Audience Analysis: Understanding Speakers and Audiences for Effective Communication | Study notes Communication

1315 - Audience Analysis

Speakers and audiences create meaning together

The ability to communicate has less to do with creating noble language than with creating language that the people

you want to reach can accept as their own. (From: Burton Kaplan, Strategic Communication)

• Good speakers are audience-centered - They keep the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech

preparation and presentation.

• As a speaker:

• You must research your audience thoroughly.

• If you do not know the composition of a group, you cannot make intelligent decisions about what to

include, what to emphasize, how best to arrange and present your ideas.

• The audience's age, sex, attitudes, expectations are all relevant to your planning.

"Working" an audience requires different combinations of analysis and adaptation techniques. It is necessary to

"mix and match" for different audience compositions.

Source: Sprague, Jo, and Douglas Stuart. The Speaker's Handbook. 4th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996

Conducting an Audience Analysis

I. Develop an understanding of your audience by seeking information through as many channels as

possible.

A. Direct observation

B. Systematic Data Collection

C. Selected Interviews/focus groups

D. The contact person

E. Intelligent inference and empathy

II. Analyze the demographic characteristics of your audience as an aid to predicting their orientation

Demographic Analysis (Lucas) Consists of two steps:

1. Identifying the general demographic features of your audience

2. Gauging the importance of those features to a particular speaking situation

A. Main Demographics

1. Age/Generation

2. Sex/Gender

3. Racial, Ethnic, or Cultural Background

B. Additional Demographics

1. Religious Orientation

2. Group Membership

Questions to aid in conducting an audience analysis:

• What is the average age of the audience members?

• What is the age range?

• What is the sexual breakdown of the audience?

• What racial and ethnic groups are represented, in about what proportions?

• What is the socioeconomic composition of the group?

• What occupations are represented?

• What religious groups are represented?

• What is the political orientation of the group?

• How homogeneous (similar) of heterogeneous (diverse) are the audience members for each of the above

characteristics?

III. Try to understand what is meaningful to your audience

It is extremely important to understand how a particular group of people determines meaning.

Two sources of information:

A. Learn about cultural and group differences by reading, traveling, being exposed to literature and art

forms that shake up your own category systems.

B. You can learn by listening opening and participating in dialogue with the people you want to

understand.

IV. Determine the audience's attitudes toward your topic

The Audience Scale

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1315 - Audience Analysis

Speakers and audiences create meaning together The ability to communicate has less to do with creating noble language than with creating language that the people you want to reach can accept as their own. (From: Burton Kaplan, Strategic Communication)

Good speakers are audience-centered - They keep the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech preparation and presentation.
As a speaker:
- You must research your audience thoroughly.
- If you do not know the composition of a group, you cannot make intelligent decisions about what to include, what to emphasize, how best to arrange and present your ideas.
- The audience's age, sex, attitudes, expectations are all relevant to your planning. "Working" an audience requires different combinations of analysis and adaptation techniques. It is necessary to "mix and match" for different audience compositions. Source: Sprague, Jo, and Douglas Stuart. The Speaker's Handbook. 4th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1996 Conducting an Audience Analysis I. Develop an understanding of your audience by seeking information through as many channels as possible. A. Direct observation B. Systematic Data Collection C. Selected Interviews/focus groups D. The contact person E. Intelligent inference and empathy II. Analyze the demographic characteristics of your audience as an aid to predicting their orientation Demographic Analysis (Lucas) Consists of two steps:
  1. Identifying the general demographic features of your audience
  2. Gauging the importance of those features to a particular speaking situation A. Main Demographics 1. Age/Generation 2. Sex/Gender 3. Racial, Ethnic, or Cultural Background B. Additional Demographics 1. Religious Orientation 2. Group Membership Questions to aid in conducting an audience analysis:
- What is the average age of the audience members?
- What is the age range?
- What is the sexual breakdown of the audience?
- What racial and ethnic groups are represented, in about what proportions?
- What is the socioeconomic composition of the group?
- What occupations are represented?
- What religious groups are represented?
- What is the political orientation of the group?
- How homogeneous (similar) of heterogeneous (diverse) are the audience members for each of the above characteristics? III. Try to understand what is meaningful to your audience It is extremely important to understand how a particular group of people determines meaning. Two sources of information: A. Learn about cultural and group differences by reading, traveling, being exposed to literature and art forms that shake up your own category systems. B. You can learn by listening opening and participating in dialogue with the people you want to understand.

IV. Determine the audience's attitudes toward your topic The Audience Scale

Favorable Neutral Hostile

Favorable - credibility is not as difficult to establish.

use emotional appeals to strengthen support
get a public commitment (show of hands, signatures, etc.)
provide several specific alternatives for action
- tell them what to do/ make it easy and attractive
prepare audience to carry on the message to others

Neutral - uninterested, uninformed, undecided

Uninterested audience
Stress attention factors - show how they are affected
Make sure facts and statistics are relevant to the audience
incorporate humor and human interest
Uninformed audience
emphasize material that clarifies and illuminates your position.
Undecided audience
establish credibility by presenting new arguments that blend logical and emotional appeals

Hostile - can range from slightly to strongly disagree

the more they disagree with you, the more they will reject you and your message.
appearance and delivery play a major role
humor that fails is fatal
over-expression is labeled as fanatic
Audience realizes your disadvantage - use as a challenge to your skill - Guidelines for Speaking to a Hostile Audience
1. Set realistic goals
2. Stress Common ground
3. Base the message on sound logic and extensive evidence. Use phrases as "These examples suggest..." instead of "These prove..." Always cite your sources
4. Pay particular attention to establishing a credible image.
  - good character, good sense, good will
5. Never direct humor at the audience or their beliefs Direct it at yourself, your position, a common enemy, or the ironic aspects of the confrontation. V. Anticipate your audience's expectations by gathering details about the specific speech situation.

What do they know about your topic?
What do they think about you?
What is the history of your audience as a group?
What is the program surrounding your speech? Conducting a Situational Analysis (Lucas) Situational Analysis - defined- - An audience analysis that focuses on situational factors such as the size of the audience, the physical setting for the speech, and the disposition of the audience toward the topic, the speaker, and the occasion. I. Size: The larger the audience, the more formal your presentation must be. Audience size also influences language selections, choices of audience appeals, and the use and types of visual aids. II. Disposition toward the topic - A. Interest - What's in it for me?" - Give the audience a reason to listen

Everybody on the receiving end wants to feel that what you have to say relates to what is already on their minds. B. Knowledge - the level of audience knowledge will determine how technical and detailed the message can be. C. Attitude -defined - A frame of mind in favor of or opposed to a person, policy, belief, institution, etc. III. Disposition toward the speaker - speaker competence and credibility are main factors in the audiences disposition.

A. Check your presentation's setting and equipment to detect possible sources of distraction. Check seating arrangement, determine location of electrical outlets, test equipment and have backups, check sound, etc. B. Fleeting or low-level distractions during the speech are best dealt with by not acknowledging them. C. Sometimes distractions can be turned to your purpose by incorporating them into your speech. (ex. A politician's speech was interrupted by a crying baby. His remark: "I can't blame that youngster. She's just thinking about four more years of a Republican administration.) D. When it is actually necessary to interrupt the continuity of your speech, do so as quickly as possible and then draw your listeners back in. III. Dealing with the Verbal or Nonverbal Heckler. Do not hand control of the situation over to the heckler. Respond to such interruptions calmly and firmly. Hecklers can range from someone who has had too much to drink and has delusions of wit to the person who makes a systematic attempt to undermine your speech goal or even prevent you from speaking. Generally, respond to them by progressing through these steps.

Ignore; if you cannot,
Incorporate; if you cannot,
Confront. Always keep in mind your credibility with the audience and remember that you do not want to do anything that will interfere with achieving your speech purpose. You never want to lose your composure, dignity, or temper; you do not ever want to sink to the heckler's level. A. The Verbal Heckler - Usually someone who yells out accusations or personal attacks. Do not start justifying yourself to the heckler. If you do, you have lose control of the situation. Do not waste time with denials. Deal with the substance, not the accusations. 1. First-Level Tactics a. Establish an Image or Tone of Reasonableness or Fairness. Make it clear that you are not opposed to dialogue, even if the heckler is disregarding the polite convention that gives the floor to you. Give the heckler the benefit of the doubt in terms of her or his sincerity. b. Appeal to Fair Play. (ex. "I base my opinions based on my fifteen years with the company. Will you hear me out while I describe my experiences? They we'll listen to your objections.) c. Build on Common Ground. (ex. "We both want the best for our families. If we didn't think this issue is important, neither of us would be here.") This technique allows you to maintain a level of credibility with your audience. 2. Second-Level Tactics a. Enough is Enough - If the heckler has not been mollified or deflated by your reasonableness, then it is time to say something like, "I think you've made your point. Now I really must ask you to sit down and let me continue." If they continue, the other members of the audience may take a role in quieting the person down. b. The Zinger - As a last resort it is sometimes appropriate to flatten a heckler with a pointed comeback. Be careful with what you use. Remember to maintain control and credibility. B. The Nonverbal Heckler These are the more common hecklers. Rolled eyes, fidgeting, sighs, whispering, note passing are their trademarks. Their behavior may be very distracting and detrimental to your confidence. If you cannot ignore them, you can either:
If you know the person by name, throw the name, in a complimentary sense, into your speech. This may either get the heckler's interest or embarrass her or him into being polite. or
If you are confident, maintain eye contact with the nonverbal heckler until he or she defers.

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