The idea that a comparative analysis influenced a survey doesn't hold if we had to have the survey itself before starting.
Honestly, would we launch a survey with only 78 responses if we hadn't already invested in the idea of validating initial conclusions?
It should be looked at with fresh eyes; such a sample is like asking just a few people in a café if they like a new menu for the whole restaurant.
For influence to be real and significant, a larger volume of data—say 500 responses—would be needed; otherwise, we can't really stand on this conclusion.