1. Step Two: Analyze the Audience

2. Strategic Communicators Analyze their Audiences
To conduct an analysis
Examine the demographic characteristics of the audience
Assess the knowledge, interests, and attitudes of the audience
Determine what type(s) of business audiences you will be addressing

3. Demographics Generation Culture
Knowledge, Interests, Attitudes, Concerns

4. Demographics Generation Culture
Knowledge, Interests, Attitudes, Concerns

5. Generations in the Workforce
Traditionalist
Tendency to honor hard work, respect leaders, maintain loyalty to institutions, defer gratification
Baby Boomer
Characterized by political skills, competitiveness, optimism, desire to make the world a better place
Generation Xer (nexter)
Known to be resourceful and independent, distrustful of companies and managers
Millennial (General Y)
Generally tech savvy, comfortable with diversity, expect to contribute to decisions regarding themselves, desire structure in workplace

6. Demographics Generation Culture
Knowledge, Interests, Attitudes, Concerns

7. GLOBE Study Cultural Dimensions
Uncertainty Avoidance
Power Distance
Institutional Collectivism
In-Group Collectivism
Gender Egalitarianism
Assertiveness
Future Orientation
Performance Orientation
Humane Orientation

8. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Power Distance
Individualism/ Collectivism
Masculine/ Feminine
Uncertainty Avoidance
Long-/Short- Term Orientation

9. Gender Strengths and Weaknesses of Gendered Communication Gender
Communication Strengths
Communication Weaknesses
Feminine
Ability to read body language and pick up nonverbal cues
Good listening skills
Effective display of empathy
Overly emotional
Meandering – won’t get to the point
Not authoritative
Masculine
Commanding physical presence
Direct and to-the-point interactions
Effective display of power
Overly blunt and direct
Insensitive to audience reactions
Too confident in own opinion

10. Professional Jargon and Plain Language Use
Logical organization with the reader in mind
“You” and other pronouns
Active voice
Short sentences
Common, everyday words
Easy-to-read design features
Techniques to achieve plain language

11. Demographics Generation Culture
Knowledge, Interests, Attitudes, Concerns

12. Knowledge and Concerns
What does your audience know about the topic of your message?
Are you providing the right level of information to match what your audience already knows?
Have you considered the questions and concerns of your audience?
Did you anticipate and address these concerns, questions, or objections in your presentation?

13. Interests and Attitudes
Establish early on in presentation
COMMON GROUND
Reduce resistance and retain attention

14. Types of Business Audiences
Managers
Require big picture, key information, have limited time to make decisions
Non-experts
Require details and context, examples and illustrations make complex concepts more clear
Experts
Require less context and explanation, but utilize specialized language, and appreciate clear presentation of data
International or Multicultural
Require simple and short sentences, slang and colloquialisms may not translate
Mixed
Have varied requirements, provide a written message to accompany verbal and “democratize” message so it is accessible to all audiences

15. I’ve Analyzed My Audience, Now What?
Translate your self-centered message into audience-centered communication
Ensure the main point is at the beginning of the presentation 1
Eliminate irrelevant information 2
Organize remaining points into a logical order 3
Elaborate points that need additional information 4
Proofread for correctness 5

16. Communicate Responsibly
Avoid Saying:
Man or men when speaking about people in general
Businessman
“Man and wife” or “Men and Ladies”
Instead Use:
Person, individual, human beings in expressions
Business owner, manager, executive
“Husband and wife” or “Men and women”