Why professional services firms should deploy quick-to-market survey reports to deliver timely thought leadership 

Back in 2015, when the idea of a Trump presidency was still a punchline to many, researchers found that most Americans could only pay attention to one task for 8 seconds.  

It may have seemed unbelievable then, but as rapid-fire policy shifts and widespread economic uncertainty continue in today’s digital-first media landscape, it’s becoming easier and easier to see why Americans lose focus faster than a goldfish.  

This poses a problem for professional services firms that leverage research reports to cut through the noise. On the one hand, executives crave up-to-the minute, data-driven thought leadership more than ever—our 2025 State of Digital & Content Marketing survey shows that, after articles, research reports are the most preferred content type for both C-suites and in-house counsel. On the other, today’s hyper-accelerated news cycle makes it increasingly difficult for some data to remain relevant by the time it’s ready to publish—much less hold a reader’s attention for 10-plus pages.  

Consider the time it takes to get research to market. For example, a report on the challenges facing U.S. manufacturers, based on a 20-question survey fielded in February, will likely take 2-3 months to analyze, write, design, and distribute—at which point the respondents’ sentiments may have gone stale, given ongoing zigs and zags in tariff policies. By contrast, a brief, five-question survey report released within 2-3 weeks of fielding can deliver fresh, market-leading insights on timely topics, enabling your firm to gain significant traction with target audiences via owned, earned, and social media.  

Pivoting to a flash or “pulse” survey won’t always be the right play. Topics with a longer lead time (e.g., litigation), business challenge comparisons across industries and geographies and annual reports will still benefit from additional depth and analysis—and the benchmarking data they provide is valuable. Yet it’s also not a binary decision. Supplementing an annual report with a flash survey, for instance, can add substantial value by updating the findings uncovered in the more robust effort; alternatively, firms can use a flash survey to validate research questions for use in a more in-depth report.  

Why you should consider a flash survey  

Flash survey reports deliver rapid-turn insights based on short, ~5-question surveys. The end product: 1-3 pages of designed, easily digestible content and infographics that are ready-made for an associated microsite, versus the 8-10 page (or more) research reports professional services firms typically release.  

The benefits are clear. In sum, flash surveys are:   

• Quicker to market at a moment when publishing relevant data is more important than ever. We’ve found that we can launch a flash survey report within weeks of fielding.  

• Cheaper to produce as marketing budgets hit pause amid ongoing economic volatility.  

• Easier for busy executives to digest in today’s fast-changing business landscape, appealing to survey-fatigued readers looking for brief insights that are timely, relevant, novel, and useful.  

• More targeted. Shorter surveys can help firms home in on targeted audiences’ most pressing challenges instead of trying to boil the ocean with an overly broad approach, which tends to produce more general and banal insights.  

• Catalysts for earned, social, and marketing content. Just because the survey is shorter doesn’t mean the life of the content has to be. With the right distribution strategy, flash surveys can fuel earned media placements, social media campaigns, and more direct forms of client engagement, like webinars and email newsletters.  

• Ideal for search and AI models like ChatGPT. Consistent publishing of new data through owned channels, supported with forward-looking insight, can help firms improve generative engine optimization (GEO). Put simply: flash surveys can help your firm show up more regularly in AI-driven search outputs.  

• Easily repeatable. The above benefits mean flash surveys are easily replicable, keeping current and prospective clients eager for the next round of insights. 

Traditional Research Reports	Flash Surveys
In depth analysis of topics	Monitoring and benchmarking fast-moving issues
Option to explore and compare a range of different issues, sectors, geographies	Greater ability to capitalize on front-page news
Long-term trend monitoring	Targeted, specific insights
Greater opportunity to partner with potential clients and incorporate in-depth interviews	Easy opportunity to engage with clients on top-of-mind topics at regular intervals
Repeatable annually	Repeatable quarterly

How to create a successful flash survey campaign: 5 best practices  

Looking to get started with a flash survey? Consider these five best practices:  

1. Right-size your survey. Flash surveys can work at various levels, from a broad overview of current sentiment (akin to political polling) to a hyper-focused report geared towards a specific audience (e.g., DEI policies for U.S. employers).  

Generally speaking, the former may attract a broader audience—but encounter more competition from other organizations and media outlets—while the latter will reach a smaller but more attentive group. 

Either way works: the key is to carve out a focus area that’s right for your business. Think about what type of survey feels authentic to your organization. For instance, most executives aren’t turning to a mid-sized accounting firm for general economic indicators. A flash survey aimed at CFOs’ greatest accounting challenges in light of the current economic environment may be a better fit.  

Key questions: Where do my organization’s business development goals overlap with our areas of expertise and trust in the market? Who are the buyers or decision-makers we want to target? Can we overlay a particular regional or industry focus? Can we own this topic in the marketplace?  

Remember: Sometimes it’s better to do a deeper dive into a more focused topic that fewer people are talking about than a surface-level investigation of a topic dominating every headline.  

2. Implement key project management controls. If you want to get a survey out fast, it’s important to avoid unnecessary delays. Limiting the number of subject matter expert (SME) reviewers—both in drafting the questions and analyzing the data—can help speed things along. An internal champion who can spearhead the process is critical. Get your design and digital teams involved as early as possible, to ensure the end product looks as good as the insights it contains. 

3. Make your questions count. Start with a hypothesis so that you hold yourself to a clear idea of what the survey will cover. Flash surveys give you less room to work with than a traditional report, so it’s crucial to think strategically about the questions you want to ask. This could mean prioritizing questions that are repeatable and comparable—giving you the option of a quarterly or annual survey—or ensuring your questions help tell a compelling story that won’t become obsolete with the next X or Truth Social post. To that end, don’t “waste” questions pegged to a named event or time. Take a holistic view while still hitting on your target audiences’ biggest pain points. 

4. Visuals count. A flash survey report should illuminate the data in the most clear, engaging, and digestible manner possible–avoid dense blocks of textual analysis. Infographics or interactive visuals are key. Use bullet points or lists for easy reading and drop in pull quotes of SME analysis to supplement the findings.  

5. Create once, share everywhere. Once the report is finished, leverage it to fuel earned media opportunities, provide fodder for direct client outreach, and generate email newsletter, conference/webinar, and social media content. To that end, be sure to equip SMEs with ready-made language they can use to share the key findings on LinkedIn and beyond.  

Deliver timely and useful content, fast  

In a world that’s changing so quickly, executives and in-house counsel need up-to-date information on what peers are doing and guidance from their advisors on what that means for them.  

Flash surveys are one way to do just that. To learn more, contact us.