Research You Can Use

A note from Ed Barks:

It has become second nature — publishing books, research reports, position papers, and articles designed to help my clients earn confidence, enhance their reputations, and achieve their long-term business and public policy goals.

I believe it’s important to maintain this emphasis on providing knowledge over the long run. Many other consultants don’t. It’s one thing that separates me from the pack. It also helps to keep me sharp, remaining at the forefront of the communications consulting field.

I’ve published four books:

• • • Insider Strategies for the Confident Communicator: How to Master Meetings, Presentations, Interviews, and Advocacy
    • Reporters Don’t Hate You: 100+ Amazing Media Relations Strategies
    • A+ Strategies for C-Suite Communications: Turning Today’s Leaders into Tomorrow’s Influencers
    • The Truth About Public Speaking: The Three Keys to Great Presentations

I’ve also published more than a score of research reports and position papers to which you now have unfettered access. Yes, I’ve decided to open up the content vault with no strings attached.

One thing on which I want to reassure you — and this is important — every word and thought in these resources was written by a living, breathing human being. No artificial intelligence schemes were used. In addition, no part of these publications or this website may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.

What I do ask of you is this:

• • • If you find one or more of these resources valuable in your communications or public affairs endeavors, share them with colleagues who may also utilize the knowledge.
    • Give this research a shout out on your digital media channels, using the link to this page.
    • Respect my intellectual property rights. Although you may read these resources and cite them in your musings (I hope you do), understand that it is all copyrighted material. Any quotations must be attributed using the publication’s title and my name as author, along with the appropriate link.

I encourage you to take advantage of and benefit from this research into communications strategy, media training, public speaking, presentation skills training, Congressional testimony preparation, and Capitol Hill fly-ins.

Questions and reactions are most welcome. Contact me at (703) 533-0403 (preferred, since we can have an actual conversation) or via email.

Research reports and position papers you can download immediately:

Media Relations:

• • • “Common Ground: How Media Training Benefits the Press”
    • “Remote Media Interviews: Empowering Your Spokespeople to Thrive”
    • “Maximize Your Next Media Training
    • The Lasting Effects of Media Training: Long-term Strategies for Developing Stellar Spokespeople
    • Can We Talk Off the Record? Increasing Understanding Between Reporters and Media Relations Experts
    • “A Reporter’s Glossary: Journalistic Terms of Art”

Communications Strategy:

• • • “Assessing Feedback: The Surefire Way to Achieve Your Professional Goals”
    • “How Important Are Nonverbal Signals?”
    • “Beyond the Bottom Line: 10 Ways to Reduce Reputational Risk”
    • “The Forgotten Fear Factor: Communicating During a Hack Attack”

Advocacy:

• • • Thrill on the Hill: Using Congressional Testimony to Achieve Public Policy Success
    • “Five Minutes with Your Member of Congress: Navigating Your Next Washington Fly-in”

Messaging/Q&A

• • • “Eleven Elements to Mold a Magnetic Message: How to Shape Your Story for the Press, Policymakers, and the Public”
    • “Does Anybody Have Any Questions for My Answers: The 411 on Q&A”
    • “Sneak Peeks and Deflections: Two Often Ignored Media Interview Techniques Every Executive Needs to Know”

Professional Development:

• • • “A Buyer’s Guide to Communications Strategy Consultants”
    • If You Thought 2020 Was Challenging; The Future of Professional Development in a Hybrid Working World
    • But Mom Told Me Never to Brag: Raising Your Reputation with Thought Leadership
    • “The Global Communicators Welcome to Washington Guide”

Podcast Series:

• • • The Truth About Public Speaking Podcast