Sameer was the hero of inter-collegiate elocution competitions. He captured the attention of his audience right from the first word of his speech. He always began his oration with an inspiring story, a fable, a historical event, or anecdote relevant to his key message. Show What was the secret of Sameer’s success? He was smart at audience analysis. Are you aware of the types of your audiences? Does your speech add value to their lives, interests, or aspirations? You should know that your speech’s success is directly related to how your audience receives and understands it. Audience analysis is an integral part of speech preparation. What is audience analysis?Audience analysis is the process of identifying your audience and collecting information about them. Before delivering the speech, you should know the age group, expertise level, needs, expectations, value system, attitudes, and beliefs of your audience. Adapting your speech according to the types of audiences is likely to generate a better response. Some audience analysis factors are as follows:
Why do you think accomplished speakers such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Swami Vivekananda, and Steve Jobs won their audiences over? They knew the importance of audience analysis. The content and style of their speeches touched on subjects that were close to the hearts of their audience. The importance of audience analysis Analyzing different types of audiences will lead you to crucial insights that can help you in creating a positive bond with the audience. For example, if you know that 70% of the audience is female, thoroughly researched references to feminism or women empowerment will likely be received well. Audience analysis prevents you from delivering an incorrect or offensive message. It will also warn you against delivering a message that can be easily misinterpreted. It will help you speak to your audience in the language they understand and appreciate. Let’s now look at the different types of audience analysis.
Demographic audience analysis includes taking in factors such as age, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, marital status, socio-economic conditions, education, occupation, etc. For example, if the subject is healthcare and the audience is in their late fifties, your speech should be geared towards age-appropriate recommendations for a healthy lifestyle.
Psychographic is one of the types of audience analysis that covers understanding the attitudes, beliefs, values and thinking patterns of your audience. Values such as freedom, honesty, justice, patriotism, equality are universal and cherished by most audiences. The audience is likely to respect you and want to hear from you if your speech reflects any of these values.
Situational audience analysis includes factors such as audience size, the occasion, the room layout, the stage layout, motivation, or interest level of the audience. If your audience is smaller, there is a possibility of developing a rapport with each member. Tailor your data and delivery to the occasion—what you will say at a corporate conference will differ widely from your talk at a momentous family function.
The content of your speech should acknowledge the diversity of your audience. Different cultures have different value systems and behavior patterns. Being judgemental in your speech creates a negative impact. Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity should be part of your audience analysis. Some other types of audience analysis are:
Final ThoughtsUnderstand the importance of audience analysis. Always keep in mind that the lack of proper audience analysis will hamper your credibility as a speaker. Take your planning to the next level with Harappa’s Speaking Effectively course. The course is designed to help you use nonverbal cues to speak powerfully. You will also learn about Aristotle’s Appeals. It is an important framework comprising three appeals that enhance the quality of your speech: reasoning, credibility, and emotion. With the help of this framework, you can learn how to captivate, engage, and persuade your audience. Explore topics such as Public Speaking, The Rule of Three, Tone of Voice, 7 C’s of communication, and the Elements of Communication from our Harappa Diaries blog section to ace your soft skills. Why is knowing who the audience is so important to the reader?Why is My Audience Important? Knowing your audience helps you to make decisions about what information you should include, how you should arrange that information, and what kind of supporting details will be necessary for the reader to understand what you are presenting.
What does it mean to know your audience why is this important?Knowing your audience makes you better able to connect with them. It means that you know enough about their values, backgrounds, and beliefs to understand what matters to them. The more you learn about your audience, the better you can plan communication.
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