Proof Points and Credibility Evaluation Survey

Thanks for taking a few minutes to help us understand what actually convinces buyers like you. Your responses are completely confidential and anonymized. We'll show you a few examples of the kind of proof points vendors use — case studies, stats, awards — and ask what does and doesn't land. About 5 minutes.

In the last 3 months, which types of proof points have you encountered from (Replace with your company/vendor name)? (Template note: swap in the vendor or product whose materials you're testing.)

• Customer case studies
• Testimonials or quotes
• Third-party awards or industry rankings
• Security or compliance certifications
• Usage or performance statistics
• Analyst reports (e.g., Gartner, Forrester)
• Live product demonstration

Which of these types of proof points would most and least increase your trust in a vendor's claims?

• Customer case studies
• Customer testimonials or quotes
• Third-party awards or industry rankings
• Security or compliance certifications
• Usage or performance statistics
• Independent analyst reports
• Live product demonstrations

How credible does each of these sample proof-point statements feel to you? (Template note: replace with real headline stats, case-study results, and award claims from your own materials before launching.)

In general, how credible do you find customer case studies as evidence of real-world results?

Based on the proof points you've seen, how confident are you that (Replace with vendor/company name) can actually deliver on its claims?

Highlight the words or phrases below that make this proof point feel most credible — or least believable — to you.

(Template note: replace with an excerpt from your own case study, testimonial, or stats page before launching.) "Acme Corp cut manual reporting time by 40% within the first quarter of using our platfo…

What additional type of proof would most increase your confidence in a vendor's claims?

• More detailed case studies with named customers
• Independent or third-party verification
• Ability to speak directly with a reference customer
• A free trial or hands-on proof-of-concept
• Raw data or methodology behind the statistics
• Nothing else needed — current proof is sufficient

Reference the proof-point type the respondent ranked as most convincing in the trade-off question and ask for a concrete example of it working on them — what specifically did they read or see, and what detail made it feel real rather than marketing spin. If they cited a statistic or award, push on whether they checked the source or methodology, or would want to. Then probe what would still make them hesitant or skeptical, and if they picked the same category as least convincing for a competitor, ask what made the difference.

Which best describes your role in evaluating or purchasing this type of product?

• Decision maker
• Influencer or recommender
• End user
• Researcher or evaluator
• Prefer not to say

How many employees does your organization have?

• 1-50
• 51-200
• 201-1,000
• 1,001-5,000
• 5,000+
• Prefer not to say

Which industry best describes your organization? (Template note: replace with the industry segments relevant to your buyers.)

• Technology or software
• Financial services
• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Retail or consumer goods
• Professional services
• Prefer not to say

That's everything — thank you! Your answers will help us understand which proof points actually earn trust, so we can sharpen the evidence we put in front of buyers like you.