[VIDEO] - 5 Tips if you *don't* know your audience - Between 2 Speakers
Then don’t assume anything.
One of the oldest of saws in public speaking is “know your audience.”
This is important, but also not realistic in every situation.
Maybe you’re speaking at a conference that is industry-specific, but you don’t know if your audience is full of newbies, veterans, or a mix. What if there’s a handful of non-native English speakers? Or people who grew up outside the U.S.? They might not get your references to “Three’s Company,” “Jim and Pam,” or “I just took a DNA test…”
5 Key Takeaways:
Don’t assume everyone knows what you know.
Assuming knowledge on the part of your audience is presumptuous. You may have a newbie in the room, or someone who has never heard of something you mention.Do have a second activity as a back-up.
Sometimes, an activity falls flat with a group. This is almost guranteed to happen if you use a term (or word, or food item) your audience doesn’t understand (Randy has an excellent example of this in the video right @ 1:57.) Always have a back-up activity ready to go.Avoid phrases that imply everyone knows what you know.
Translation: Strike the following phrases from your speech:“Obviously”
“I’m sure everyone remembers …”
“We all know…”
You don’t know what your audience knows. If you’re referencing an incident, story, fact, etc. say what it is. A good rule of thumb is, “You can never be too clear.”
Spell out acronyms.
I once kept referencing “NPR” to a roomful of scientists, until one person raised her hand and asked, “What’s NPR?” I meant “National Public Radio.” That was a bad assumption on my part. Randy reminded me that “NPR” could stand for many things, such as the Non-Profit Relations committee, which is an actual thing within one of his partner organizations.Learn from your missteps.
When you notice a reference, an activity, or an acronym is not understood by someone in the audience, make a note to do better next time.
*The “Three’s Company” thing: I once taught a Business Writing class that was written by another trainer. When we discussed writing clear emails, one of the takeaways was “Avoid Three’s Company Syndrome.”
A handful of participants had not grown up in the U.S. with ‘70s television, so they were confused. I explained that on “Three’s Company” many plots involved someone overhearing something and making an incorrect assumption about a third person.I never used that reference in class again!
See all of our tips in the video above.
About The Author
Hi! I’m Marianna. I make the process of public speaking easier for my clients. I help with everything from preparation to managing anxiety and nerves to speaking with strength and confidence.
