by Gilda Bonanno
One of the main rules of successful presentation preparation is to know your audience. Here are some tips to consider when you're
thinking about how to connect to your audience, whether it's an audience
of 1 or 100:
· Know what's playing on station WIIFM. That's the station the people in your
audience are tuned into - "What's In It For Me?" They're focused on WIIFM (pronounced
"wiff-um") not because they are self-centered, but because they are
bombarded with information and have to filter it in order to stay afloat.
They can only retain a small part of what you're saying and they need to find
which part is most relevant to them. State the WIIFM outright; for
example, in a presentation about transitions, you might say, "If you
understand the stages of reaction to change, you will be better able to
understand what your employees will go through when the merger is
announced next month."
· Know their style.
Does this audience want to see the graphs? Do they want the big picture or
the details? Are they geared towards defining the problem or hearing a
solution?
· Know their background. Are they experts
in the field you're talking about or novices? Will everyone understand the
industry jargon that you're using? For example, if you mention "AEs"
in a presentation, salespeople may interpret it as Account Executives, while
those in the pharma industry may interpret it as Adverse Events (which are
negative reactions to medication). You have to speak in a language that
everyone can understand easily and be careful not to talk down to them or over
their heads.
· Know their interest level. Are you trying to win over a hostile audience? Are you
talking to an audience that is already passionate about the topic? Are they
bored by the topic? If you're a tax
accountant speaking to small business owners about the tedious details of
the state tax code, you might have to work harder to keep their interest
than if you were talking to other accountants. Similarly, if you're the speaker
standing between the audience and lunch, there is a greater expectation that
you will end on time (or better yet, even earlier).
Sometimes knowing your audience is easy because it's made up
of people you know personally or work with on a daily basis. Even then, you
should take a step back and rethink the audience in the context of this
presentation.
At
other times, you don't know anything about them and you'll have to do some
research. Do an internet search for the
company or the individual and browse their websites. If they don't have a website, you can look
for websites related to their industry to discover the hot topics or
industry concerns. You also can get feedback
from colleagues who know members of your audience. Or ask to interview a few people in the
audience a few days or weeks before you present.
What if you gather information about your audience,
only to find out that they're a mix of different styles, backgrounds and
interest levels? That situation is a challenge. You should
choose the "relevant" subsection of the audience to focus on -
for example, the decision makers, or the largest identifiable group in the
audience. Be careful not to ignore everyone else. No one
likes to be ignored and you never know what roles the other people in the
room might fill in the future.
The
next time you have to speak to an audience, whether it's an audience of 1 or
100, spend some time doing an audience analysis, using these tips. Then
rework your presentation based on your analysis so that you can speak
to them in language they understand and use material that makes sense
to them. Ultimately, knowing your audience will make it easier for you to
convey your message effectively. And it
will ensure that the people in your audience understand your message
and act on it, which is the point of giving a presentation!
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