Achieving thought leadership is a critical goal for brands looking to stand out in a competitive market. In our experience, conducting an industry outlook survey is a highly effective way to reach this milestone.
These studies not only provide invaluable insights into your target market, but also generate data-driven content that positions your brand as an authority within your industry.
In this case study, we’ll dive into how Drive Research partnered with a leading software provider to execute a comprehensive industry outlook survey. We’ll break down the project’s objectives, approach, and results—showing you how this research can help elevate your brand’s credibility and influence.
Objectives of the Industry Outlook Survey
A software provider hired Drive Research to complete an industry outlook survey.
The main objective was to gather comparative data from contacts and offer a perspective on the industry it serves to position the company as a thought leader.
Here are some survey question examples for an industry outlook survey:
- Which of the following best describes your job title?
- What services does your company offer?
- What was your company’s annual revenue last year?
- What did you do to meet your business goals last year?
- What are the biggest challenges your company faced last year?
- What is your primary business goal for the upcoming year?
- What are any secondary business goals you have for the upcoming year?
- How do you plan to achieve your goals in the upcoming year?
- By how much do you plan to increase prices in the upcoming year?
- What type(s) of software are you using?
- How satisfied are you with each of the types of software you use?
- Which media channels does your company invest in?
- Which platform generates the highest-quality leads for your company?
Learn more about the art of survey writing.
Approach to the Industry Outlook Survey
Our third-party research firm follows a custom end-to-end approach to survey projects.
It includes working with a dedicated research team, using research best practices throughout each step of the process, and focusing on providing valuable/actionable feedback and insights.
The research process for the industry outlook survey followed a systematic approach:
- Drive Research will review, write, and design a custom survey.
- The question count is assumed to be approximately 30 total questions.
- Drive Research will review and approve the final questionnaire design.
- Drive Research will program/host the online survey and manage fieldwork to generate responses.
- Drive Research will analyze results in total and by segments that are of interest to the client team.
- An online portal for live results will be created and provided as the study progresses.
Here’s an overview of the project timeline for the industry outlook survey:
- Kickoff and survey review - 1 week
- Program and set up - 1 week
- Data collected - 2 weeks
- Data analysis and charts delivered - Drive Research will provide mid-field access to a live results portal
- Report - 2 weeks after data collection closes
Here’s more information on how long market research takes.
Results from the Industry Outlook Survey
The survey took an average of 10 minutes to complete and included 35 questions. The survey received 139 responses. Fieldwork for the survey began on December 2 and lasted until December 11, 2024.
Looking for more? Check out this case study about how to use surveys for lead generation content. The specific research questions and results remain confidential with the client. The final report was compiled into a topline written brief summary report. It included detailed findings, key charts/visualizations, and insights. (These reports are typically 8 to 12 pages in length.)
In addition to the report summary document, the client was also provided with the raw response data (Excel file) and a 60 minute virtual debrief of results with an opportunity for Q&A and follow-up analysis.
Discover Critical Insights About Your Industry Today
Drive Research is a market research company specializing in obtaining key industry data. Our team loves research, and you can tell by the results we deliver. Combining both our experience and passion, we’ll create a project designed to meet the unique needs of your company.
To learn more about our market research services, reach out to us today.
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Emily Taylor
As Director of Operations, Emily does more than wrangle data. Her work includes executing company OKRs, company-wide project management, training/onboarding, team culture initiatives, and more!
Learn more about Emily, here.
