246 / UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION SKILLSUnderstanding your audience
Who are these people you’re
communicating with? What do you
know about them? What do they know
about you or your subject? How do
they feel about it? When preparing
to communicate, ask a few simple
questions about the people in your
audience. Once you know more
about them, you can find ways to
motivate them to listen.Audience backgrounds
When you’re assessing your audience,
look for any similarities in personal
backgrounds. For example, what is the
average age of audience members?
Consider whether they will be familiar
with the concepts you plan to speak
about, and the sort of life experiences
they may have had. Next, think about
the education level of your audience.
This will have a significant influence on
the content of your talk or document,
including its central themes and the
vocabulary you employ. The personal
beliefs of your audience are an important
factor to take into account when planning
what you will say. Are they liberal or
conservative? What is their political
affiliation? Are they committed
to a particular religious or social
point of view?Considering ethnicity
The ethnic origin of members of your
audience may be worth knowing, but
don’t overestimate its value. The utility
of this information may lie in knowing
which issues and positions are of
greatest concern to members of a
particular ethnic group. The limitation
lies in knowing that you cannot
reasonably stereotype the views of all
members of such a group. Sensitivity to
ethnic issues and language styles should
be sufficient as you prepare a speech.US_246-247_Planning_Your_Approach.indd 246 30/05/16 3:04 pm