How much existing research do you need to start?
Less than most teams expect. Pervasive Insights™ can calibrate a panel whether you bring a large research archive, only a few past studies, or none at all. Two things set the starting point: how much prior research you already have, and how many calibration surveys we run at onboarding. Even a cold start reaches a panel calibrated across all 19 marketing topic areas, usually within weeks of signing.
Two dials set your starting point
Where you begin is set by two things, used together: how much prior research you already have, and how many calibration surveys we field at onboarding. A larger archive means less new fielding. A smaller archive, or none at all, is covered by a few calibration surveys of your customers. Either way, the panel reaches a baseline calibrated across all 19 marketing topic areas.
Where your prior research fits
You bring whatever you have. There is no minimum.
| Your archive | Datasets you bring | Typical shape |
|---|---|---|
| Light | fewer than 10 | A new prospect or a brand with limited research history |
| Standard | 10 to 25 | An active brand with a few years of history |
| Heavy | more than 25 | An established research operation |
With a heavy archive you choose how much to fold in, from a recent slice to the full history. With little or nothing, the calibration surveys do the work.
How calibration surveys build the panel
At onboarding we field a short set of calibration surveys with your real customers, then calibrate the panel to how they actually answered. More surveys add depth on your priority topics and let us pre-test more concepts and creative. Every level calibrates across all 19 marketing topic areas; the difference is depth.
| Onboarding depth | Calibration surveys | What it calibrates |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 2 surveys | All 19 marketing topic areas, plus an initial concept read. Good for stable categories or a cold start. |
| Standard | 4 surveys | Adds depth on your priority topic areas and tests several concepts and creative. For brands using the panel as their main insights engine. |
| Strategic | 6 surveys | Adds the most depth across priority areas and tests more concepts, creative, and a pricing read. For active innovation pipelines. |
Calibration surveys are run with your real customers. The panel is then calibrated to their answers, with a visible accuracy band per topic.
What a cold start looks like
A brand with little or no prior research is not a problem. We begin with a small set of calibration surveys of your customers, calibrate across all 19 marketing topic areas, and stand up a working panel within weeks of the engagement. From there, every study you run, synthetic or human, adds to your library and sharpens future reads.
How depth grows over time
You are not locked in. Panels are recalibrated on a regular cadence with fresh customer data so results stay current, and you can add targeted calibration projects whenever you launch something new, such as a campaign, a new line, or a pricing question. A small archive today can become a deep one over a season or two of normal use.
Frequently asked questions
Can we start with no prior research at all?
Yes. A cold start is calibrated with a small set of calibration surveys of your customers, reaching a working panel within weeks of signing.
We have hundreds of studies. Do we have to use them all?
No. You choose how much to fold in, from a recent slice to your entire history.
How long until the panel is usable?
Typically within weeks of signing, once the onboarding calibration surveys are fielded.
Does more existing research mean less calibration work?
Generally yes. A larger archive can reduce how many fresh calibration surveys are needed to reach the depth you want.
What is a calibration survey?
A survey of your real customers that we use to tune the panel, so its answers match how your customers actually respond.