Your Audience:
An essential part of crafting your message is taking the time to understand your audience and what they want and need. There are some important areas to consider about your audience; however, be careful not to overanalyze. If you are speaking locally, you probably know your audience well. When you begin to travel, it becomes more important to try to understand your audience in more detail.
Among the things you want to try to find out about your audience, if possible, are some basic demographics, for example age, sex, economic status, educational level, ethnicity, religion, political leanings, occupation, and other cultural issues that may affect how they respond to your message. You wouldn’t give a talk on cooking the perfect steak to a group of vegetarians.
You may also want to consider character as you are determining the most appropriate message for your given audience. What values do they hold? How do they feel about the topic you are presenting and can you show them another side of the issue that they might not have considered? Are they deeply religious?
What attitudes and beliefs do you share and where do you diverge? Are there any stereotypes that could be harmful and how will you address them? How much do they know about your subject and can you show them a different aspect of it? Are they familiar with you and how will familiarity—or lack of familiarity—work in your favor? What do they expect and how can you surprise them?
Avoid the temptation to get too bogged down in the audience, however. Keep it simple. Some coaches will tell you that you need to know the break down of the audience to the nth degree. Not true. You generally need just a basic understanding of the top line issues important to your crowd unless you are speaking to a target industry or group.
Sometimes it is just as important that you know how to not to offend the audience as it is for you to know how to please them. Know what risks you can take and what is appropriate and inappropriate. For example, when I speak to a group of teenagers I’m much less formal than when I am speaking to a group of business people. My humor is different with each group.
It’s also important to remember the 2/96/2 rule. If you give a clear, thoughtful speech, 2 percent of the audience will think you are the best speaker they ever heard. Another 2 percent will think you are the worst speaker they ever heard. Do not place too much value in either of these opinions. Rely instead on the 96 percent who will give you legitimate feedback and who will, over time, help you to become a more effective speaker.
And remember of course that the audience wants you to succeed! No one enters a meeting saying, “I hope this speaker stinks. I love being bored.” Except for a few deranged members of the crowd, the vast majority wants you to make it.