That’s a really important question to ask and answer when you are presenting, writing an email, or having a conversation with someone at work. You will be much more effective if you know your audience. Here are some things to consider when you are in these situations:
Try to gather as much information about your audience as possible.
- Age group
- Position and level at the organization
- Are they open or skeptical about the topic?
- What do I want them to know? What do they already know?
Think of what will connect with this type of audience and keep them engaged.
- Start strong.
- Keep the audience in mind when preparing your information.
How do they like receiving their information?
- High level people might be pressed for time, so keep it brief. Bullets might work best.
- Techy people may enjoy technology to stay engaged.
- Is the group more formal or informal? Modify your manner accordingly.
Honor everyone’s time.
- Make every minute or word count.
- If presenting, stick to the time allotted.
- Stick to the agenda. Make sure people get what you said they would get.
First impressions are formed in the first seconds of the interaction. Therefore, it’s crucial to adopt a positive, pleasant, and welcoming tone from the very beginning. When presenting, remember your tone of voice and body language is part of the communication process. It’s the same in writing. People can interpret an email in a way that you did not intend, so always try to re-read it from the reader’s point of view.
I don’t know if any of you remember when our vice president had jaws dropping when he told a racially mixed crowd in Danville, VA that Mitt Romney’s tax policy would “put y’all back in chains.” Nothing against Mr. Biden; he said he was actually referring to something Mr. Romney said about chains in one of his speeches, but………. Bottom line, know your audience.
Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com