There are several ways to research buyer personas without directly conversing with buyers: 1. Talk to coworkers who interact with sales leads and prospects regularly to get insight on primary persona questions. 2. Use the internet by posting on social media to get user opinions and feedback, and research profiles on LinkedIn to learn strategies from influencers. 3. Check existing market research reports and case studies to help create initial buyer personas based on industry challenges, even if reports don't perfectly match needs.