Introduction:
For effective communication it is necessary for a communicator to analyze or understand the people or audience to whom he is going to communicate this process is called audience analysis.
Definition:
“The results obtained from audience analysis are being displayed on a chart or matrix it is called audience inventory”
Procedure:
It has two major steps that are to observe
· Who are they?
· What do they know and feel
Who are they?
There are three types of audience to whom we communicate directly or indirectly i.e.
· Primary
· Secondary
· Key decision maker
Primary audience:
The persons or audience to whom the communicator speaks directly immaterial of the medium used for communication, they may be our high officials. the person to whom we are talking at a discussion forum or something else.
Example:
Suppose a person “Mr. A” is delivering a presentation for his production policy to be approved by high officials to his colleagues and branch manager. In this case branch manager and colleagues are primary audience.
Secondary audience:
These are the persons who are receiving our message indirectly. These are also celled hidden audience because we don’t know them they may be our high officials. Absent persons from the event, audience watching a discussion forum or something else
Example:
At a news channel “Mr. C” is taking interview of “Mr. D” on the economic development of
Key decision maker:
These are the audience on whom our communication’s success depends. These are called key decision makers because they can directly influence our communication. So they are of great importance a communicator must consider the while preparing for communicating regarding the subject,
Example:
Let zahid is gave a presentation regarding his new sales policy which he wants to be implemented the branch Manager of company got impressed and told to the sales GM regarding zahid’s policy GM also felt good for Zahid and asked MD to approve his policy after telling him the details. Here MD is the key decision maker because the decision is now in his hands
Besides all these the audience also must be analyze individually or on grouped bases
Individually:
After knowing the audience we should analyze his interests, background, skills, education etc.
On group basis:
Some times its become difficult for a communicator to analyze them individually may be because of massive audience in this case they must be analyze on group basis such as Medical students, Sales officials and etc.
What do they feel and know?
After classifying your audience you must be known of their knowledge and feelings regarding your topic
Knowledge:
The communicator should find the level of his audience’s information regarding the topic. The words from which they are familiar and from which they are not it is very useful while carrying on presentation. If he talks about something unknown for them and use difficult terminologies then his presentation becomes vague. On the other hand it would be successful if he talks about something known to them
Example:
Suppose a teacher of physics teaching class 10 and using words and concepts of M.sc level. Here in this case students wouldn’t be able to understand him and communication becomes vague. Similarly in opposite case it also becomes vague because an M.sc student is already known of them and wont take interest in your presentation
Feelings:
Similarly a communicator should be known about the feelings of his audience towards his topic. If they are negative, positive, neutral or something else. Taking all of these into consideration he should use such kind of words and way with which people don’t become angry or biased towards your topic.
