Getting a Brief

Who on earth are they all?

If this is your first thought when you stand up and see the audience in front of you, it’s too late.

You’ve got to know everything you can about the people you’re talking to: it’s the first thing I do, to research the audience in detail. And it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Whoever gives you all the background information has to take an objective view of people they invariably know well, which means, surprisingly in fact, that they often omit the most salient points. I suggest you do your own research, and these are the basic questions you should ask:

What are the social mix, age and gender split?
What do they understand and what do they think they understand about you and your subject?
What do they want to know and what must they know?
What’s in it for them to hear you speak?
How do they feel about themselves?

Pick up the phone and talk to them. Personal contact is invaluable, even if its via BT. Quite incidentally, it also impresses them with your thoroughness and professionalism. Even if you see your audience every day, have you talked to them about your presentation? You may be surprised at what they will tell you if they are given a chance.

With external audiences, you can glean a lot of information about a company from its website. However, this won’t give you the mood of the moment. Again, the answer is to talk to them. Talk to several people who will give you different viewpoints. If you’re addressing 400 people, make sure you meet four or five of the rank and file. It’s not too difficult. People like talking about themselves, their companies and their products.

Ask them about their greatest successes, failures, opportunities, surprises and problems. Ask them to name the three most important issues in their business. By the time you’ve done this you will have a lot of information and, possibly more important, a real feel for the people you are addressing. As a lawyer, I’m all too aware of the power of the right question. I’m even more aware of the need to act on the answer. The answer to these questions will go along way to forming the fabric of your presentation. It will also help you to develop a camaraderie with the audience. This is vital, and it’s only possible if they feel you understand who they are.

So....don't prepare anything unyil you have found out who they are and what they are about.