prices, limits and when to use each.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs UpLead: a contact list or a conversation?
UpLead sells filtered contact records by the credit for sales lists. Instant Expert pays chosen people for a call or reply. Plans, credits and a maintenance-software example.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs ZoomInfo: a sales platform or one paid conversation?
ZoomInfo runs account data and sales workflows across many accounts. Instant Expert pays chosen people for a call or reply. When each fits, with a buying-group example.
Recruiting tool comparisons
2 min read
Instant Expert vs AmazingHiring: search engineers by their work, or pay to talk to a few
AmazingHiring searches engineers' public work and runs outreach campaigns. Instant Expert pays selected people for a call about your role. Here is how to choose.
4 min read
Instant Expert vs Ashby: a whole hiring system, or a few paid introductions?
Ashby runs sourcing, interviews and recruiting reports in one platform. Instant Expert pays selected professionals for a call or reply. Compare scope and pricing.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Beamery: one organizes talent data, the other gets you a conversation
Beamery connects talent data and workforce plans. Instant Expert invites specific professionals to paid conversations. Here is where each fits.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Betterleap: a clinician pipeline or one paid introduction?
Betterleap builds healthcare recruiting pipelines. Instant Expert arranges paid conversations with selected professionals. Here is what to check in each.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs ContactOut: finding someone or getting their time
ContactOut finds candidate contact details and runs recruiting campaigns. Instant Expert offers selected people payment for a call or reply.
5 min read
Instant Expert vs Eightfold AI: an automated assessment or a paid call you run yourself
Eightfold AI runs talent intelligence, recruiting and AI interviews. Instant Expert pays selected professionals for a call or reply. Here is how to test each.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Fetcher: start with the part of recruiting that eats your week
Fetcher sources, reviews and emails candidates. Instant Expert offers paid recruiting introductions. Pick the one that fixes your slowest step.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Findem: revive your old candidate pool or pay for one new conversation
Instant Expert vs Findem: Findem revives the candidate records you already have. Instant Expert pays selected people for one call or reply about a role.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Gem: what Gem changes in Greenhouse, and when a paid call is enough
Instant Expert vs Gem for Greenhouse teams: what Gem adds (uploads, outreach records, sync delays, pricing) and when one paid invitation does the job.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Greenhouse: one starts the conversation, the other runs the hiring
Instant Expert vs Greenhouse: Greenhouse runs applications, interviews and hiring decisions. Instant Expert starts a paid conversation with someone you want.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs hireEZ: recruiting software for every week, or a few paid introductions
Instant Expert vs hireEZ: hireEZ helps run recruiting every week, from $494 a month. Instant Expert pays a few chosen people for a call about one job.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Humanly: screen the applicants you have, or reach someone who hasn't applied
Instant Expert vs Humanly: Humanly automates applicant conversations and scheduling. Instant Expert pays a selected professional for an introduction.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Juicebox: a search engine for every role, or one paid invitation?
Juicebox suits recruiters who search and run sequences every week. Instant Expert pays one professional for a call or reply about a role. Compare plans.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Lever: Lever tracks the candidate, Instant Expert starts the conversation
Lever keeps recruiting records, interviews and follow-up in one place. Instant Expert starts paid conversations with people you choose. Many teams need both.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs LinkedIn Recruiter: an InMail allowance or a paid introduction?
LinkedIn Recruiter fits teams that search and send InMail every week. Instant Expert pays a chosen professional for a call or reply. Compare plans and pricing.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Loxo: Loxo is a full recruiting system, Instant Expert is a paid introduction
Loxo combines ATS, CRM, sourcing and outreach on annual plans from $149 per user. Instant Expert pays selected professionals for a call or reply.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Manatal: count your archived jobs before you pick a plan
Manatal's Professional plan allows 15 jobs per account, and archived jobs count. Compare its seat prices with Instant Expert's paid invitations.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Paradox: scheduling interviews or getting the first yes
Paradox schedules interviews for candidates who already want them. Instant Expert pays selected people for a first call or reply. Pick by where hiring stalls.
2 min read
Instant Expert vs Paraform: hire a recruiter, or make the introduction yourself
Paraform brings specialist recruiters and charges on a hire. Instant Expert pays the people you pick for a call or reply. Pick by who will run the search.
4 min read
Instant Expert vs Recruit CRM: run the whole agency, or open one conversation
Recruit CRM runs an agency's candidates, clients and placements. Instant Expert pays selected professionals for a call or reply. Compare scope and pricing.
4 min read
Instant Expert vs RecruitBot: calibrate the search first, then pay for the introduction
RecruitBot searches candidates and runs email campaigns. Instant Expert pays selected people for a call or reply. Test the search on reasons, not resemblance.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs SeekOut: check which plan searches your old applicants
SeekOut Core costs $179 a month, but searching your old applicants needs a higher plan. Instant Expert pays selected people for a call or reply instead.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs SourceWhale: recruiting sequences at volume, or one paid call?
SourceWhale coordinates recruiting sequences and candidate records. Instant Expert pays a chosen person for a call or reply. Here is what to check in a demo.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Wellfound: free job posts, paid sourcing or a paid introduction?
Wellfound's job posts are free and most of its paid plans list prices. Instant Expert pays chosen people for a call or reply. Pick by the work you need.
3 min read
Instant Expert vs Workable: software to run hiring, or a paid call with one person?
Workable runs hiring for a monthly subscription plus Agent credits. Instant Expert pays chosen people for an introductory call. A worked credit budget is included.