Know Your Audience: Understading the Basic Rule in Communication

2008-12-15 12:31:40

( Business )



The success of any communication endeavor depends on how well you know your audience. Different people have different levels of understanding, and using a single approach for varied audiences will not make your communication activity effective. To maximize audience development, encourage audience participation and gain audience response, conduct audience research before you implement a communication activity or come up with a communication material. Review audience response systems and see what kind of strategy you should employ for your communication material, campaign or program.

In conducting audience research, consider socio-demographic profile, location, and availability of technology. Be aware of your receivers' educational background and knowledge level about what it is you will be communicating to them. How you will present your message depends on their level of understanding. For your communication activity to be successful, deliver your content in ways that will not intimidate your audience. Your audience will respond to you when they can relate to and comprehend what you are telling them. A successful program encourages audience participation and gets plenty of audience feedback.

Familiarize yourself with the location of your audience. Think of how you can make use of the location to increase audience development. When conducting your communication program, cite examples that are applicable to the audience's immediate environment. This way, you can elicit genuine audience response because you are talking about concrete examples within their field of experience.

Technology plays a big role in communication; however, technology is not the sole answer to a successful communication program. Not all people are techies, so never assume that you will get high audience participation only when your program is "high-tech." Before you start planning your presentations, know what technology is available wherever it is you will be holding your activity. Always have back-up materials, like sheets of paper and markers, in case something happens to your devices or to the power connection. Never underestimate audience response and audience participation when it comes to good old drawing or writing with a pen.


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