How to Do Research for a Presentation

Learn how to do research for a presentation from media coach TJ Walker in this Howcast public speaking video.


So how do you research a presentation? What's the best way?

Now there are obviously the basics, you can go to Google, you can look at what your colleagues did when they gave a presentation on the same subject. But I want to suggest something that's not hard, it's easy, but few people ever do it.

What I would suggest is pick up the phone and actually call people who are going to be in your audience. So if you're talking to customers at an annual sales conference and your speaking to a hundred of them, call three of them a week before and just ask them what they are thinking about.

What are their concerns? What would they be most intrigued by if you were to address it in a speech? This is the most overlooked research opportunity for a speech. It's very simple, it doesn't take a lot of time, and you will get a wealth of information.

So, pick up the phone, call people who are actually going to be in your audience and ask them what they want to hear. Do that and your speech will be successfully researched but also successfully received.

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