Public Speaking

68 CHAPTER^6 Audience Analysis

content, and goals.^2 The previous chapter discussed the center of the

triangle, the topic; however, a great topic, a specific goal, and signifi-

cant content alone won’t make a speech successful. Consequently, this

chapter focuses on the three sides of the triangle—the audience, the

situation, and the audience’s perception of you.^3

Analyze Your Audience

Good speakers prepare their speeches for a particular group at a particular

time. Even politicians, sales reps, or university recruiters, who present sim-

ilar material repeatedly, adapt the material to specific audiences in specific

settings. This section explores ways to think about your audience’s motiva-

tions and demographic characteristics.

Consider Audience Motivations

Think about why you listen to a speech. What attracts you? What holds your attention?

What goals do you have for being there? Answering similar questions about your

audience provides clues about their motivations and helps you tailor each message more

effectively.^4 At one time or another, you’ve probably found yourself in each of these

audiences:

1. Unmotivated audiences lack a purposeful listening goal. Listeners in random
   audiences are initially involved in another activity, but something attracts their
   attention, and they pause and listen for a while. A salesperson’s demonstration at a
   street fair, the impassioned voice of an activist on a street corner, or the humorous
   stories of a sidewalk entertainer draw random audiences. Listeners may be brows-
   ing the radio dial or surfing YouTube when a speaker or topic temporarily captures

unmotivated audiences
listeners who lack a listening
purpose or goal

random audiences listeners
who are initially doing some-
thing else but are attracted
by a message that catches
their attention

audience analysis
identifying audience char-
acteristics to communicate
more effectively

listening speaker dialogical
speaker who hears audi-
ence interests and concerns
before, during, and after a
speech

Figure 6.1
The Rhetorical Triangle The audience,
the speaking situation, and the speaker
come together around the message.

Your speech

topic

goal

content

Speaker Audience

The Rhetorical Triangle

Situation

Read, highlight, and take
notes online.

Classroom audiences are often passive audiences who listen to a speech, not

because of their interest in the topic or the speaker but because they need course

credit. Select a topic that is relevant and interesting.

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