Audience Analysis
By Graham Davies

Most people start preparing for a presentation by thinking, "What shall I say?" What they should be thinking is "Who am I saying it to?"
Any communication is only as good as your understanding of the people you are trying to communicate with.

Even through you may have presented your product dozens of times before, the presentation must be tailored to cater for the specific needs of this audience. Everyone likes to hear something which feels bespoke rather than off-the-shelf.

Find out as much as you can about the audience. These are the basic questions you must ask:

· Who are they? (Salesmen, accountants, managers, children, convicts)
· What is the age range and the nationality split?
· How big is the audience?
· Do they expect to have an extended Q & A session?
· Will they be having any other presentations from other people before or after you?
· How long do they expect your presentation to be?
· What do they already know about your subject?
· What do they need to know about your subject?
· What are the main business concerns that this group has?
· Will there be any particularly important decision-makers present?
· Is there a way of ensuring the attendance of a crucial decision-maker?

It should be very easy to find out the answers to these questions. Simply ask the organiser of the event or your contact at the client company. They should be impressed by your desire for in-depth knowledge.

Don’t just rely on your primary contact. Speak to members of your audience several days before hand if you possibly can. Ask them what they would like to get out of your presentation: most people are flattered to be asked.
You may also know someone who has addressed this group in the past. He may be able to tell you about any disturbing audience quirks e.g. a hatred of visual aids or humour.

When the audience is very small (4 people or less) you should be able to find out the names of each person and talk to all of them in advance (or their PA). It is very unlikely that a potential audience member will say to you, "No – I don’t wish to give you any guidance on what I need to get from your presentation."

Only after asking the right questions is it possible to prepare the right presentation for your audience. It is in their interest to help you.