Every speaker wants to deliver an effective presentation. Successful presentations ensure sales, referrals and repeat bookings, which are the driving force of the speaking business. And at the core of every effective presentation is an understanding of the audience. By researching your audience before making a presentation you will better position yourself for future engagements. While researching for your next speech, keep these questions in mind:

What Are the Needs and Wants of the Audience?

The topic of your speech should focus on what the audience needs to know. However, not everyone is excited about hearing the information, so it helps if you can figure out what the audience wants to know, also. Having some knowledge about your audience will enable you to understand how they perceive the information as valuable to them. Just relaying the information is not sufficient. It’s important that you are able to show them “what’s in it for them” in order to make an impact. And providing the knowledge is only once aspect of the speech. Inspiring enthusiasm on the subject will make the difference in how it is received.

What Does the Audience Already Know?

It’s easy to bore your audience by telling them what they already know. That’s why learning about your audience is crucial in making your speech a success. If the audience is new to the topic, then you will need to cover the basics. If not, then you may want to summarize the basics before you continue with the rest of the presentation.

What Does The Audience Understand?

Knowing a subject and understanding it can be very different. Knowing a subject, but not understanding it enough to get value out it, can waste a significant amount of time and money. People often leave seminars thinking they understand the material that was presented, but do they understand it sufficiently to take action? And if they decide to take the first step, do they understand the real scope of the work involved?

What Does The Audience Fear?

 Knowing your audience well enough to address their fears during the course of the presentation can also significantly impact your effectiveness. Understanding what worries them the most adds one more layer of credibility to your speech. Developing an understanding of your audience through research will prove to be time well spent. The initial time investment will be returned through a more powerful presentation and better audience response.

Johnny Campbell, The Transition Man, has 10 years’ experience delivering presentations. For more information on building a financially successful speaking business, visit his Web site at www.21stcenturyspeaker.com, or e-mail him at: Johnny@transitionman.com.