How To Present Research Findings to Senior Leaders
We’ve all been there as researchers- you’ve just received the results of a long project- and you have all these great insights that you just know is going to help your company form a long term strategy to win. Your CMO is excited to hear this strategy and tells you to “shoot them an email of what they need to know.”
After you send all the insights, the only feedback you receive sounds something like “What am I looking at here?” or “I don’t really follow.”
It can feel deflating! The problem is not your insights, they are FANTASTIC. The problem is how you are delivering those insights.
Executives are busy. They don’t have the time to read a long data filled research report like you do. While we all know those details are important, they can also be complex and distract from the big picture takeaways.
At Talk Shoppe, we have developed a few tips to take your research communication to the next level, and get your team members to understand the research easily.
Never send a reference deck “raw”
We love data as much as you do, but reports that are developed for an insight strategy team are not meant for a C-level executive. Full research reports like the ones you receive from Talk Shoppe are meant to arm you with the littlest details that you may need to take the strategy a step further. When presenting to a time-strapped executive however, these details can derail the points you are trying to make.
Create a presentation report to communicate ideas visually
Complex ideas are hard to communicate. Pairing them with visuals ensures your points are seen, makes your findings skimmable, and easier to read. Our research reports are visual for this reason. We like to stick to one main idea per slide because it's easier to visualize. But often, we have supporting details that help explain the key takeaway with more detail and color. We are happy to work with our clients on transforming reference decks into streamlined presentations that are more friendly for executives.
Visualizing reference report material ensures that the key point is crystal clear. Ask yourself “does the data and supporting language on this slide illuminate my key point or distract from it?” If there is something on the slide that you think is important, but feels like it is taking away from the main point, remove it and make it its own slide. If you don’t think it warrants its own slide… it’s not important enough!
Tell them the 10% they need to know
While your research may have unearthed many exciting revelations, we all know that we cannot act on everything at once. Take the time you need as a team to determine the 10% that matters and only present these findings to your senior leaders. Focusing on these most important insights can more easily build consensus and action. If they are curious to know more, then you can send even more of your great insights their way!
There is a time and a place for complex research reports. However, when you are trying to communicate important information, it can get lost if it’s embedded in all the details. The next time you need to motivate or persuade your senior leaders to take action from your research, think about the best way to convey the message to them. Will the full reference report accomplish your goal? Or do you need to distill the information and make it more visual for your leadership to take action?