Impactful Speaker: 7 Ways Original Research Advances Your Reach

If you want to work as an impactful speaker, it’s crucial to obtain a healthy grasp of the different ways to do so. Of course, there are countless ways to grow, but original research will specifically help your research credibility in the way audiences view your expertise.

Being an expert allows you to speak with impact. So whether you are passionate about thought leadership or simply want to learn more examples of how to speak with impact, you’ve come to the right place.

There are many benefits of publishing original research—one is the advancement of your reach. Writing an original research article builds your credibility on your specific topic. But to write a successful article, it’s helpful to have an example of original research.

What Is Original Research?

Original research is the report of a study written by the individual who performed the study. These researchers describe the details of their study and any hypotheses or research questions, and their methods.

Your research doesn’t need to take 20 years to be considered qualified research. While this may be true in some cases, a shorter timeline is possible.

Original research enables the presenter to start from the ground up. A researcher or speaker may base their presentation on personal findings rather than research performed by others. While original research is as standalone as possible, it does rely on existing data in some capacity.

How to Become An Impactful Speaker

How Original Research Makes You An Impactful Speaker:

Mike interviewed several children across ages and social norms to understand the most impactful age for kids emotionally. The research enabled him to develop a program for adolescents, and he later used the findings from his experiment in his speech.

In her TEDx talk, Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique, Cynthia Thurlow shares her personal research and propels her passion for female hormonal health. To date, Cynthia’s TEDx talk has over 10 million views.

Using primary sources can heighten your chances of becoming a sought-after speaker, whether as a motivational speaker, inspirational speaker, or someone asking you to present a keynote speech. Thought-Leader’s TED coaching program will teach you how to leverage primary sources.

So what are the seven ways original research makes you an impactful speaker?

1. It Makes You Appear More Credible

For a message to come across as genuine and renowned, public speakers need to possess some level of credibility. Original research helps you appear credible because your methods/results are the foundation of your platform. While you may take an opportunity as a keynote speaker because you love motivational speaking, your research is what sets you apart from other speakers.

In addition, your level of credibility directly influences your audiences’ reception of your talks. Original research helps you build that credibility and impacts how audiences view your expertise.

2. Engages Audience With A Unique Perspective

If you want to be an impactful speaker, chances are you watch other speakers in the world so you can learn from them. One of the main factors you likely notice is how intentional they are about engaging with their audience.

Speakers often present unique insights and solutions. They don’t just engage their audience with basic information. Instead, their research presents the level of content their audience needs. This engagement represents the value only a credible speaker can bring.

A great speaker is not just talented at public speaking. This person draws from their original researchers’ data and presents it well. When working to engage your audience, keep these three-pointers in mind. Create content that is:

3. Research Passion Piques Audience Interest

When you have a deep understanding of something, you’re able to speak more confidently when presenting

Even if your presentation is as short as 15 minutes, when you present research you are passionate about, you engage interested listeners. Those few minutes will impact audiences for hours, if not weeks and years. Something as simple as a well-researched, interesting presentation can take your talk from factual data to intrigue.

4. Builds Relationships With Listeners

Let’s say you are passionate about creative writing but have watched many dreamers give up on their journey to publication. You wonder why and conduct your study to find out. Presenting this type of research will build more significant relationships with your listeners than if you spouted cold facts.

Sharing your personal story and research builds a much stronger relationship than simple facts you have no relation to. Public speaking focuses on the relationship between you and your audience. Consider how conducting your original research can build this relationship. A good public speaking coach can help you!

5. Makes You More Relatable

These individuals appear more human because they do not include heady research studies by places like Harvard. Instead, the research presented is relatable and something the audience can connect with.

Additionally, the research conducted is usually performed on individuals the audience can relate to. For example, Mike Iskandar’s research was performed across various youth and adults within his community. Because he could put faces to the individuals behind his study, his presentation was more relatable.

6. Makes It Easier To Create Visual Aids

Did you know visual aids are 43% more impactful on an audience? When you invest your time in original research, you must present it aesthetically pleasingly. Many times, showcasing your research involves some type of visual aid.

Whether you choose to use graphics or poll results on your slides, a handheld aid, or something entirely different, visual aids increase the impact on your audience. Remember, the purpose of any visual aid is twofold:

7. Reveals Your Understanding Of Your Topic

Because impactful speakers put so much work into their research, they present their data in a way others simply can’t. This hard-earned research reveals your deep understanding of your topic and makes your speech more impactful. So, note how you can allow your understanding to shine through as you give your speech.

For example, you likely sat through hours of monotonous lectures with quality data and research but found little interest in the speech. If you begin your speech with facts you simply pulled from the internet, your audience will likely feel disconnected from you, just as you felt disconnected from the speaker as you sat through those lectures. Consider undertaking speech writing training to perfect all these details.

However, your understanding will show when you share the backround story involved in gathering your hard-earned facts. Keep this in mind as you conduct your research. Your depth of understanding will stay with audiences long after they forget your shared facts.

How To Use Original Research To Create Powerful Impact

Audiences gravitate to speakers who possess credibility and relatability, and original research links these two factors. While you could get by with one or the other, embodying both will set you ahead. The more relatable you are, and the more you build on the foundation of credibility, the further your reach.

Original research will not only be an aid in your credibility but an outlet for your passion. Togher, these two pieces can take you from an idea to the world’s most prominent stages. So, while original research may seem a bit overwhelming, it is the foundation for sharing your passion and presenting yourself as a credible, authentic resource.

Yes, you can use others’ research, but sharing your own provides your audience with a fresh perspective on your topic and a look at why you are so passionate about it. Passionate speakers impact audiences. Impacted audiences grow your reach, and the further your reach, the bigger your stage.