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Case Studies

Outcomes our research helped deliver.

Selected anonymised case studies from recent Trends Research engagements. Clients are anonymised on this page; we'll share fuller references and named introductions under NDA where appropriate.

Selected client experience includes work for

PR-LED · 2025

Quantifying the SME impact of inheritance tax reform

The brief: A UK trade and advocacy body needed credible, headline-grade evidence of the impact of proposed inheritance tax reforms on family businesses and the rural economy — in time for the policy window.

What we did: Designed a 28-question survey for family-business and farming SMEs, fielded to 2,100 owners across the UK in seven working days. Cross-cut by region, business type and succession horizon. Produced a press-ready storyline document with the headline 200,000-jobs-at-risk figure, supporting regional breakouts and spokesperson-ready quotes.

The outcome: Picked up across national newspapers, broadcast and trade press in the week of publication. The 200,000 figure became the reference statistic in subsequent political and policy debate. See how we deliver this kind of PR-led survey research.

200k

Headline figure picked up nationally

2,100

SME responses

Brief to publication

40+

Media pickups

CORPORATE · 2024

SME segmentation for a FTSE-250 financial services brand

The brief: An incumbent SME banking and payments brand needed a needs-based segmentation that would predict product preference and channel behaviour — and stand up to scrutiny in board strategy review.

What we did: Quantitative survey of 2,400 SME financial decision-makers across 11 SIC sectors and all 12 UK regions, blending attitudinal, behavioural and firmographic measures. Cluster analysis built five robust segments with strong inter-segment differentiation. Deck included a CFO-facing single-page narrative plus full segment fact-sheets.

The outcome: The segmentation became the operating model for the brand's SME product and marketing teams for the following 18 months, with two new propositions launched against the previously under-served segments. More on our corporate research services and segmentation methodology.

Robust SME segments delivered

2,400

Responses

New propositions launched

18m

Operating model lifespan to date

PR-LED · 2024

SME confidence tracker for an integrated comms agency

The brief: A top-10 UK PR agency needed a recurring SME confidence survey for an enterprise software client — three waves a year, each timed to fiscal events for maximum news pickup.

What we did: Designed a stable tracker instrument with 30% rotating questions and 70% wave-on-wave comparable, so each release carried both trend and topical hooks. Delivered regional breakouts (12 regions) and four sector cuts as standard.

The outcome: Each wave secured national press pickup; trend storyline (year-on-year SME confidence) became a recurring fixture in fiscal coverage. The client retained the programme for a fourth year.

3×/yr

Wave cadence

2,000+

Responses per wave

4yrs

Programme renewed

UK regions reported each wave

CORPORATE · 2024

Concept and pricing validation for a SaaS SME proposition

The brief: An ambitious B2B SaaS scale-up was preparing to launch an SME-tier product and needed to validate proposition framing, feature priorities and pricing tiers before commercial commitment.

What we did: Quantitative validation with 2,000 SME decision-makers in the target sectors, combined with 12 SME owner depth interviews. Tested three proposition framings, four pricing tiers and six feature bundles using a discrete choice exercise.

The outcome: Pricing entry tier landed 22% higher than the client's original assumption; one feature originally planned as MVP was de-prioritised as it materially reduced willingness to pay. Launched on time and ahead of revenue forecast in the first six months.

+22%

Pricing uplift vs assumption

2,000

Quant + 12 depths

Framings tested

Launched ahead of forecast

PUBLIC SECTOR · 2023

SME impact assessment for a UK government policy consultation

The brief: A central government department needed quantified SME impact evidence as part of a formal policy consultation — credible enough to underpin a Regulatory Impact Assessment.

What we did: Designed and fielded a 2,500-SME representative survey across all 21 SIC sections and 12 UK regions, with quotas matched to ONS UK Business Counts. Delivered the dataset plus a 40-page evidence pack written in the format the consultation team needed for departmental publication.

The outcome: Findings were cited in the published consultation response and informed final policy adjustment. Department has since commissioned two further SME impact projects. See related SME sector research.

2,500

Representative SMEs

SIC sectors covered

40pp

Evidence pack delivered

Follow-on commissions

CORPORATE · 2023

SME brand tracker for a UK utilities provider

The brief: A UK utilities brand needed a wave-on-wave brand tracker for the SME segment specifically — its prior tracker had collapsed at SME size because of sample limitations.

What we did: Designed a 12-minute tracker with consistent quarterly waves of 2,000 SME decision-makers, ensuring SME cuts remained statistically robust quarter to quarter. Built dashboarded reporting with category benchmarks against competitors and a quarterly analyst readout.

The outcome: The first SME-specific tracker the brand had ever run with reliable quarterly trend lines. Used as input into board-level brand investment decisions.

Quarterly waves and counting

2,000

SMEs per wave

Competitors benchmarked

Board

Reporting cadence reached