Content

Maximizing
the Value

Of Fractional
Market Research Talent

Content

  • Strategic Advantages

  • Operational Best Practices

  • Compare Models

    Interactive

  • Cases

Strategic
Advantages

Fractional Insights Talent

The Way Research Is Staffed Is Evolving

Timelines and budgets are becoming tighter, priorities shift faster than ever, and DIY and AI tools are everywhere. As the demands on insights teams grow, many leaders are exploring flexible staffing models that offer both speed and depth. In that shift, insight teams are discovering a new set of strategic advantages.

Strategic
Advantages

Access to Specialized Expertise

Fractional professionals bring deep domain knowledge across methodologies, industries, and tools. Their ability to step into roles with minimal onboarding makes them ideal for high-impact projects, including survey design, segmentation, and advanced analytics.

Scalability and Flexibility

Whether covering a parental leave, managing a surge in workload, or leading a strategic initiative, fractional talent can be deployed quickly and scaled up or down as needed.

Speed to Impact

Pre-vetted professionals can begin contributing within days. Their familiarity with tools like Qualtrics, Survey Monkey, and CRM-integrated dashboards enables rapid deployment and results.

Cost Efficiency

Fractional staffing avoids the costs of full-time salaries, benefits, and lengthy hiring processes. It also reduces risk by allowing companies to pay only for the time and expertise they need.

Take your team to the next level with a strong ROI

With fractional marketing research professionals, you get access to a wide skillset, easily filling gaps in specialized expertise on your team.
Facilitation
DIY Tools Expertise
Syndicated
Insights activation
Quantitative
Innovation
Qualitative
Synthesis / Storytelling
Brand Building
UX & CX

Getting the Most Out of DIY

As DIY platforms and AI tools become more embedded in research workflows, many teams are looking for support that knows how to work within them, not around them.

Fractional experts bring deep experience using these platforms. They know how to design unbiased surveys, select the right methodologies, automate recurring studies, and turn raw data into executive-ready outputs.

Just as importantly, they help internal teams get more from what they already have, building consistency, confidence, and long-term research maturity from within.

Qualtrics
Statista
DSCOUT
SPSS
Zappi
Recollective
Tableau
Survey Monkey
Numerator
Typeform
Loop11

Operational Best Practices

Operational Best Practices

To get the most value from your fractional insights talent, here are a few practical ways to set them up for success and make sure you’re fully leveraging their expertise.

1

Clearly Define
Talent Needs

Log unmet needs over a week to identify where support is needed. Use this to scope the role and match the right skillset.

2

Interview
for Fit

Even for short-term roles, cultural fit matters. Interview multiple candidates to assess communication style, adaptability, and alignment with your team.

3

Access to Tools
and Materials

Provide access to tools and company background materials. Introduce them to stakeholders and the context. Even experienced professionals benefit from understanding your company’s culture and goals.

4

Establish Communication Protocols

Set expectations for check-ins, updates, and feedback. Use collaboration tools to maintain alignment and transparency.

5

Set Clear Performance Expectations

Define KPIs and success criteria upfront. Use regular check-ins to ensure progress and course-correct as needed.

6

Leverage for Capability Building

Fractional staff can train internal teams, create research playbooks, and establish governance for DIY research platforms, building long-term self-sufficiency.

7

Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration

Ensure fractional professionals are integrated into cross-functional teams across marketing, product, and customer experience to maximize strategic alignment.

8

Leverage Classical and Modern Skill Sets

Seek professionals with the skills sets needed to meet you where you are, whether you need someone familiar with the platforms and tools you have on your team today, or you are seeking someone familiar with newer tools not hitting the mark, from DIY to AI-enabled.

9

Foster Continuous Learning

Encourage fractional hires  to share thought-leadership materials, new research techniques and fresh ideas to help keep your organizations skills and perspective dynamic and industry-leading.

Compare Models

Get an overview of fractional insights talent vs traditional hiring
Fractional Talent Traditional Hiring
Cost Structure Billed hourly
Based on type of work being done		 Annual commitment
Includes salary, overhead, and long-term commitment
Speed to Start Almost immediate Longer hiring process
Expertise High-level expertise, pre-vetted May require onboarding and ramp-up
Flexibility Flexible scope, scalable by project Fixed role and scope, harder to adjust
Commitment Length Short- or medium-term engagement Long-term employee role
Strategic Planning Ideal for specific moments of need Depends on hire and their skillset

Get Personalized Recommendations

Explore how to maximize the value of fractional insights support for your specific case

Add a description of your project or challenge

How quickly do you need to get started?

5 – Moderate urgency

How long do you expect the engagement to last?

8 weeks

Real-World Examples

Consumer Goods

Strategic Interim Leadership

A Fortune 500 brand faced a leadership gap in their insights team. By engaging a fractional insights leader, they maintained strategic momentum, led key initiatives, and ensured continuity during a critical transition. The fractional leader provided executive-level guidance and helped upskill internal team members, resulting in a seamless leadership bridge.

Retail

Filling a Critical Gap During Hiring Freeze

One of the U.S. largest grocery retailers was under a hiring freeze but needed to maintain progress on key research initiatives. They brought in a fractional insights professional who quickly integrated with the team, led multiple research projects, and ensured continuity without the need for a full-time hire. This approach preserved project timelines and delivered high-quality insights.

Financial Services

Maximizing DIY Research Platform Investment

A top-tier U.S. banking institution serving millions of consumers and businesses had invested in a DIY research platform but lacked the internal expertise to fully leverage it. A fractional insights expert was brought in to optimize the platform’s use, design high-quality surveys, and train internal teams. This engagement unlocked the full value of the platform and improved the bank’s research maturity.

Conclusion

Fractional marketing research professionals offer a powerful solution for organizations seeking agility, expertise, and cost-effective insights. By strategically integrating these professionals into your team, you can accelerate decision-making, enhance research quality, and build internal capabilities. As the business landscape continues to evolve, the ability to flexibly scale your insights function with seasoned talent will be a key competitive advantage.

SIVO Insights

SIVO is a human-first market research firm specializing in strategic consumer insights and flexible talent solutions. We partner with brands worldwide to uncover what people really need, and help teams act on it with clarity, confidence, and speed.

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Let's talk about your talent needs

Whether you’re facing a short-term gap or need long-term strategic support, SIVO’s On Demand Talent network gives you access to expert researchers, fast. From team coverage to executed research studies, we help you scale your team with the right talent, right when you need it.

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