When it comes to launching a new product or re-positioning an existing one, your product claims can be make-or-break. But diving into a single round of research and expecting a clear winner can lead to results that lack confidence or direction.

That’s why a multi-round claims testing strategy is so important. By spreading testing across early, mid, and final stages, brands can evolve their messaging with focus – ensuring initial ideas are filtered, refined, and validated before making it to market. This approach not only strengthens your chances of landing a resonant claim, it reduces the risk of costly misfires downstream.

What is multi-round claims testing?

Multi-round claims testing is a staged research process used to evaluate and improve marketing or product claims over time, rather than all at once. The goal is to progressively eliminate weaker claims and refine the stronger ones based on real consumer feedback and data insights. Each round builds on the previous one – screening, optimizing, and then prioritizing claims for final decision-making.

Why it matters:

• Increases accuracy: You're not relying on a single snapshot – each round helps validate and improve claim performance with evolving insights.
• Boosts messaging consistency: Refining claims over time allows teams to align on tone, benefits, and product-position alignment.
• Reduces blind spots: Early claim drafts often include assumptions – testing in phases helps uncover what actually resonates before moving forward.

This strategy is particularly useful for teams using DIY market research tools like AYTM, where agility and speed are essential. But speed isn’t everything – structure and strategic input matter just as much to ensure the research stays focused and actionable. That’s why many organizations lean on professional insights support through SIVO’s On Demand Talent to help manage the process and extract deeper meaning from the results.

From early claims screening to mid-stage optimization and final decision-making, a structured, multi-round process opens the door to stronger messaging – and better market performance in the long run.

AYTM is a leading DIY market research platform that’s trusted by brands to launch surveys, conduct quantitative testing, and gather fast consumer feedback. When used effectively, it’s a powerful tool for claims testing – but structuring your testing path in stages is key to getting useful, strategic-level results.

Let’s break down how to execute a multi-round claims testing strategy using AYTM’s capabilities. Each phase has a unique purpose in the journey from rough idea to refined, data-backed product messaging.

Early Round: Screening and Elimination

This is where you cast a wide net. You may start with 10–15 early-stage claims based on brainstorming sessions, stakeholder input, or previous customer feedback. The goal of this first round is to eliminate the bottom-tier ideas and isolate those with initial appeal.

How AYTM helps:

• Use monadic or sequential monadic testing to show each claim separately and gather individual feedback
• Test for metrics like believability, uniqueness, relevance, or purchase intent
• Segment responses by demographic to identify subgroup trends

At this stage, speed is more important than polish. You’re identifying direction, not perfection.

Mid Round: Refinement and Optimization

With the top 4–6 claims moved forward, your mid-round testing should focus on improvement and clarity. Here’s where the wording, tone, and benefits can be refined based on consumer feedback. You may A/B test variations or zero in on audience preferences.

How AYTM helps: Use AYTM’s advanced question types and logic rules to test alternative phrasings or add comparison prompts. You might also introduce competitive claims to gauge differentiation.

This is also the point where having expert guidance really pays off. SIVO’s On Demand Talent professionals can step in to help dissect nuanced feedback, recommend refinements, and ensure each claim is aligned with your core brand positioning. Their experience with market research tools like AYTM ensures quality and rigor doesn’t slip through the cracks.

Final Round: Prioritization and Validation

Once your claims are honed, the final round is all about prioritization. Which claim best supports your product's value proposition? Which generates the strongest purchase intent? Which message is most memorable?

In AYTM, this could mean:

• Conducting MaxDiff or Conjoint analysis to pinpoint top performers
• Comparing claims head-to-head with competitors in simulated decision tasks
• Validating top claims with larger sample sizes for greater confidence

At the end of this 3-stage process – screening, refining, prioritizing – your team will be equipped with compelling, well-vetted product claims backed by consumer insight. And the value can last far beyond a single launch. This structured approach helps build foundational messaging that fuels content, packaging, and campaigns across touchpoints.

Structured correctly, AYTM gives you the tools; On Demand Talent brings the expertise to ensure each round delivers its purpose. Together, they form a robust strategy for high-impact consumer claims testing.

Common Pitfalls of DIY Claims Testing Without Expert Oversight

DIY market research platforms like AYTM empower teams to move faster and test more ideas with fewer resources – but going it alone comes with risks. Without expert guidance, even well-designed claims testing strategies can produce misleading results or fall short of their full potential.

When using self-serve tools like AYTM for multi-round claims testing, knowledge gaps can lead to mistakes in study design, benchmarking, and interpretation. These issues can impact how consumer feedback is translated into business decisions.

Here are some of the most common pitfalls:

• Poor claim framing: Subtle wording choices can significantly shape how consumers respond. Without a research expert’s eye, claims might be leading, vague, or too technical, compromising your read on effectiveness.
• Inconsistent stimuli across rounds: When teams run multi-stage testing without continuity, claims may be presented differently across phases, preventing apples-to-apples comparisons.
• Insufficient screening or targeting: If the right audience isn’t precisely defined and filtered up front, results won’t reflect the views of your core consumers.
• Flawed metrics and KPIs: Not aligning claims with specific business objectives or oversimplifying metrics (like only relying on purchase intent) can lead to missed signals.
• Data noise without direction: Without an experienced professional to interpret patterns, you risk overvaluing outliers or dismissing important nuances.

For example, in a fictional case with a CPG startup using AYTM, the team skipped mid-stage refinement and tested 15 claims head-to-head. The result? Overloaded respondents and unclear winners. With expert input, they could have filtered down claims earlier and ensured clearer differentiation by the final round.

In short, fully DIY efforts may produce fast results, but not necessarily actionable results. When so much hinges on what claim makes it to packaging or advertising, overlooking expert oversight becomes a tactical risk, not just a process shortcut.

Elevating Your Claims Strategy with On Demand Talent

When you're working within fast timelines and lean teams, On Demand Talent can be the difference between simply collecting data and truly making it meaningful. At SIVO, our On Demand Talent network connects businesses with experienced insights professionals – not freelancers or consultants – who can embed into your team and elevate your use of tools like AYTM.

These experts bring the strategic lens needed to ensure your claims testing workflow doesn’t just check boxes but supports real decision-making. Whether it’s selecting the right mix of product claims for testing, designing phased quantitative studies, or refining the claims evolution path, On Demand Talent ensures clear, consumer-centered outcomes.

How On Demand Talent makes DIY tools work harder for you:

• Upfront research planning: Expert input helps frame the business question, define success criteria, and design a roadmap for screening, refinement, and prioritization.
• Tool fluency: On Demand Talent professionals are skilled in market research tools like AYTM, unlocking advanced features and methodologies that internal teams may underuse or overlook.
• Seamless phase-to-phase alignment: Consistency across rounds is critical in multi-round claims testing. Experts ensure your test variables and audiences are aligned for reliable comparison and prioritization.
• Actionable interpretation: Instead of just reading toplines, you get insights that clarify what matters to consumers – and how to speak to them most persuasively.

One fictional scenario: a beverage company used On Demand Talent to manage a three-round claims screening on AYTM. The expert helped define initial success thresholds, guided claim refinements mid-way, and ultimately prioritized claims likely to win in market based on a full array of attributes – not just liking or interest.

As teams invest more in DIY market research platforms, pairing those tools with human expertise is not a luxury – it's what protects against wasted spend and missed insights. Partnering with On Demand Talent gives your team on-tap access to the seasoned perspective needed to ensure every phase of claims testing supports smarter growth strategies.

Tips for Getting Better Results from Your Claims Testing Workflow

Whether you're new to claims testing or looking to improve your current process in AYTM research, a few strategic adjustments can dramatically enhance your outcomes. Here's how to ensure every round – from early screening to final prioritization – delivers insight with impact.

1. Start with a clear business goal

Every claim should tie back to a larger objective, whether that’s improving brand perception, driving purchase intent, or differentiating from competitors. A well-articulated goal shapes how you define “winning” claims. Before you build a survey, ask: What decision will these results inform?

2. Prioritize claim variety upfront

During the initial screening phase, be sure your claim set captures a broad range of messages – emotional, functional, rational, and benefit-driven. Consumers may respond in unexpected ways, so variety helps surface curious new angles and prevents early tunnel vision.

3. Use progressive narrowing

A core tenet of a multi-round claims testing strategy is refinement. Don’t try to cram everything into a single quantitative survey. Use the first round for directional learnings, then tighten focus in the second and third rounds. This phased approach makes it easier to eliminate weak performers and sharpen your remaining options.

4. Go beyond top-2 boxes

Instead of only looking at high-level scores like "definitely would buy," dig deeper. Metric combinations – such as uniqueness, believability, and relevance – can give you a fuller view of why a claim performs well. AYTM lets you customize KPIs, so take advantage of that flexibility.

5. Involve insights experts to synthesize findings

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of experienced interpretation. Whether it’s a fractional insights lead or a consumer psychologist from SIVO’s On Demand Talent network, bringing in an external voice to connect the dots helps protect against internal bias and brings fresh clarity to your claims evolution path in research.

As DIY market research continues to evolve with AI and automation, the ability to combine platform strengths with human insight is more important than ever. Building a smarter workflow helps you prioritize product claims not just based on numbers – but on their power to stand out and resonate with your audience.