AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

Public Speaking Overview

  • Course: AEN002-4-0

  • Institution: Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation

Topics Covered

  • Audience Centeredness

  • Audience Analysis

  • The Psychology of Audience

Audience Centeredness

  • Definition: Keeping the audience foremost in mind during speech preparation and presentation.

  • Considerations:

    • Who is the audience?

    • What do I want them to know, believe, or do?

    • How can I effectively compose and present my speech to achieve this?

Key Elements of Speech Making

  • Selecting an appropriate topic

  • Determining a specific purpose

  • Settling on main points and supporting materials

  • Organizing the message

  • Effective delivery

Scenario Example

  • Situation: Entering a party and making a political statement.

    • Risks:

      • Alienates supporters of the governor.

      • Offends attendees who support protestors.

    • Importance of understanding audience feelings.

Building Connections with the Audience

  • Effective speakers create bonds by emphasizing common goals, values, and experiences.

  • Pre-speech considerations:

    • Audience's background

    • Interests

    • Knowledge level

    • Attitude towards the topic.

Audience Perception and Engagement

  • Listening is selective; attendees decide whether to engage based on personal relevance.

  • Auditory perception varies between the message sent by the speaker and the one received by the listener.

  • Important Principle: Listeners prioritize messages significant to their values and well-being.

Implications for Speakers

  • Listeners interpret messages based on prior knowledge and beliefs.

  • Speakers must relate their material to listeners' experiences and concerns to capture interest.

Audience Analysis

  • Definition: The study of audience composition, knowledge, interests, attitudes, and the speaking context.

  • Quote: "Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter addressing it to ‘to whom it may concern.’" – Ken Haemer.

Key Considerations for Audience Analysis

  • Identify audience demographics: age, ethnicity, gender, etc.

  • Determine their interests and what you want the audience to know, do, or believe after your speech.

Two Messages in Every Speech

  • Designed Message: The message sent by the speaker.

  • Residual Message: The message received by the listener.

  • Importance of addressing the listener's perspective: "WII FM - What's in it for me?"

Methods for Conducting Audience Analysis

  • Observation

  • Interviews

  • Written questionnaires

1 - Demographic Audience Analysis

  • Considerations:

    • Audience age, race, culture, language, profession, religion, and educational background.

    • Assess audience’s homogeneity (similarities) vs. heterogeneity (differences).

      • Example: Technical topics suit homogeneous audiences (e.g., engineering students).

    • Consider audience size and its impact on presentation style.

2 - Psychological Audience Analysis

  • Assess audience's knowledge on specialized terminology and their interests.

  • Evaluate what they know and need to know about the topic.

  • Understand their predispositions, whether they are neutral or biased towards your message.

  • Consider their values and existing problems relevant to your presentation.

3 - Situational Audience Analysis

  • Factors:

    • Audience size

    • Occasion of the speech (formal/informal)

    • Whether the audience is voluntary or captive

    • Physical setting and any present obstacles or distractions.

Practical Exercise

  • Activity: Watch a presentation by Toastmasters International.