Writing for Business Success/Understanding your audience/Getting to know your audience

“	Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly, a way of communicating.	”
—Simon Sinek

Readings

Read Section 3.4: Getting to know your audience, in Saylor Academy (Ed.) 2012. Business Communication for Success. (See page(s) 108 - 113 in PDF version.).

This reading gives practical guidance on how to:

• learn more about your audience,
• develop successful perceptual strategies, and
• practice fair communication.

Reciprocity, a key fairness principle, includes mutuality, non-judgmentalism, respect, and honesty (all of these terms are outlined in the reading). Note that fair communication also includes using information from up-to-date and credible sources, and citing your sources.

Meeting diverse audience expectations is key to effective communication. Getting to know your audiences’ frames of reference requires research, time, and effort.

Discussion Forum

What other tools and/or methods could you use to learn more about the people who are going to read what you write? Are there any particular advantages and/or disadvantages to these?

Share your thoughts in the course topic discussion forum and see what ideas other learners have posted.