How to Research Someone Before a Meeting (The Right Way)

Why Pre-Meeting Research Matters More Than Ever

A 2025 study by Gong found that sales reps who reference a prospect's recent activity in the first two minutes of a call see 41% higher close rates. In recruiting, candidates who demonstrate knowledge of an interviewer's background receive offers at nearly double the rate of those who do not. The data is clear: preparation wins.

Yet most professionals still wing it. They skim a LinkedIn profile for 30 seconds, glance at a job title, and hope for the best. The result? Awkward silences, generic small talk, and missed opportunities to build genuine rapport.

Thorough pre-meeting research does three things. First, it gives you conversation starters that feel natural rather than forced. Second, it helps you anticipate objections and tailor your pitch. Third, it signals respect. When someone realises you took the time to learn about them, they trust you more.

Step 1: Start With LinkedIn (But Go Deeper Than the Headline)

LinkedIn is the obvious starting point, and for good reason. It is the world's largest professional network, and most people keep their profiles reasonably up to date. But the mistake most people make is stopping at the headline and current role.

Here is what to actually look for:

• Recent posts and articles. Has the person published anything in the last 30 days? If they wrote about a trend in their industry, mentioning it casually in your meeting shows you pay attention. Check the “Activity” tab on their profile.
• Career trajectory. Look at where they were before their current role. Did they pivot industries? Climb the ladder at the same company? This gives you insight into their priorities and motivations.
• Skills and endorsements. The top three skills on a LinkedIn profile reveal what someone wants to be known for. Use these to frame your conversation around their strengths.
• Shared connections. Mutual contacts are pure gold. A warm mention like “I see we both know Sarah at Acme Corp” builds immediate trust.
• Education and volunteer work. These often reveal personal interests that go beyond the professional persona. A shared alma mater or cause can be a powerful icebreaker.

For a deeper dive on LinkedIn-specific techniques, see our dedicated guide on how to research someone on LinkedIn before a meeting.

Step 2: Check Google News and Press Releases

Google the person's name in quotes, along with their company. Then click the “News” tab. You are looking for:

• Recent funding rounds or acquisitions. If their company just raised a Series B, that changes the entire dynamic of the conversation. They are in growth mode and thinking about scale.
• Product launches or pivots. Knowing what they just shipped shows you are paying attention to their business, not just their profile.
• Interviews and podcast appearances. If they have been quoted in the press or appeared on a podcast, listen to it. You will understand their communication style and priorities in a way that a LinkedIn profile cannot reveal.
• Awards and recognitions. People love to be acknowledged. If they recently won an industry award, congratulating them is the easiest rapport-builder imaginable.

Also check the company's press page directly. Many organisations publish announcements that never make it to Google News. A Crunchbase search can surface funding and hiring data that rounds out your picture.

Step 3: Scan Twitter / X for Real-Time Takes

Twitter (now X) is where people share opinions they would never put on LinkedIn. It is more raw, more honest, and often more revealing. Search for the person's handle or full name and look at their last 20 or so posts.

Pay attention to what they retweet and reply to. This tells you what communities they belong to, what ideas excite them, and who they respect. If they are active in a niche conversation, referencing it shows you are genuinely interested in their world.

One caveat: do not over-reference social media in a meeting. A subtle “I saw you posted about the new AI regulations” is fine. Quoting three of their tweets is not. The goal is to seem informed, not invasive.

Step 4: Research Their Company (Not Just the Person)

Understanding the person is only half the equation. You also need context about their company and the pressures they face day to day.

• Company size and stage. A VP at a 20-person startup has different problems than a VP at a Fortune 500. Tailor your language accordingly.
• Recent hiring patterns. Check their careers page or LinkedIn jobs. If they are hiring aggressively in one area, that tells you where their strategic focus is.
• Competitors. Know who they compete with. If you can reference a competitive dynamic intelligently, you demonstrate market fluency.
• Tech stack. Tools like BuiltWith or Wappalyzer can show you what technology a company uses. This is especially useful in B2B sales conversations.

Step 5: Find Mutual Connections and Warm Paths

Before any meeting, check for mutual connections. This is not just a LinkedIn feature. Think about:

• Shared LinkedIn connections. Even a second-degree connection can be useful if you can reference them naturally.
• Shared groups or communities. Are you both members of the same Slack community, industry group, or alumni network?
• Shared events. Did you both attend the same conference or webinar? Even if you did not meet, it is a natural conversation starter.
• Shared interests. Sometimes the strongest connections come from non-work overlap. Same running club, same podcast obsession, same hometown.

Step 6: Prepare Your Talking Points and Icebreakers

Raw research is useless unless you synthesise it into actionable talking points. Once you have gathered your information, distil it into three things:

1. One icebreaker. A natural conversation opener based on something personal or recent. “Congrats on the Series A” or “I loved your post on remote work culture.”
2. Two to three relevant pain points. Based on what you know about their role, company stage, and recent news, what challenges are they likely facing? Frame your conversation around solving these.
3. One smart question. A question that shows you have done your homework. “I noticed you are expanding into APAC. What has that transition been like?” is far more engaging than “So, tell me about your company.”

Need a more structured approach? Check out our complete meeting prep checklist for 2026.

The Problem: This Process Takes 15-30 Minutes Per Person

If you followed every step above diligently, you are looking at 15 to 30 minutes of research per person. For a sales team doing 10 calls a day, that is 2.5 to 5 hours spent just on research. For a recruiter with back-to-back interviews, it is simply not feasible.

This is exactly why we built Briefd. Briefd runs this entire research workflow automatically. Give it a name and company (or just a LinkedIn URL), and in 8 seconds you get a complete brief covering LinkedIn activity, recent company news, social media posts, mutual connections, icebreakers, and tailored talking points.

It is the difference between doing research and having research done for you. The best reps and recruiters we work with use Briefd to prep for every single meeting without spending a minute on manual searching.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with thorough research, there are pitfalls to watch out for:

• Over-personalising. There is a fine line between prepared and creepy. Mentioning their recent blog post is great. Mentioning their child's school is not.
• Using outdated information. If you reference something from two years ago, it shows you did a quick search but did not pay attention to recency. Always prioritise recent data.
• Neglecting the company context. Researching the person but not their company makes your preparation feel incomplete. Always do both.
• Not preparing questions. Research without prepared questions is passive. Turn every insight into a question or talking point that moves the conversation forward.

The Bottom Line: Prepared People Win

The professionals who consistently close deals, land offers, and build lasting relationships are the ones who walk into every meeting having done the work. Pre-meeting research is not optional. It is the foundation of every successful business interaction.

The question is whether you want to spend 30 minutes doing it manually or 8 seconds with Briefd. Either way, do the research. Your future self will thank you.