Know Your Audience

April, 2014

We’ve all been there when a well-intentioned presenter misses the mark with the people in the room. No matter how compelling your story, if you don’t know your audience, you will not successfully get your message across. So… you know the content of your speech very well – all of the details and the story of how it is valuable – how can you ensure that you convey that message? Keep in mind these three things as you prepare:

• Do your homework. It is vital that you know not only the time, place, and length of your presentation but also who will be in the room. The way you tell your story to executives will differ than how you tell it to developers and business analysts. Consider some of the following questions: Who is represented in the audience? How much do they care about the end-result vs. the detailed process to achieve it? How much prior exposure has your audience had to you and your work? If not much, it may be a good idea to briefly cover your experience and credentials. Ask the person organizing the presentation a few questions about who will be in the room and tailor your content accordingly.
• Practice x3. Even subject matter experts delivering short presentations can get off message if they don’t run through it in advance. Take the extra time to practice what you are going to say, out loud, and before the day of your presentation. This gives you a sense of how long it takes to cover the content, boosts your confidence, and enables you to convey your key messages comfortably, rather than reading robotically from a specific script. For example: If you are adequately rehearsed, you won’t be thrown off when midway through, your presentation takes a different path than expected. There is a reason why there are so many clichés regarding practicing – because it’s important.
• Don’t forget the Q&A. Some of the ‘stickiest’ subjects arise during the question and answer session following presentations. Based on who is the room, compile a list of likely questions the audience may ask and rehearse your answers in advance. Even still, you may get questions outside of your comfort zone. Always provide the most accurate response possible, and if you don’t know the answer, don’t answer the question right then. Be willing to acknowledge that you do not have the information at hand and propose following up in the future. It is as simple as saying, “I’m not sure, let me get back to you on that.” If you are a seasoned presenter and are comfortable with interrupting the flow of your talk, it may be nice to mention that you welcome questions and invite attendees to ask questions as they arise.