An introduction to Done-For-You Primary Research for Investment Professionals
How Woozle's primary research platform outperforms traditional expert networks.
1. Introduction: Changes in Primary Research
Investment professionals often seek unique information to stay ahead. They use primary research to get insights from industry experts, which is key for thorough checks and valid ideas. For many years, traditional expert networks like GLG, AlphaSights, and Guidepoint have connected investors with these experts for one-on-one talks.
The expert network industry has become quite large, with expected global revenue reaching $2.5 billion in 2024 and possibly over $11 billion by 2032. This growth, averaging 16-18% each year for the past decade, shows the strong need for specialised knowledge in a complicated global economy. Companies like GLG, which has over one million experts, hold a big share of a market that is essential for private equity, consulting, and asset management firms.
Yet, despite this growth, the traditional model is facing serious problems. The system that once made information easy to access is now causing inefficiencies, high costs, and rising compliance risks for clients. Investment professionals often find themselves stuck in a model that sells access but requires them to do all the work to generate useful intelligence. Clients waste time vetting, scheduling, interviewing, and transcribing, while paying high fees—often over $1,200 per call—for just an introduction. The networks take 50-70% of the engagement fee, which doesn't match what clients really want: reliable information quickly and efficiently.
This report looks at the problems in the traditional expert network model and explores a new alternative: the "Done-For-You" (DFY) expert research model, created by platforms like Woozle. We will highlight key issues for investment professionals, including costs, time waste, reliance on the same experts, and compliance risks. By comparing this with the DFY approach, we will show how a platform that manages the entire research process—from finding experts to delivering final information—provides better value. This move from a simple access model to a complete intelligence service is the next step in primary research, aiming to improve efficiency, lower costs, and enhance compliance for today's investment firms.
