How to Do Audience Centered Speaking

The most important thing a speaker can do to ensure their message is communicated effectively is to consider the audience when preparing the presentation. Getting to know and understand the audience allows you to create a presentation that is meaningful. Audience centered speaking involves making a strong connection with your audience by providing them with content that is meaningful to them. This is a powerful approach that can make the difference between a mediocre presentation and an exceptional one. 

Speaker Centered vs. Audience Centered

The majority of presentations you have attended were probably speaker centered. The speaker probably spent much of their time talking about themselves and what was important to them. It was one-way communication in which the speaker delivered information to an audience. The problem with speaker centered presentations is that they almost always lose audience attention and very little of the information is ever retained. On the other hand, an audience centered presentation is all about finding what is important to the audience and creating a presentation based on that information. The emphasis is not on presenting as much information as possible, but rather engaging with the audience in two-way communication. This is a far more effective method and really allows the speaker to connect with the audience. 

How to Prepare an Audience Centered Presentation

Start with Research

If you have ever made a strong connection with a speaker, you may have felt like the speaker just “got you†and really understood you. The truth, however, is that it was likely a far more calculated effort. The first step in creating an audience centered presentation is to learn as much as possible about the audience. Consider the demographics of the audience. What is the average age, income, gender, or race of the audience? You also want to look at the psychographics of the attendees. This includes finding out about their beliefs, values, and lifestyle. You also need to consider their professional experience and how much prior knowledge they may have on the topic. The more a speaker knows about their audience, the better equipped they are to tailor the presentation to these preferences. 

Find Out What They Want to Learn From Your Presentation

To be audience centered, you want to find out what it is your audience hopes to gain from your presentation. You can take a quick poll a week or so before your presentation or ask your attendees to fill out a brief questionnaire. You can also research who will be attending and why so you have a better understanding of your audience’s goals and expectations. When you know what your audience wants, you can customize your presentation to fit their specific needs and they will be very grateful!

Engage the Audience

Once you have the appropriate material to present, you need to engage your audience by making them part of the presentation. Interact with them by asking questions, asking for volunteers, making jokes, laughing, and smiling along with them. You can also encourage your audience to participate in the presentation through the use of social media by tweeting questions or comments. 

Give Them Something to Take Away

Finally, an audience centered speaker ends by giving the audience something of value to take with them. This means you will give them a piece of advice or important information and show them how it is relevant to them. Provide them with a solution to their problem or an answer to their question. If you provide something valuable, your audience will remember you as an interesting speaker.