Audrey,
Absolutely. What I have also found is to inform the audience of why they are there as sometimes, they may not even fully realize why they are there. Sometimes, we are told to go to a meeting & we comply.
Ryan
The best way is to know your audience as well as what other speakers will be presenting.
Speaking from personal experience and as a minister, it might be disengaging to some of those in the audience to speak from a charismatic view to those who might be mainstream fundamentalist and vice versa.
You need to know who your audience is, that is the basics. If it is a larege group at least know why they are there and that will answer the question and if it is a small group maybe going as far as knowing each individual would be great. I guess the thing to ask yourself is; is my presentation going to reach the audience and acheive my goals as a presenter. The only way to know that is to know your audience or at least why they are there.
Scott,
Good "in the moment" strategy. I'm curious, what do you do ahead of time to analyze the audience & really customize the presentation during the preparation phase?
I agree Shawn... We also need to rate their reactions so we can try to evaluate their moods, interests, and knowledge. Once we figure these things out we will then be able to adjust our presentation to gain all of their interest.
Walter,
I think this is a great idea. As you said, spending the time to find out what they have previously experienced allows for that tailoring. Not only does it make the content more meaningful, but also the participants really will appreciate your taking the step to do this.
We need to gether information about our audience, and then consider the methods that can catch their attention.
Perhaps the best way way for me to customize my presentation is to better understand what my audience has experienced in their classrooms prior to attending the presentation. This will allow me tailor the presentation to meet their different needs and to create more effective presentation dynamics.
Handbooks, Flyers, even DVD with the presentation to check later
Kenji,
Power point can be a great tool. What other options do you see, especially if there is not an option for power point?
Ryan
Power Point Presentation is the best tool
Cheryl,
Great point & so true! I'm glad you mentioned this because audience size can definitely be a factor. Don't be afraid to tailor to audience size & in fact that can be very helpful.
Ryan
Thank you for the transparency. I'd say we are all very guilty of this at times.
Ryan
Cheryl,
Great ideas. And I'd add, don't be afraid to tell the audience what is in it for them.
Ryan
Liza,
I apologize for the delayed response, I've been in the process of moving.
I commented to someone else that when you come from the standpoint of knowing your audience & always keeping them as your focus, I believe you have won at least half the battle. Great ideas.
Ryan
James,
Definitely the common theme I hear in your post is knowing your audience. I believe when you start with this you will always be in a good position.
Ryan
Amy,
I apologize for the delay, I'm in the process of moving.
Great ideas regarding understanding your audience. I believe if you follow your suggestions you will definitely demonstrate applicability to them.
Ryan
Know your audience beforehand. Research, interview and BE your audience. Deliver your presentation through their eyes and knowledge base.
To customize a presentation for my audience, I focus on identifying the most important key messages in an outline to ensure that my audience can relate to the subject matter. Additionally, it is important for me to know my audience and anticipate obstacles, before the presentation, and provide possible solution or ask the audience for feedback to promote understanding and buy-in. Based on the needs of my audience, I decide on the type of visual aids to use colorful slides wherever possible. By understanding the unique needs of the audience, proper preparation, concise message, enthusiasm, and voice tone inflection, a presentation may be delivered to meet the presentation's objective.
In thinking a bit more about this question, I also think the size of the audience can influence how you customize your presentation. A smaller audience may warrant a presentation that is more informal and detailed. A larger audience may span a wider range of interests and background. You may determine a presentation that is very high-level in content and presented with more formality, is in order.
