Defining Your Audience

by Anne Miller President, Chiron Associates, Inc

One of the most embarrassing presentations I ever witnessed happened when a presenter speaking to a group of executive women peppered her talk exclusively with football quotes from Coach Vince Lombardi. We all sat there wondering if she knew what room she was in and why couldn't she find quotes more appropriate to our group? Sad to say, not only did she appear foolish, but she also alienated her audience.

The above is a classic example of how poor audience definition can lead to a communication disaster. To avoid such pitfalls, use the answers to the seven questions below to analyze your audience before a presentation:

1. Who are my listeners?

a. What are their positions? backgrounds?
b. How sophisticated are they about my topic?
c. What positive or negative biases might they have about my topic?

2. What is their main objective in listening to me?


To improve business? To increase productivity? To be motivated? To learn something? Other?

3. What are the three-five key points they should take away from my presentation?

4. What is the right materialto present to support those points?


a. How much detail is necessary? (E.g., The more senior the group, often the more conceptual a presentation is needed. The more technical, the more detail.)
b. What is the appropriate tone for this group? Serious? Lightly humorous? Informal? Other?
c. What examples, stories, analogies will be most appropriate? Select from scenarios and experiences from their world, not yours (see disaster described in opening paragraph)

5. What visuals/medium will work best for this group?

a. Powerpoint? overheads? slides? multi-media? Other?
b. Whatever you choose, remember to keep visuals simple, clear, and colorful with as few words as possible. A mix of bullet points, graphs, charts and pictures works best.

6. Anticipate questions, concerns, doubts and practice responses.

7. List anything not covered above that that would affect this presentation and factor it in to the presentation


(Politics? Past bad experience? Credibility? Who should participate? Other?)

Learn more about Anne Miller in our Contributors area.