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Audience Analysis

In: Business and Management

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Audience Analysis Paper
Laura Vaughn
COM 285
01/25/2010

When one is called upon to lead a meeting with a diverse group of people there are many different things to consider in order to be successful. People with different backgrounds or who hold different positions in the workplace have varied values that one needs to be sensitive to. It is important to know who is being addressed and why so that the meeting runs smoothly and is effective. It can be a difficult balance to present information to a vast group of people. Shareholders and customers will generally want to hear different information. For example, if quarterly sales are good, then the shareholders will be happy. If sales are slowing then shareholders may want prices to be raised to make up for the lack of sales, which will in turn make the customer unhappy. For these reasons the importance to know who your audience is and how to speak to them can make the difference between a successful meeting and an unsuccessful one. Being in a situation in which one is called on to present quarterly sales information at an in-person meeting to a group of diverse individuals who all have stake in the company there are many characteristics that need to be considered. One being where does the audience come from. Keep in mind the different cultures in the room and how they will respond to a more direct approach than a less direct approach. Choosing words carefully and listening to how an audience is responding sets the tone to how to continue with the meeting. If an audience comes into a meeting obviously tense then it may be a good idea to lighten the mood without turning the meeting into an unimportant waste of time before getting into why everyone is attending and what needs to be said. Starting a meeting with notions already set into place about how a person is going to respond to what is being said can make it very difficult to change opinions and turn a meeting around. Being able to take cues from the audience can help the speaker set the mood and the direction of the meeting thus making the meeting effective and straightforward. Talking to customers versus stakeholders can be two different things. Having a meeting with both groups of people at the same time can be very difficult. Using basic strategies like conversational style can help people feel more comfortable in the meeting that could promote participation from the entire group rather than just from the outspoken members. According to the text, “Different conversational styles are not better or worse than each other, but people with different conversational styles may feel uncomfortable without knowing why.” (Locker and Kienzler, 2008). One of the main essential components of a successful business meeting is making the people being addressed comfortable whether that is shareholders, managers, or customers. Information needs to be said in such a way to keep from upsetting certain groups but to also inform and educate. When presenting in-person quarterly sales one also needs to be aware of non-verbal communication as well. Body language like crossing one’s arms or furrowing one’s brow could give the impression that they are closed off to others and their ideas. Whereas leaning forward as to seem genuinely interest to other parties with arms uncrossed giving the impression that one is open to others can make people feel at ease. Being aware of these communication channels and how to use them can make a meeting with even the most different of people interested in the meeting and more aware and open to ideas that could better the company. When approaching a meeting about a sensitive issue such as quarterly sales it is important to always keep in mind the diversity of the audience. It is safe to say that stakeholders and customers may come from different backgrounds. A customer can come from anywhere, rural areas or large cities. They can come from different cultures where they are raised to see things differently than others might. According to the text, (Each of us grows up in a culture provides patterns of acceptable behavior and beliefs. We may not be aware of the most basic features of our own culture until we come into contact with people who do things differently. (Locker and Kienzler, 2008). People from the south may have different values from people from the north which is why it is important to know the audience being spoken to. Being aware of sensitive issues such as gender, religion, race, and social class will make it easier to know how to communicate with the audience being spoken to. Knowing beforehand who will be at a meeting can help one prepare what will be appropriate to say. A meeting involving the highest of members in a company all the way to the consumers buying what the company is selling will take a large amount of trepidation on the part of the person presenting the meeting. Being well prepared cannot be underestimated. Having something positive to say to each group at the meeting while getting the main point across could have the effect of giving the meeting an overall good feeling about the direction the company is headed. Diversity of the audience is something that should always be kept in mind when preparing for any important meeting. After preparing and learning about the audience who will be attending the meeting, it is then time to take the steps to ensure the meeting will be effective. Some easy steps can be taken to make sure the audience knows that the meeting is serious and well structured. One being to make sure the meeting starts on time. This way the audience knows that the meeting while hopefully feels casual is not. At the same time, it is also important to finish at a certain time. Also one needs to come prepared. This could be shown by making the meeting minutes known or making an outline with all the important points being discussed so that the audience can follow along without getting lost. After starting the meeting one of the most important things is to listen to the audience’s opinions. Being open minded to the ideas of others can only be beneficial to the growth and success of a business and on a much smaller scale makes the meeting a comfort zone for everyone involved. In-person meetings require the person leading the meeting to be able to balance many different things at once. Knowing your audience, being perceptive to their attitudes to what is being said; using the correct lines of communication, and giving everyone a fair shot to voice their opinions to make their voices known are all part of what makes important meetings successful.

REFERENCES
Locker, K.O., & Kienzler, D.S. (2008). Business and Administrative Communication. Available from https://ecampus.edu

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