About this episode
In Episode 312 of Workday Playdate, Erin unpacks the not-so-secret sauce behind every unforgettable presentation: research. Whether you’re delivering a keynote, leading a team meeting, or pitching a new idea, understanding your audience is what turns a talk into a transformation. Erin walks you through her playbook for audience research — a repeatable process that helps you craft keynotes that actually land. You’ll learn how to decode your audience’s language, tailor your stories to their world, and design an experience that feels less like a lecture and more like a moment. If you’ve ever wondered why some presentations click while others fizzle, this episode is your roadmap to relevance, resonance, and results. Inside This Episode: Research is Key: Why understanding your audience’s needs and challenges is the foundation of every great talk. Speak Their Language: How mirroring your audience’s words builds instant rapport and credibility. Tailor Your Stories: Tips for customizing examples that feel authentic and deeply relatable. Interactive Formats: How to use improv-inspired techniques to read the room and adapt on the fly. Close the Loop: End with actionable insights tied to what your audience actually cares about — their KPIs. Who This Episode Is For: Keynote speakers who want to move beyond cookie-cutter content. Talent development pros crafting workshops that land with impact. Leaders looking to make every presentation more engaging, relevant, and human. Tune in to learn how doing your homework can turn any presentation from “fine” to phenomenal — and why audience research might just be the most generous thing you can do as a speaker. 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) Did today’s episode resonate with you? Leave us a review sharing your favorite insight and we’ll send you a free signed copy of I See You! A Leader’s Guide to Energizing Your Team through Radical Empathy. Have another question that we can answer? Leave us a Speakpipe audio clip and we’ll answer it in an upcoming episode. Don’t want to miss another episode? If you’re a Spotify listener, find our show here and click “Follow.” If you’re an Apple Podcast listener, click here and make sure to hit “+Follow.” Want access to a bunch of free resources for your work life? This is your personal jackpot that gives you access to the frameworks that help us thrive both personally and professionally. Whether you’re trying to improve your daily routine, flesh out an idea that you’ve had for quite some time, or want to add more play into your day - these resources have got your back. Want 2 emails a week from us? One with a quick tip you can implement right away to enhance your personal and/or professional lives & one of our famous F.A.I.L. Fourward Friday newsletters? Subscribe here . Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it! Erin’s website Erin’s Instagram Erin’s TikTok Erin’s LinkedIn improve it!’s website improve it!’s Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .