The Proactive Speaker: Audience

I’ve often regaled you with the ways and reasons to know your audience, from reading the local news paper to mingling with the audience before events.

This week, we go back to step one: ask the organizers these quick questions the moment we are asked to speak.

• HOW MANY? How many people will be there? Whether this is a live or virtual event, this is basic and vital information.

• WHO? Who are they? Are they a professional association? Community group? Specialists? Mixed interests?

• WHAT? What do they most need from me? What do you hope they will learn from me? For example, I ask, “What are their greatest communication challenges?

That’s it! This week, be proactive in our preparation and find out as much as we can about our audience as early as possible in the process.