Tips to Discover Your Audience

Prior to granting an interview or delivering public remarks, you’ll want to get clear about the audience you’ll be engaging. Who are they? Where do they come from? What do they need?

If you’re not sure of the answer to these questions, I can help you. Your audience includes the people most interested in you, your organization and the topic you’ll discuss. It also includes the people who follow your organization, and/or the host or outlet conducting the interview.

The big thing that I want you to remember is that you have multiple audiences. And when you speak, you should have your audience and sub-audiences in mind. As a reminder, your audience includes:

• The people who follow you personally.
• The people who follow your organization, including your colleagues.
• The people who follow the platform on which your interview occurs.
• The people who are interested in the topic which you are discussing and proactively look for content on that topic.

A good spokesperson thinks about their audience, what their audience needs and how to deliver on those needs. A good spokesperson also thinks about what would benefit or harm their audience and they govern themselves accordingly.

You’re Speaking to More Than One Person

If you are delivering a speech, the audience includes the people in the room and the people who may listen to your remarks after the event. I’ve seen so many people make the mistake of saying something that felt good in the moment, but causes problems after the fact. For instance, if you say something that resonates with people who are not your core audience, you may inadvertently offend your base.

When you have clarity around your audience, you are able to think about the anecdotes and examples most likely to resonate with said audience. You are also able to think about your audience’s pain points, and speak directly to those challenges. Finally, if you know your audience, you will know what motivates them and what harms them.

Exercise

Before your next speaking engagement, take time to visualize your audience. What do they look like? How old are they? Where are they from? What resources are at their disposal? What keeps them up at night?

Get clear about who will be in the room (or on the video conference should the gathering occur via Zoom). Think about what they need. You can think about the same things, and ask yourself the same questions, for media interviews. Equipped with this information, you can tailor your remarks in a way that will make them more meaningful.

Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer^®, is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC. Be sure to check out other blogs and subscribe for regular communications updates.