Research proposals win or lose on credibility and clarity. This template is designed for agencies pitching AI-moderated research to clients who may be unfamiliar with the methodology.
Section 1: Executive Summary
Frame the business problem, not the research methodology. Example:
“[Client] needs to understand why brand consideration is declining in the 25-34 demographic before Q3 campaign planning. We propose a 100-interview brand perception study targeting lapsed and current customers, delivering actionable strategic recommendations within 5 business days.”
Section 2: Methodology Overview
Describe the methodology in client-friendly language:
“Our research methodology uses structured depth interviews with adaptive probing. Each participant engages in a 30+ minute conversation where follow-up questions are calibrated to their specific responses, reaching 5-7 levels of motivational depth. This produces the same quality of insight as expert human moderation while enabling 100+ simultaneous conversations for statistically meaningful patterns.”
Key points to include:
- Interview depth (30+ minutes, not a 5-minute survey)
- Laddering methodology (5-7 levels, with example progression)
- Sample size advantage (100+ interviews vs. typical 15-25)
- 98% participant satisfaction rate
- Non-leading question design
Section 3: Study Design
Customize per engagement:
- Research objectives (3-5 specific questions the study answers)
- Target audience (demographics, behavioral criteria, screening requirements)
- Sample size with rationale (thematic saturation + segment-level analysis)
- Discussion guide overview (core questions, not the full guide)
- Analysis framework (how findings will be structured)
Section 4: Timeline
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Study design finalized, recruitment begins |
| Day 2-3 | Interviews conducted (100+ simultaneous) |
| Day 4 | Analysis and synthesis |
| Day 5 | Client deliverable and debrief |
Section 5: Pricing
Present 2-3 options (good/better/best):
- Essential: 50 interviews, insight brief, $3,000-$5,000
- Standard: 100 interviews, strategic deck, segment analysis, $7,000-$12,000
- Comprehensive: 150+ interviews, multi-segment, competitive benchmarking, $12,000-$20,000
Section 6: Intelligence Hub Value
Close with the compounding value proposition: “All findings are indexed in a searchable Intelligence Hub. Future studies build on this baseline, reducing exploratory time by 30-40% and enabling longitudinal tracking.”
For the full guide on building agency research services and research interview question templates, see our agency resources. Visit User Intuition for agencies.