What about the audience?

Who are these people anyway?

During my consultations, one of the first questions I ask is, ‘Who will be in the audience?’ I am constantly amazed at how many times I get the answer, ‘I’m not really sure who will be there. Does it really matter that much?’

Let’s make something really clear. One of the only things that really matters when you are creating a presentation is who the audience is! These people who will be sitting in front of you should shape the entire focus and structure of your presentation so you really should find out who they are.

The first question you should ask yourself is, ‘Who are the decision makers?’ These are the people that you should focus your presentation on. You hope that the other people in the audience are interested in what you’re saying, but they are peripheral. The decision makers are the focus here.

Some questions you should ask about your decision makers:

- Why are they attending the meeting/conference?
- What do they want to learn from you?
- What are they worried about?
- What kind of information will excite them?
- What decision are they expecting to make?
- What do they need to know in order to make that decision?

This should get you started in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to do some investigation before you start creating your presentation. If you’re speaking at a conference, call the organizers and get the information you need about the audience. If you’re speaking to the Board, talk with the people who know them best.

And, depending on the situation, it might be possible to ask your audience directly some questions before you prepare your presentation. Speakers are not expected to be mind readers! Ask them what they want to hear from you – they will be refreshingly surprised to know that you are creating your presentation based on their needs and not yours. And, isn’t that how it should be anyway?

© 2009 Jeanne Trojan. All rights reserved