Analyzing your Audience

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The next step in preparing your presentation is to analyze your audience. Who is your audience going to be? In most cases, your audience will be the people in the room with you. Will they be fellow workers? Stockholders? Friends? Family? Strangers? Superiors? Subordinates? Outsiders? All of the above?

You also have to be aware of when you will be speaking. What is going on before and after? Will it be part of a normal project/programme purpose meeting? Will it be early in the morning when everyone is alert, or near closing when everyone just wants to go home? Will you be the only speaker? Will the mood and the crowd be formal or informal? For that matter, will the crowd be friendly or antagonistic?

As you can see, audience analysis involves asking a number of specific questions about your audience. How you answer those questions will influence how your frame your message to your audience. This does not mean that you tell your audience what they want to hear. Rather, it allows you to construct your presentation in a way that they will understand what you’re trying to get across and be more willing to accept your point of view.

The first thing you need to do when analyzing your audience is to define who they are. What are they demographics of your audience? In other words draw a picture of your audience. What is the composition of your audience in terms of their age, gender, religion, educational level, occupation, socio-economic status? What is their racial, ethnic, cultural, and national background? What are their group and organizational affiliations? What are their attitudes and values? Is my audience more homogeneous or more heterogeneous? That is, are they more similar in their make up and attitudes or are they more dissimilar? What is the history of the audience as a group?

The next step in audience analyses is to define their expectations. What is their goal for being at your speech? What specifically do they want to get out of your speech? Are they open to new ideas?

Next, you need to think about your audience’s disposition toward your topic. What is their interest in your topic? Have they even had previous experience with this subject? What do they know about your topic? What is their attitude toward your topic? What attitudes do they hold that might create resistance to proposals in my presentation? What ideas and examples might your audience identify with?

The next aspect of audience analysis is to ask: “What is their perception of you as a speaker; how do members of the audience see you?” What does the audience currently think of me, in general? Do they think you are interested in them? What do they believe you have in common with them? Do you speak the same “language,” including jargon? Do they see you as credible? Do they believe you are qualified to talk to them? Why do they think you are speaking to them? What do you and your audience have in common? How are you different? Is there any significant common ground existing between them and me that I can build upon? Am I viewed as having any special commitment to this subject or proposal? How will I demonstrate my commitment to the audience?

Next, ask your self how your audience sees the occasion. What is the nature of the occasion? What is the importance of the occasion? What is the time of day for your speech? What is the location of your speech? (It cannot be stressed enough that you need to be sure to familiarize yourself with the setting.) W hat precedes and what follows your speech? Is your message consistent with what the audience expects on this occasion and for this type of occasion?

1. Identify Your Audience or Audiences

Every message has to be aimed at someone. You have to know exactly to whom you are talking if you want them to respond, act, or react. You also have to know to whom you are talking if you want to know how to talk to them.

The owner’s operating manual for a new car is not the same as the repair manual that goes to the mechanics and dealerships that have to service the car. The sales staff also gets different information about the car than the others do, and it is presented in different ways. “After-market” organizations that provide parts and accessories for the car that exactly match that year’s colors and styles also get different information, as do the various government and regulatory agencies that have to be kept informed of the various regulatory aspects of automotive operation and pollution.

Before all of these different audiences could have messages tailored to fit their needs, they had to be identified.

There are many ways to tailor your message to your audience. These include being aware of government-imposed legal regulations and obligations, using logic and common sense, analyzing historical buying patterns, conducting research studies, using focus groups, hiring outside consultants, and so on.

This does not mean that you tell them what they want to hear, but rather that you frame your message in such a way that it will be best understood and accepted.

Knowing who your audience is does more than just help you focus on what you are saying. It will often tell you exactly how to say it.

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2. Who Is Your Audience?

What audience or audiences do you deal with? Once you know that, what do you need to have in order to deal with them?

This includes what you cannot tell various audiences because it is none of their project/programme purpose and doing so would damage the organization’s ability to do project/programme purpose.

If you deal with the media you will need a list of every media outlet: local, regional, and national newspapers; general interest, news, and trade magazines; radio and TV stations; Internet “e-zines” and online publications that either do or could be expected to report on what your organization does.
If you deal with the local government and community, you need a list of all local agencies and organizations that you could be expected to deal with, from the city council and planning department to community service and social organizations to local youth groups.
If you deal with the community on a regional or national level, you will need the same information for the appropriate level.
If you deal with the regional or national government, you have to know exactly who you deal with and what they expect from you.
If you deal with beneficiaries, you have to know who they are and what they expect from you.
If you want to reach the “general public” you need to be aware of how varied and diverse it is.

If you deal with vendors or suppliers, you will need even more specialized information, and it will very likely be different for each separate vendor or supplier that you have.
If you deal with investors and stockholders, you have to know who they are, what their holdings are, and what they expect.
If you deal with market analysts you have to be able to meet their needs and expectations.

Once you know who your audience is, you use that as a basis for developing your plans and procedures for dealing with them.

1. What are your goals and objectives for each individual stakeholder?

2. How do you want each of them to see you?

3. What messages do you want to send?

4. How is each message different or the same for each stakeholder?

5. What do you want back from them?

6. How much time and effort will they require?

You must develop procedures that will outline how you handle the people you’ll have to deal with, as well as measures for exactly “when” you have to deal with them.

PR people, for example, are usually the only ones in a organization who will routinely get called by the media after work, on weekends, holidays, even in the middle of the night. They will also need access to senior management when a crisis develops after work, on weekends, holidays, even in the middle of the night.

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4. Audience Breakdown

Whether you are writing a brochure that will be read by thousands, making a speech to hundreds, a presentation in a small conference room, or a sales call in a potential action sponsor/beneficiary’s office, your audience will usually consist of a number of different kinds of people.

It is much easier to prepare information for a group that shares the same level of interest or knowledge about a subject. It’s when you have a mixed audience that problems can develop.

With a mixed group, each specific sector poses specific problems. One of the most common problems, however, is focusing on just one sector at the expense of the others. If you start talking to one sector about their narrow field of interest or expertise, you could wind up confusing, ignoring, boring, and very possibly alienating all of those in your audience who are not in that sector or share their in-depth interests.

Some of the sectors you might encounter in an audience include:

� Experts: People who understand exactly what it is you do—or are offering—and how you do it. They know your subject as well as you do, both the theoretical and practical aspects. There are a number of potential problems with dealing with experts. If you are not an expert yourself, they might lose interest in you and faith in your organization.

� Specialists: They are either theoretical or technical experts in one aspect of the subject but may know little or nothing about the product or service in its entirety. They tend to focus on their areas of expertise and expect you to be as familiar with those areas as they. Like the experts, they can monopolize the meeting by focusing on esoteric details of no interest to anyone else.

� Technicians: They know how it works, and aren’t really concerned about the theory behind it. They might not even understand all of the theory. But they do know how to use it, and, if it breaks down, fix it. Their questions are very practical. They are usually specific and they generally want and expect specific answers to them.

� Theoreticians: They understand the theory behind it and why it works, but they are the last people to ask to fix one. In many cases, you don’t even want them operating the equipment.

� Familiar: These people know what you are talking about in general terms. They may have some understanding of the concept, but not enough to actually use one.

� Novice: They don’t really understand what it does, how it does it, or even how or why to use it.

� Decision Makers: These are the people who will make the project/programme purpose decisions, actually decide if the organization should buy it or, if they are manufacturers, even make it. They are rarely either experts or technicians.

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6. What You Already Know

Although Left Brain Marketing, (http://leftbraininc.com/), of Gurnee, Illinois, is a beneficiary analysis and strategic planning agency that focuses on the recreation and durables industries, its advice on identifying your different audiences is valid for most industries. They point out that most organizations are already sitting on a potential gold-mine of beneficiary information that has been assembled from warranty registration cards, satisfaction surveys, website visits, call center leads, and responses to marketing promotions.

The secret is mining that data by analyzing it properly.

Here are 10 questions that data you probably already have will very likely be able to answer for you if you take the time to sit down and study it:

Who are your best and worst beneficiaries/beneficiary segments?
What do they have in common?
How can you find more like them?
What is the most efficient media to reach them?
Who is most likely to respond to your product or promotional offer?
What is the best method to motivate them?
Which beneficiaries are most likely to remain beneficiaries?
Which ones are the most likely to turn to someone else?
What other products are they likely to purchase?
Should you primarily focus on acquisition, retention, or maximization strategies to grow your project/programme purpose?

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7. For “Close” Audiences: A Speakers’ Bureau

While we tend to focus on identifying audience that are “out there,” sometimes our audience is in the room with us, right in front of us, waiting for us to talk to them.

A speaker’s bureau is an effective way to communicate with external stakeholders at professional, fraternal, social, or educational groups, and schools.

Every time the organization supplies an employee or executive to speak, the organization has a chance to “hand deliver” a specific message to a target audience.

While some organizations provide speakers to talk only about what they actually do and how they do it, others talk about issues that are relevant to what they do, or to the people doing them, or to the community as a whole. At times, the broad range of topics a organization is willing to “talk” about can be surprising.

Few people are naturally good at public speaking. Most people don’t even want to try because they both hate and fear it. So while it is possible to order people to speak in public, you cannot realistically order them to be effective speakers. As a rule, organizations have better luck with employees who like speaking in public, or who are at least willing to learn how.

organizations should develop appropriate topics, and what should be said about them. What is the organization’s position on the issue? Management has to develop a position on an issue before a speaker representing the organization talks about it.

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8. For “Close” Audiences: A Speakers’ Bureau (Continued)

If the speaker is representing the organization, the speaker has an obligation to represent what the organization believes in.

Even though speakers are seen as organization representatives, they are also seen as human beings, just like those in their audiences.

Unlike the most expensive, creative, carefully designed, and professionally produced TV commercial, speakers are real. They are seen as representatives of “the organization” much more than any advertising campaign.

In many cases, a speaker addressing a small group “is” the organization—the only organization representative that the people in that group will ever personally see, hear, or deal with.

Speaker bureau members tend to form relationships with the people they speak to, and often become the contact person when someone has a question, comment, or concern about the organization or its products.

It doesn’t make any difference what department or division they might be in, or even what they do. When someone wants to get in touch with “the organization,” their natural tendency is to get in touch with someone they already have a relationship with, even if it is only a brief one. People prefer to deal with someone they know than a stranger.

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9. Case Study: South Florida Water Management District

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), which provides water and services to more than a half million people in 120 communities in southern Florida, provides speakers to community groups, schools, and organizations .

They have a number of set topics and programs that are tailored to specific audiences. They would not, for example, bother talking about setting rates to school children. Instead, they target each presentation to make sure it reaches the people they want to reach with the message they want to give them. Their programs include:

organizational Development: An overview of the investor owned water and wastewater sector of activity with specific information on the utility’s future.
Water Quality: A presentation of the latest technology, such as reverse osmosis and lime softening treatments, which Florida Water Services utilizes to provide the highest quality water possible to its beneficiaries. It also offers presentations on filtered and bottled water, as well as utility water.
Conservation: One of Florida’s leading public education programs on water conservation.
Utility Rate Making: A program explaining the process of how water and wastewater rates are set and why Florida Water Services files for rate increases.
Educational Videos: A number of videos ranging from a organizational overview to an 11-minute educational music video featuring children talking about the importance of our natural water systems.

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10. Case Study: Anheuser-Busch

Anheuser-Busch is the world’s largest beer brewer. From its world headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, it sponsors speaker bureau programs in various locations around the world aimed at promoting responsible drinking and preventing underage drinking among the audiences that most need to hear its messages.

A former critical-care flight nurse delivers a graphic, factual and memorable presentation to high school and college students about the tragic consequences of underage drinking and drunk driving. It is also available on video.
A former gang member has shared his message of self-empowerment and personal responsibility with more than one million students. The son of an abusive father, the speaker endured the trials of life on the wrong side of the law. Following a series of life-altering events, he decided to transform his life and now helps young people realize that underage drinking is not the answer.
“Check Into a Winning Life” brings parents and students a timely, motivational message on how young people can use positive peer pressure, networking, and conflict resolution skills to help them make smart choices about drinking.
A registered nurse who works in emergency rooms has presented “A Taste of Reality” to thousands of middle- and high-school students. It focuses on the tragic results of poor choices when it comes to alcohol or drugs.
A man tells the story of several teens, including his brother, who were victims of a drunk driving crash. The program encourages young people to make safe, responsible decisions about alcohol consumption.

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Assignments

Matching the Columns

1. If you deal with the media…		A. The basis for developing communication plans and procedures
2. Mixed audiences…		B. Need 24 hour access to top personnel
3. Most organizations already have…		C. Is aimed at someone
4. Every message…		D. A gold mine of information they’re not using
5. Public relations personnel		E. Present problems
6. Your relevant audience		F. Know every pertinent outlet

Answers:

1.) F

2.) E

3.) D

4.) C

5.) B

6.) A

Multiple-Choice

1. Which of the following is a “gold mine” of beneficiary information?

a. Satisfaction surveys

b. Warranty cards

c. Website visits

d. They all are

2. A speaker’s bureau helps organizations connect with _________.

a. Educational groups

b. Local service clubs

c. Employees

d. Both A and B

3. If you are McDonald’s, you probably don’t want to discuss _______ when advertising to children.

a. Fat content of your meals

b. All the meal choices

c. Ronald McDonald

d. Happy meals

4. Once you know who your audience is, you should ask yourself about ______.

a. What you want back from them

b. What messages you want to send

c. How much time and effort they’ll require

d. All of the above

True / False

1. _____ Different messages should be prepared and distributed to different audiences

2. _____ Conducting research studies is good for the content of the message, but not for audience analysis.

3. _____ Top management doesn’t want to be bothered in the middle of the night for a crisis – that’s what public relations personnel is for.

4. _____ Theoreticians are useless in a crisis.

5. _____ What message you want to send is asked before you know your audience.

6. _____ Knowing who your audience is really doesn’t matter in the long run.

Answers:

1. T

2. F – It could give you the demographics of your audience.

3. F - It’s management’s job to respond to a crisis.

4. F – They may understand what happened in the first place.

5. F – After you know your audience

6. F – It helps you tailor your message

Summary

As we have seen, knowing whom your audience is does more than just help you focus on what you are saying. You have to know exactly to whom you are talking if you want them to respond, act, or react. You also have to know to whom you are talking if you want to know how to talk to them.

There are many different ways to do this. These include knowing various government-imposed legal regulations and obligations, using logic and common sense, analyzing historical buying patterns, conducting research studies, using focus groups, hiring outside consultants, and so on.

Every message has to be aimed at someone. Knowing who it is will often tell you exactly how to say it.

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Test

1. _____ Knowing your audience helps you frame your message.

2. _____ Knowing what not to say to an audience is very important.

3. _____ Every message is aimed at someone.

4. _____ Dealing with the media really only requires you know a couple of the most used outlets.

5. _____ Logic and common sense cannot combat mass hysteria during a crisis.

6. _____ It is imperative you know what beneficiaries require from you.

7. _____ Public relations personnel are the only ones who need to know where the CEO is 24 hours a day.

8. _____ One of the most common problems in dealing with a mixed audience is focusing on one sector over another.

9. _____ Vendors and suppliers require the same information as everyone else.

10. ____ Government regulations can’t stop you from saying whatever you want to say.

Answers:

1. T

2. T

3. T

4. F – You should know all the outlets available to you.

5. F – It can often diffuse a crisis.

6. T

7. F – All the top managers should know where each other is in case of a crisis.

8. T

9. F – It needs to be more specialized.

10. F – Your message can be censored, altered, or your spokesperson could be jailed.

Bibliography

Bly, Robert (1993). Targeted Public Relations,Henry Holt & Co.

Oglivey, David, (1987). Oglivey on Advertising, Vintage Books.

Seital, Fraser (2000). The Practice of Public Relations, Prentice-Hall.

Glossary

Expert – Someone who understands exactly what you do and how you do it.

Technician – Someone who knows how something works, but not why it works.

Theoretician – Someone who knows why something works, but not how it works

Specialist – Either theoretical or technical experts in an aspect of the subject.

Learning Objectives

� Knowing who your audience is makes you focus on what you’re saying, as well as helping you craft the message.

� Speakers’ bureaus are an excellent way to “hand deliver” a message.

Q&A

1. What is data mining and how can it help the organization?

Data mining is gathering information that the organization already has but is unused for many purposes. Most organizations have tons of beneficiary information in warranty registration cards, purchasing records, beneficiary surveys both for their organization and the sector of activity, advertisement responses, website visits, and so on.

If you have sources of data that you are underutilizing, you can ask yourself several questions, which include who are your best / worst beneficiaries and what do they have in common, what is the most efficient media to reach them, and what is the best way to motivate them to respond to your product or promotional offer. Other questions might include their loyalty to your organization’s products and the likelihood that they will go to another’s products or services.

2. How do we identify and communicate with various audiences?

The main thing you have to do is obtain a list of all the media outlets that can connect you with your relevant audiences. This includes newspapers, magazines, radio, and television stations, and internet sites. You may find that communicating with local, regional, and even national governmental agencies is warranted, so a list of these agencies is necessary as well. Planning commissions, local construction and consumer protection agencies, and other regulatory bodies should be kept in the information loop. beneficiaries and suppliers should be kept informed of on-going developments that will affect them, directly or indirectly. Stockholders and investors will want to know how you are increasing the value of their interests, too. It is very important to keep all of your audiences informed.

3. What is a speaker’s bureau?

A speaker’s bureau is an organization that finds speakers to talk as experts on various subjects to community groups, schools, and other civic organizations . It’s an effective way to communicate with external stakeholders and “hand deliver” a specific message to a target audience. Your organization may discuss what it is you do and how, or it may discuss how various issues are relevant to it and how it feels about them, like pending legislation or environmental regulations. It’s very important that the organization develop a specific position on an issue before it commits to a speaker’s bureau, and it show only provide representatives who are knowledgeable about the organization and comfortable with the subject.

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