Scale Partnerships As a lean research shop with 2-10 employees and sub-1M revenue, you stand to grow by partnering with larger market research firms as a subcontractor for survey design, fieldwork, data processing, and reporting. This allows you to win larger projects without expanding headcount. Target mid-market and large firms that frequently outsource components of studies, and develop a concise capability deck and case studies to demonstrate reliability and quick turnarounds.

Security Advantage Your use of HSTS signals a security-first approach, which can resonate with regulated clients in healthcare, financial services, and government. Frame your services around secure data collection, privacy protections, and clear data handling agreements to differentiate from lower-security competitors. Consider pursuing basic security certifications or third-party attestations to bolster credibility in RFPs.

Regional Focus Based in Waterford, Michigan, you can leverage local proximity to drive regional opportunities with Michigan state agencies, health systems, universities, and local manufacturers seeking consumer insights. Build relationships through regional trade associations, procurement events, and co-marketing with local business groups to source projects and gather testimonials.

Boutique Positioning Position as a nimble, cost-effective boutique research partner that offers fast turnaround on targeted studies, lower overhead, and flexible scopes. This can appeal to clients who need quick insights or pilot projects before engaging larger vendors. Create packaged offerings such as quick-turn consumer surveys, small-sample qualitative studies, and transparent pricing to win initial engagements.

Analytics Upsell While your current footprint is small, there is an opportunity to add online surveys, basic analytics, and data visualization to deliver end-to-end insights. Propose packaged analytics dashboards and reporting to increase project value and create recurring revenue through retainer or quarterly insights. Pilot an example project demonstrating dashboard-ready deliverables to land longer engagements.