Episode 312: Wanna Nail Your Keynote? Here’s How to Research Your Audience

Written By Erin Diehl
 
 
 

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Great keynotes are researched. If you don’t know your audience, you’re not giving a presentation, you’re giving a monologue. 

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin breaks down her 12-step playbook for audience research — the secret sauce to turning your next keynote, team talk, or training into a can’t-look-away experience. From decoding your audience’s language to tailoring stories that actually land, Erin shows you how curiosity is your most powerful presentation skill. 

If you want to move beyond generic slides and deliver a message that hits home, this episode is your roadmap to relevance, resonance, and results. 

Why Research Is the Real MVP 

No research? No relevance. Erin shares why learning your audience’s world — their pressures, goals, and inside jokes — is the key to crafting content that connects. 

Speak Their Language 

Corporate jargon? Industry slang? Use it wisely. Mirroring your audience’s vocabulary builds instant trust and credibility. 

Customize Your Stories 

Your go-to examples don’t always fit the room. Erin explains how to tweak stories so they sound less like “you” and more like “them.” 

Make It Interactive  

Engagement isn’t luck — it’s design. Learn how to match your delivery style to the room’s energy, whether it’s a ballroom of 500 or a boardroom of 5. 

Close With Impact  

Don’t just end strong — end strategic. Erin shows you how to tie your closing message to what your audience actually measures: KPIs, morale, and motivation. 

Your Play Challenge 

Before your next presentation, spend 15 minutes researching your audience. Read their company news, scan their social posts, or talk to someone who’s been in their shoes. Then ask yourself: What do they need to hear, not just what do I want to say? 

If you’re ready to turn “just another talk” into a keynote that sticks, this episode proves that audience research isn’t extra credit — it’s the main event. 

Blocked time, made lists, promised yourself this time will be different—and yet by 5 PM, the work that actually matters is still staring back at you.  

Enter The Ready-Made 90-Minute Focus Kit: your done-for-you reset for ditching distractions and finally making progress on what matters most. With this simple framework, you’ll reclaim your brainpower, protect your energy, and actually finish the work you care about. 

Download it now and turn “Where did the day go?” into “Wow, I crushed that.” 

No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting) 

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Erin Diehl
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Episode 311: Leading Like You Give a Damn: Building Teams That Thrive with Paula Davis