Audience Analysis When to Analyze Your Audience Before

Audience Analysis

When to Analyze Your Audience �Before your speech �During your speech �After your speech

Types of Pre-Speech Analysis �Demographic �Psychographic �Audience Needs �Environmental Analysis �Questionnaires & Interviews

I. Analysis Prior to Speech Demographic Analysis Age Aristotle noted more than 2, 000 years ago that few things affect a person's outlook more than his or her age. Gender/Sexual Orientation Culture Religion Education Income Vocation

Psychographic Analysis �An attitude defines what a person likes or dislikes. When you choose a topic, it is important to find out your audience's attitudes toward the subject. If you are doing a speech on rap, does your audience like rap. �A belief is what you believe to be true or false. You may believe that rap is destroying the minds of young teenagers. �And a value is "a person's beliefs or standards. " You may value the future and the young minds that will be running the future.

Psychographic Analysis Questions �What are the audience's beliefs, and attitudes, toward the topic? �What are the relevant audience values and motives in regard to this topic?

VALS Framework �The most popular psychographic measurement �Classifies individuals into eight groups based on personality traits and key demographics

Favorable Audience Attitude �Strengthen the audience’s initial feelings and motivate them to act on those feelings. �Include and emphasize your action step.

Neutral/Undecided Attitude �Provide a lot of information in support of your specific purpose. �Optional action step (based on feedback)

Apathetic Attitude �Stress the importance of the topic and relate it to the interests of the audience. �Provide information in your favor. �Emphasize your justification device.

Ignorant of the Problem �Provide background information about your topic. �Then, treat audience as neutral. �Optional action step (based on audience feedback)

Hostile �Emphasize your credibility. �Identify audience opinions and validate their beliefs. �Connect audience beliefs to your proposal. �Do not reveal your specific purpose at the outset; build up to it.

Needs Analysis � Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Environmental Analysis �Seating arrangement �Number of people likely to attend �Room lighting These factors effect how audiences will respond to your speech and talk with one another. What type of environment encourages/discourages audience discussion?

Sample Environmental Analysis Questions �How many will be in the audience? �How will the seating be arranged? �Will there be a podium? a microphone? �Will there be noise and distractions? �Will I have access to A. V. equipment?

Questionnaires and Interviewing �Questionnaires �Interviewing �Open ended and closed ended questions Examples: �What are your feelings about high school nurses distributing free condoms? �Do you think the school nurses should be able to distribute condoms to students? Circle Yes or No.

II. Analyzing & Adapting During the Speech Nonverbal Clues (of disinterest/boredom) �Eye contact �Facial expressions �Restless movement/fidgeting �Nonverbal responsiveness (nodding, laughing, etc. ) �Verbal responsiveness

How to Respond �Talk more to the audience �Tell a story/use an example �Eliminate boring facts/statistics �Use humor �Pause for dramatic effect �Ask for feedback or ask questions �Remind your listeners of the justification/motivation

III. Post-Speech Analysis Nonverbal Responses examples: � Did the audience applaud? Yes or No � How did they applaud? Loud or Soft � What kind of facial expressions did they have? Smiling or Nodding Verbal Responses - What did the audience say to you after the speech? � "Good job!" � "That was really interesting? " � "I have a question about. . "

Post-Speech Analysis Survey Responses - Conduct a survey and find out what people liked or learned about your speech. This will allow you to gauge your listening results. Behavioral Responses - If your purpose was to persuade your audience to do something, their behavior after the speech can tell you if you did, in fact, persuade them. If you were persuading your audience to vote at the next election, you could ask around to see how many people did actually vote.