How do you use these prompts?
In Gemini, click the + in the prompt box and choose Deep research (on some screens it's under More tools). A Deep research tag appears in the box. Paste one prompt, fill in the [BLANKS] and send it.
Gemini doesn't start searching right away. It shows a plan first, and that's the most useful moment in the whole run. Click More to read every step, then Start research if it's right or Edit plan if it isn't. The lesson notes that if you do nothing, it starts on its own after a few seconds, so read quickly.
The lesson also notes that Deep Research needs a Gemini plan that includes it and that Google changes limits often, so check Gemini's own help page. The deep research glossary page explains the idea, and AI citations explains what a citation does and doesn't prove.
Before a client or prospect meeting
1. An industry brief for a pitch
I run [YOUR BUSINESS] and have a pitch meeting next week with [TYPE OF CLIENT]. Research how [THEIR INDUSTRY] in [COUNTRY] is using [YOUR SERVICE AREA] today: the 3 most common use cases, typical results, the main compliance or privacy concerns, and 5 smart questions to ask them in the meeting. Cite every claim. Keep the report short.
This is the lesson's prompt for the made-up Cedar & Pine Marketing, pitching a regional credit union, with the blanks opened up.
2. What's changed in their industry this year
Research the biggest changes in [INDUSTRY] over the last 12 months that would affect a [THEIR ROLE, e.g. operations director]: new rules, new competitors and new technology. 5 to 7 points, each with a citation and the date of the source. Keep it to one page.
3. Their likely objections
I'm proposing [YOUR SERVICE] to [TYPE OF CLIENT]. Research the most common concerns businesses like them raise about [YOUR SERVICE]: cost, risk, privacy, staff time. For each, give a citation and one honest way to answer it.
4. Questions only a prepared person would ask
Research what [TYPE OF CLIENT] are most focused on this year in [AREA]. Turn it into 8 meeting questions that show I've done my homework, each with the source that inspired it. Avoid questions their website already answers.
Sales and account work
5. A one-page account brief
Research [COMPANY NAME]'s public information: what they sell, who they serve, recent announcements and any stated priorities. Use their own site and reputable news first. Cite every claim, mark anything older than 12 months, and say clearly what you couldn't find.
Stick to public company information for a brief like this. It's research on a business, not on people.
6. Compare a prospect's options
[TYPE OF CLIENT] usually choose between [OPTION A], [OPTION B] and [OPTION C] for [NEED]. Research how each is typically priced and what buyers say decides it. Table with a citation per cell that has a fact.
7. Benchmarks you can quote carefully
Research published benchmarks for [METRIC] in [INDUSTRY]. For each number, give the source, who published it, the sample size if stated, and the year. Flag any number where the sample size isn't given.
Asking for the sample size up front catches the problem the lesson finds by hand.
Planning and internal work
8. A market check before a new service
We're considering offering [NEW SERVICE] to [CUSTOMER TYPE]. Research demand signals, typical pricing and who already offers it. Cite every claim and end with the 3 biggest unknowns.
9. A regulation starting list for your team
Research the main rules that apply to [ACTIVITY, e.g. marketing emails] for [INDUSTRY] in [COUNTRY]. Use official sources first. List each rule with a one-line plain summary and its source. This is a starting list for our attorney, not legal advice.
Have a licensed attorney review anything legal before you act on it. Rules change and depend on your facts.
Fixing the plan and checking the report
10. Narrow a plan that's too broad
When you click Edit plan, Gemini asks what to change. Answer in your own words:
Focus only on [REGION OR SEGMENT], skip [TOPIC YOU DON'T NEED], and add a step on [WHAT'S MISSING].
11. Find the numbers you should check first
After the report opens, ask in the same chat:
List every number in the report, its source, and whether that source says how the number was measured or how many people were surveyed. Put the ones with no sample size first.
In the lesson, the first paragraph quotes 41.67%, 8.33% and 58.33%. They're all multiples of 8.33, which suggests a very small survey, and the source turns out to be a vendor's blog post that never says how many people answered.
12. Cut it to one page
Cut this report to one page for my meeting: the 5 points I'm most likely to use, each with its source. Leave out any number whose source doesn't give a sample size.
The lesson suggests the same next step: export to Docs and edit the brief down to a page.
13. Prepare to rehearse
From this report, write 8 flashcards: a question a client might ask on the front, a short answer with the source name on the back.
Gemini's Create button can also make flashcards, a quiz or an Audio Overview from the report, which the lesson suggests for rehearsing.
What should you check before you use a Deep Research report?
The biggest numbers, at their source. Click the small arrow after a paragraph to see its citations, open the source card, and read who published it and how they got the number. A cited report is a list of places to look, not a list of facts. Quote only what you checked, and name the source out loud in the meeting. For the full routine, see Gemini Deep Research Mistakes to Avoid.
Try it free, step by step
Gemini Deep Research: Build a Cited Brief Before a Client Meeting. Ask Gemini Deep Research to research a prospect's industry, read its plan before it starts, then check where the key numbers really came from. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of Gemini, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts.
Start the free lessonThis lesson is part of the free AI for Consulting and Agencies and AI for Sales courses.
Key takeaways
- Say who the meeting is with, what you need to find out, ask for citations and keep it short.
- Read the whole plan with More, and use Edit plan before the research starts.
- Ask for sample sizes and source dates in the prompt, so weak numbers show up early.
- After the report, list the numbers and their sources, and check the biggest ones yourself.
- Cut the report to one page and quote only what you checked.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I start Gemini Deep Research?
Click the + in the prompt box and choose Deep research. On some screens it's under More tools.
- Can I change the Deep Research plan?
Yes. Click Edit plan, and Gemini asks what to change. If you do nothing, it starts on its own after a few seconds.
- How long does Gemini Deep Research take?
The lesson's screen says "ready in a few mins," and the lesson's test took about five minutes. You can leave the chat and come back.
- Is Cedar & Pine Marketing real?
No. Cedar & Pine Marketing is made up, and the lesson's report text is shortened from a real run.
