---
name: sales-pollthepeople
description: "Poll the People (pollthepeople.app) platform help — real-panel consumer creative/message/UX testing with ChatGPT-powered analysis: run an A/B, head-to-head, preference, ranked, or open-ended test past a 500,000+ human panel (100+ targeting options, US default) → vote % plus written rationale that ChatGPT synthesizes into an executive summary + themes, in minutes. A cheaper, UI-only PickFu alternative — no public API, webhooks, Zapier, or MCP. Use when setting up a Poll the People test, picking a test type, writing non-leading questions, split-testing a logo/ad/landing page/Google headline/brand name/design, targeting a consumer audience, budgeting per-response cost or Lite/Plus/Premium plans, reading the AI summary vs raw responses, or exporting without an API. Do NOT use for the validate-before-building method or comparing research tools (use /sales-idea-validation), an API/automation pipeline or larger international panel (use /sales-pickfu), or B2B-panel message testing (use /sales-wynter)."
argument-hint: "[describe what you need help with in Poll the People]"
license: MIT
version: 1.0.0
tags: [sales, market-research, platform]
---

# Poll the People Platform Help

Poll the People (pollthepeople.app) is a **real-panel consumer creative/message-testing** tool with
**ChatGPT-powered analysis**. You create a **test** — A/B / head-to-head, preference, ranked, or
open-ended — pick a **consumer audience** from a **500,000+ human panel** (100+ segmentation options,
US-based by default), and get back **quantified preference (vote %)** plus a **written explanation
from every respondent** that **ChatGPT synthesizes into an executive summary + themes** — usually in
minutes to an hour. Common jobs: logos, ads, landing pages, Google headlines, brand/product names,
Figma designs, videos, packaging, and copy — plus 20+ ready templates.

Its niche vs the rest of the research/validation cluster:
- **Real panel, consumer, self-serve — the direct PickFu competitor.** Poll the People and
  **`/sales-pickfu`** are the two real-panel *consumer* message/creative testers. Poll the People's
  bet is a **cheaper subscription entry** (free Lite tier + $1/response) and **ChatGPT-native
  analysis** front-and-center; PickFu's edge is a **15M+ international panel** and a **real API/MCP/CLI**.
  It is **not synthetic** — unlike Articos/Evelance/Societies it uses **actual people**.
- **Consumer, not B2B.** For hard-to-reach **B2B professionals** (seniority/industry/company size),
  **`/sales-wynter`** is the better instrument; Poll the People's panel is broad consumer, US-skewed.
- **Creative/message testing, not usability or idea validation.** It tells you which *option wins and
  why* with real people — not whether a *built* product is usable (`/sales-lyssna`, `/sales-uxtweak`)
  and not build-or-not (`/sales-idea-validation`).
- **UI-only.** No public REST API, webhooks, Zapier/Make, or MCP — for a programmatic pipeline PickFu
  (API) is the pick; Poll the People is manual export.

**Two things to say almost every time:**
- **A test measures preference (stated), not demand.** "Option B won / people said they'd buy" is
  what a reader *prefers when asked* — **not** a purchase. Keep the winning option and the verbatim
  responses; take the willingness-to-pay / conversion go/no-go to a **real behavior test** (smoke
  test, pre-sale) via `/sales-idea-validation`.
- **Read the raw responses, not just the ChatGPT summary.** The AI executive summary is a genuine
  time-saver on real answers, but it *smooths over* nuance and outliers. Trust the **verbatim
  responses + relative ranking** over the polished summary or absolute scores.

## Step 1 — Gather context

If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated platform knowledge.

Ask only what you can't infer:

1. **What do you want from Poll the People?**
   - A) **Set up a test** — pick a type (A/B / head-to-head / preference / ranked / open-ended) and
     write neutral questions
   - B) **Target an audience** — build a consumer panel by demographics/segmentation (US default;
     advanced targeting is +$0.50/criteria)
   - C) **Read results** — vote %, written rationale, and the **ChatGPT executive summary / themes**
   - D) **Budget** — per-response cost, Lite vs Plus vs Premium, response caps per plan
   - E) **Get data out** — export/automation (there is **no API/webhooks/Zapier/MCP**)
   - F) **Choose** — Poll the People vs PickFu (API + bigger panel) / Wynter (B2B) / synthetic simulators
2. **Consumer audience, or B2B/professional?** If B2B, the panel may be thin — consider `/sales-wynter`.

Skip-ahead: if the user wants the **validate-before-building method** or a **cross-tool comparison**,
that's a `/sales-idea-validation` question — route in Step 2.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

| If the user's question is about… | Route to |
|---|---|
| The **validate-before-building method**, or comparing research/validation tools across the market | `/sales-idea-validation {question}` |
| A **REST API / webhook / MCP / CLI** automation pipeline, or a larger **international** consumer panel | `/sales-pickfu {question}` |
| Running a **real behavior** demand test (smoke-test page, waitlist, pre-sale) after a test | `/sales-idea-validation` or `/sales-funnel` `{question}` |
| **B2B message/positioning testing** on a professional panel (seniority/industry/company size) | `/sales-wynter {question}` |
| **Synthetic-audience** message simulation (AI personas instead of a real panel) | `/sales-evelance` or `/sales-articos` `{question}` |
| **Usability / prototype / IA testing** on a *built* product or design (not preference testing) | `/sales-lyssna` or `/sales-uxtweak` `{question}` |

When routing, give the exact command: "This is a {domain} question — run: `/sales-idea-validation {original question}`"

Otherwise, answer Poll-the-People-specific questions using Step 3.

## Step 3 — Poll the People reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full reference — the test-type table, best-effort
per-response + plan pricing (Lite/Plus/Premium/Enterprise) and response caps, the Test → Question →
Response data model, audience targeting and the +$0.50/criteria advanced-targeting cost, how the
ChatGPT analysis (executive summary, themes, scoring) works and how to read it vs the raw responses,
and the UI-only automation surface (no API — manual export).

There is **no `pollthepeople-api-reference.md`** — Poll the People has **no public API/webhooks/MCP**
(best-effort; confirm at pollthepeople.app). Don't invent endpoints.

Answer using only the relevant section — don't dump the full reference.

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

- **Say the caveat: a test is preference, not demand.** Make explicit that a winning option (or "I'd
  buy this") is what a reader **prefers when asked** — a real signal, but **stated preference, not
  observed demand or a purchase**. Point the user to the **verbatim responses** (the "why", objections,
  confusion) and **relative ranking** over the top-line %, then take the willingness-to-pay / conversion
  go/no-go to a **real behavior test** (smoke test, pre-sale) via `/sales-idea-validation`.
- **Read the raw responses, not just the ChatGPT summary.** The AI **executive summary + themes** save
  time, but the summary is a *synthesis of real answers* that **smooths over nuance, outliers, and
  dissent** — tell the user to **open the verbatim responses**, especially those disagreeing with the
  winner, and treat the summary as a first pass, not the verdict.
- **Insist on neutral, goal-based questions.** Have the user write **non-leading** questions (never "do
  you like this?" / "isn't X better?") and let the panel explain *why* — framing bias is the #1 cause of
  misleading results. Match **audience segmentation** to the real buyer; shallow answers are a
  **question/audience-design** fix, and **bot/fraud detection** auto-rejects poor responses (unbilled).
- **Size a test by responses; call pricing best-effort.** Billing is **~$1/response on top of a plan**:
  **Lite** ($0/mo, 3 tests, ≤250), **Plus** (~$50/mo, 10 tests, ≤500), **Premium** (~$100/mo, unlimited
  tests, ≤2,000, priority support), **Enterprise** (custom, ~$10k+/mo); **advanced targeting
  +$0.50/criteria**, US geo free. Present every number as **best-effort** — point to pollthepeople.app/pricing.
- **Treat automation as UI-only; don't invent endpoints.** On any API/webhook/export question, state
  Poll the People has **no public REST API, webhooks, Zapier/Make, or MCP** (best-effort — confirm at
  pollthepeople.app); data-out is a **manual dashboard export**. Don't design a pipeline or guess
  endpoints; for a programmatic pipeline route to `/sales-pickfu` (real API/MCP/CLI).
- **Choose Poll the People vs PickFu, and match the panel.** Say the split: its edge is a **cheaper
  subscription entry** (free Lite) + **ChatGPT-native analysis**, PickFu's a **15M+ international panel +
  real API/MCP/CLI**. It's **consumer, US-default** — route **B2B** to `/sales-wynter`, **API/international** to `/sales-pickfu`.

If you discover a gotcha or tip not in `references/learnings.md`, append it there with today's date.

## Gotchas

*Best-effort from research (2026-07) — Poll the People's pricing (per-response cost, Lite/Plus/Premium
rates + response caps, advanced-targeting fee), panel size/composition, test-type lineup, ChatGPT
analysis features, and lack of an API change; verify at pollthepeople.app and pollthepeople.app/pricing.*

- **Preference ≠ demand.** A winning option or "I'd buy this" is what a *reader prefers when asked*,
  not a purchase. The verbatim responses (the "why") and relative ranking are the value — take the
  go/no-go to a real behavior test.
- **The ChatGPT summary smooths over nuance — read the raw responses.** The AI executive summary +
  themes save time on real answers, but they hide outliers and dissent. Open the verbatim responses
  (especially the ones disagreeing with the winner); treat the summary as a first pass, not the verdict.
- **Leading questions poison results.** Vague or leading wording ("do you like this?", "isn't X
  better?") is the top cause of misleading data. Write neutral, goal-based questions; the panel
  explains *why* automatically. Shallow answers are a question/audience-design fix, not a dead panel.
- **Priced per response on top of a plan; caps scale with tier.** ~$1/response, plus Lite ($0, ≤250)
  / Plus (~$50/mo, ≤500) / Premium (~$100/mo, ≤2,000) / Enterprise (custom); **advanced targeting
  +$0.50/criteria**, US geo free. Size it before launching; treat all figures as best-effort.
- **No public API/webhooks/MCP/Zapier — automation is manual export.** Don't invent endpoints or design
  a webhook pipeline; for a programmatic pipeline use `/sales-pickfu` (real API/MCP/CLI). Confirm at pollthepeople.app.
- **Consumer, US-skewed panel.** Route hard-to-reach **B2B/professional** audiences to `/sales-wynter`
  and a larger **international** panel or an API to `/sales-pickfu`; verify the audience builds out first.
- **It's real-panel testing, not synthetic and not usability.** For a fast/cheap **synthetic** pre-flight
  use `/sales-evelance` / `/sales-articos`; for a *built* product use `/sales-lyssna` / `/sales-uxtweak`;
  for build-or-not use `/sales-idea-validation`.

## Related skills

- `/sales-pickfu` — The **direct real-panel consumer** competitor: same job (vote % + written rationale in minutes), but a **15M+ international panel** and a **real REST API / MCP / CLI**. Pick PickFu for automation or a bigger/international panel; Poll the People for a cheaper US-consumer entry with built-in ChatGPT analysis. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-pickfu -a claude-code`
- `/sales-wynter` — The **real-panel B2B** message-testing counterpart (80k+ LinkedIn-verified professionals in your ICP, scores + quotes, UI-only/no API). Pick Wynter for hard-to-reach B2B positioning; Poll the People for consumer creative/message testing. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-wynter -a claude-code`
- `/sales-evelance` — The **synthetic** consumer message/creative counterpart (AI personas score copy/creative on 12 psychology metrics, UI-only/no API) — a fast/cheap pre-flight to triage options before deciding with Poll the People's real panel. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-evelance -a claude-code`
- `/sales-articos` — The **synthetic** user-research cousin (bias-diverse AI personas run interviews / concept / A/B tests) — synthetic, not a real panel; use it to pre-flight, then decide with real people. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-articos -a claude-code`
- `/sales-idea-validation` — The tool-agnostic validate-before-building method + the full research/validator tool landscape (use to decide build-or-not; a test "win" is preference, not demand). Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-idea-validation -a claude-code`
- `/sales-lyssna` — Self-serve **usability/IA testing** on a *built* artifact (five-second/first-click/preference, card sort, tree test) — the right tool when the question is "is my product usable", not "which option wins". Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-lyssna -a claude-code`
- `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do -a claude-code`

## Examples

### Example 1: "My logo B won the Poll the People test and the AI summary loved it — ship it?"
**User says**: "I ran an A/B of two logos on Poll the People, B won 61% and the ChatGPT summary said it's more trustworthy and modern. Good enough to make it my brand and expect more signups?"
**Skill does**: Credits the result as a **real** signal — actual consumers preferred B and explained
*why*. Then draws two lines: (1) that's **preference, not demand** — a preferred logo is not a proven
conversion lift; and (2) the **ChatGPT summary smooths over nuance** — directs the user to open the
**verbatim responses**, especially the minority who preferred A, for the real payload. Suggests using
those to sharpen the logo and confirming any lift with a **real behavior test** (A/B the live
site / smoke test) via `/sales-idea-validation`. Notes per-response pricing is best-effort.

### Example 2: "How do I create a test and pull results into my dashboard via the Poll the People API?" (developer/automation)
**User says**: "I want to script Poll the People — create an A/B test, wait for it to finish, and POST the vote % and responses into our internal dashboard. What's the endpoint and how do I authenticate?"
**Skill does**: States plainly that Poll the People has **no public REST API, webhooks, Zapier/Make,
or MCP server** (best-effort — confirm at pollthepeople.app), so there's **no endpoint or key to build
against**, and does **not** invent one — the only data-out is a **manual dashboard export**. Routes an
automated create-and-collect pipeline to `/sales-pickfu` (real REST API base `https://api.pickfu.com/v1`,
MCP server, `@pickfu/cli`), which does the same consumer-panel job programmatically.

### Example 3: "My Poll the People results feel random / responses are shallow — is the panel bad?"
**User says**: "Half my respondents just say 'looks good' and the votes swing every time I run it. Is the panel junk?"
**Skill does**: Explains it's usually a **question/audience-design** problem, not a dead panel: vague or
**leading questions** invite low-effort answers, and a too-broad audience adds noise. Prescribes
**neutral, goal-based questions**, tighter **audience segmentation** to match the real buyer, and a
larger **sample size** for stability — and notes the platform's **bot/fraud detection auto-rejects**
poor-quality responses (you aren't charged for rejected ones). For B2B targets the consumer panel may be
thin — consider `/sales-wynter`; for a larger international panel, `/sales-pickfu`.

## Troubleshooting

### "Where's the Poll the People API / webhook to fire when a test finishes?"
**Symptom**: You're looking for an API key and a webhook to trigger a pipeline when a test completes.
**Cause**: Poll the People is **UI-only** — **no public REST API, webhooks, Zapier/Make, or MCP server** (best-effort; confirm at pollthepeople.app). Data-out is a **manual dashboard export**.
**Solution**: Export results from the dashboard. For a programmatic create-and-collect pipeline, use an API-native consumer-panel tool — route to `/sales-pickfu` (REST API + MCP + CLI). Don't build against guessed endpoints.

### "My Poll the People results swing or feel shallow — is the panel bad?"
**Symptom**: Votes change between runs, or respondents give one-line generic answers.
**Cause**: Usually a **question/audience-design** problem — vague/leading questions and too-broad targeting, not a dead panel.
**Solution**: Write **neutral, goal-based** questions (the panel explains "why" automatically), tighten **audience segmentation** to the real buyer, and increase **sample size** for stability. The platform's **bot/fraud detection** auto-rejects poor-quality responses (unbilled). For B2B targets the consumer panel may be thin — consider `/sales-wynter`.

### "Can I trust the ChatGPT summary, or do I need to read every response?"
**Symptom**: The AI executive summary gives a clean verdict and you want to act on it directly.
**Cause**: The summary is a **synthesis of real responses** — a genuine time-saver, but it **smooths over outliers, dissent, and nuance**, and it's a synthesis, not a vote count.
**Solution**: Use the summary as a **first pass**, then open the **verbatim responses** — especially the minority disagreeing with the winner — and trust the **relative ranking + the raw "why"** over the polished summary or absolute scores. Remember a winner is preference, not demand — take the go/no-go to a real behavior test via `/sales-idea-validation`.