Before diving into questions or data collection, start with a compelling theme and title for your research. Test this abstract concept with internal and external stakeholders to ensure it will resonate. Gerry emphasizes that the title needs to be meaningful and tell people something valuable - this becomes your north star throughout the entire process.

Reach out to industry experts, authors, and thought leaders through LinkedIn to get ongoing feedback throughout your research process. Gerry connects monthly with book authors in his space and leverages conference speakers for iterative input. This external validation not only improves content quality but creates advocates who feel invested in your success.

After establishing your theme, develop specific hypotheses about what your report should deliver in terms of value and findings. This structured approach helps focus your questions and ensures your research will generate actionable insights rather than just interesting data points.

Plan your activation before you finish your research. Gerry's approach includes briefing media under embargo, creating sales enablement materials, preparing social content, building landing pages, and coordinating with PR teams globally. The goal is simultaneous multi-channel launch that creates instant validation and momentum.

Don't let budget constraints kill your research ambitions. While Gerry prefers 3,000-5,000 responses for robust data, he's successfully executed reports with as few as 50-200 responses by making them geographically specific or niche-focused. Partner with cost-effective research firms and remember that even smaller datasets can generate valuable stories and conversation starters.

Your research report is just the beginning. Use the data to fuel fireside chats, webinar series, customer presentations, sales conversations, and ongoing thought leadership content. Gerry treats each report as a "short form book" that becomes the foundation for a year's worth of marketing activities and industry dialogue.