Creating effective business presentations/Presentations to inform/Audience-centred communication

“	Know yourself - and know your audience.	”
—Tennessee Ernie Ford

Readings

Read Section 13.3: Adapting your presentation to teach, in Saylor Academy (Ed.) 2012. Business Communication for Success. (See page(s) 508 - 517 in PDF version.).

Paradoxically, an audience-centred approach begins with active listening on the speaker’s part. This reading describes how to engage audiences with dynamic attention statements and activities that encourage active listening by making topics relevant to their interests, needs, and concerns. However, to do that it's important to know your audience. In preparation, it's important to:

• identify areas of common ground to help your audience connect with your message,
• find out what they already know, so you can highlight the benefits of your new information, and
• frame your story in a relevant, well-organised way.

In presentation delivery, remember that it is key to:

• show interest in your topic,
• maintain focus on key ideas,
• vary your voice and movement, and
• integrate feedback strategies to help your audience stay engaged.

For audiences, listening to a presentation demands focus. Beyond clear organisation of ideas, audiences appreciate variety. People learn in a holistic way, through thinking, feeling, and action, as well as sensory modes of seeing and hearing. Using multi-modal approaches in your presentation, such as integrating visual aids and experiential activities, will help to address diverse audience interests.

Finally, remember to include time for questions. Anticipating questions and formulating your responses in advance is a crucial part of speech preparation to ensure a strong presentation wrap-up. Preparing to suggest questions to the audience is another good way to engage lively discussion in your closing.

Media

Watch the video Know Your Audience [4:41 min], developed by Toastmasters International

Know Your Audience

This video offers five time-tested strategies to help you prepare for public speaking:

1. Learn as much as you can about the culture of your audience before you even leave your desk
2. Find out why your topic is important to your audience, so that you can tailor your speech to fit their needs
3. Prepare ‘call and response’ questions to learn more about your audience during your presentation, and get ready to adapt your responses appropriately
4. At the event, greet attendees at the door, ask targeted questions, and further adjust your message as needed
5. Be personable and prepare to adjust your communication style to local expectations of social courtesy

In short, research, prepare, and practise before you arrive!

How can an audience’s prior knowledge affect a speech? What percentage of an informative presentation would you expect an audience to remember? Why?

Please share your thoughts in WENotes.

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