CHAPTER 3

Audience Analysis

Will My Audience find This Subject Interesting?

When developing your speech, you must always consider your purpose in terms of audience response.

Some responses might be unattainable. More realistc purpose that could achieve a reasonable response.

What do expect from audience

• Will my audience find this subject useful?• Will my audience find this subject interesting?• What is my audience’s knowledge of my subject?• What demographic characteristics should i consider about my audience?

• Is my audience’s attitude favorable, indifferent, or opposed?

• an opposed audience?

WILL MY AUDIENCE FIND THIS SUBJECT USEFUL?

People willingly pay attention if they will gain something from doing so. Audince need to know the information you will be giving them in your speech, tell them they do. Whenever-possible, give your listener a reason for listening, and do it during the introduction to your speech.

WILL MY AUDIENCE FIND THIS SUBJECT INTERESTING?

The second reason that people pay attention is to satisfy an interest. The people who write and produce the program handle their material in such an interesting way that paying attention (and thus learning) is no longer a chore-it is fun. Your job as a speaker is to develop your material interestingly. While you can do this with someone you know quite well, how can you do it with strangers.

if you are familiar with the subject you have chosen, you should be able to make an educated guess.

WHAT IS MY AUDIENCE`S KNOWLEDGE OF MY SUBJECT?

Considering what your listeners already know about your subject is an important part of audience analysis. A too technical approach could leave them thoroughly confused; repeating what they already know is sure to bore them.

If your audience has little or no knowledge of your subject, you must explain unfamiliar terminology and concepts to them.

WHAT DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS SHOULD I CONSIDER ABOUT MY AUDIENCE?

The demographic consideration of your audience has to do with their vital statistics: age, education, beliefs, special interest, and so on. These characteristics can often help you in determining how to handle your subject.

the educational level of your audience could be important to you for a number of reasons. One of these has to do with the relationship between education and vocabulary. Speak to an audience in familiar words that they can instantly understand.

IS MY AUDIENCE’S ATTITUDE FAVORABLE, INDIFFERENT, OR OPPOSED?

A favorable Audience.A favorable audience is that they are usually both supportive and

and attentive. Your goal when communicating to them is to reinforce their positive attitudes. The more effectively you can reinforce their positive attitudes, the more likely you will be to move them to action. An indifferent Audience.

When an audience is indifferent, your job is to stimulate their interest. This can best be done by explaining the usefulness of the sunject to them, by gaining their attention with a fresh imaginative approach, or combination of both.

An opposed Audience

The hardest audience to deal with is one that includes many who disagree with your point of view or your subject. If you find that this is the case and you have a choice in the matter, you might consider choosing another topic.Two useful suggestions for dealing with audiences opposed to a topic are:1. To establish a common ground with your audience.2. To provide them with information that will help to clear

up any lack of understanding or misinformation they might have.

THE END