Create a decision document

A research brief should help someone decide whether to pitch and what to say. It should not become a scrapbook of every link you found. Start with the show name, the host or production contact, the official website, and the source of the preferred submission route. Add a date so another teammate can recognize when the information may need checking.

Next, write a short audience description in your own words. Separate what the show explicitly says from what you infer from its episodes. This distinction matters because a confident sentence can hide a weak assumption. The pitch writer needs to know which details are safe to use.

Capture the conversation opportunity

Choose one or two episodes that make the guest relevant. Record the episode title, link, and the specific idea that matters. A note such as “talked about leadership” is too broad. A useful note might say that the host explored delegation but did not discuss how an owner decides which responsibilities to transfer first.

Write a proposed angle that answers that missing question. Then connect it to approved guest evidence: professional experience, a published argument, a relevant project, or a clearly supported personal story. Avoid upgrading a guest’s role or achievements to make a weak match look stronger.

Include the guest’s limits. If the host often requests technical demonstrations, confidential client examples, or claims the guest cannot support, flag that early. A researcher adds value by identifying problems before an outreach email creates expectations.

Keep the handoff compact

End the brief with a recommendation: pitch now, research further, or pass. Explain the decision in a sentence. When more research is needed, name the missing fact and how you intend to verify it. “Needs more work” leaves the next person with the same uncertainty you had.

Use a consistent structure across the team so writers can find the important information without hunting through paragraphs. The goal is a reliable handoff, not a rigid word count. Some shows require a little more context; none need a copied biography of every previous guest.

  • Identity: show, host, official links, and research date.
  • Audience: stated description plus any labeled inference.
  • Opportunity: relevant episode and a fresh conversation angle.
  • Guest evidence: approved facts supporting that angle.
  • Action: submission route, recommendation, and unresolved questions.