Why is it important to know your audience before presenting a speech?

Answer 1

If you know who your audience is, you can say things to win you points. If you happen to know they all like Sci-Fi ... use Star Wars/Star Trek analogies. This makes you "One Of Them". People like to trust, or do business with people who think like them. It can help you win over their trust and interest.

It can also work against you. Have you ever told a REALLY funny joke to somebody - only to find out it wasn't that funny to them for some personal reason.
"Who's your Daddy?! Who's you Daddy!?"
"*sniff* I don't KNOW who my daddy is!!!!!"
Uh oh - you just stepped on a nerve. They're now focused on a trauma from somewhere in their life, and not on whatever you were trying to say.

The more you know about your audience, the better you can sculpt your words to keep their interest in what you're saying and wanting more of whatever you're trying to communicate.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Speaking to an audience is actually interactive. If the audience does not get the relevence of you speech it will not go well. You actually want to make a connection with the audience before you.

Answer 3

As an effective presenter, your first step toward making a powerful, persuasive presentation is to define your audience. Who are your listeners and what are their needs?To begin your preparation without this information could mean your time and effort – and the audience's – are spent in vain. By defining your audience, you lay the foundation for a successful presentation, increase the likelihood of influencing your audience and get the results you want.

Answer 4

Are you joking?
Look, the audience can make or break a speach line,
Take the "Here we have the haves and the have mores, Some people call you the elite, but I call you my base" line that W used to his conference with co-conspirators back a couple years ago.
Had he been talking to not elites, it wouldn't have went over as well.
Of course, being able to screen your audience and only allow the preferred ones in is a big plus, to throw out the ones like Cindy Sheehan who's son was killed by W's deployment.

Answer 5

It is important to know your audience for several reasons.

1. To deliver effective message
2. To 'connect' with your audience
3. To ensure that the audience understands your speech

For example, it probably is not a good idea to talk about Buddhism in the midst of Christian audiences. Or talk about how good (or bad) Clinton was in front of Republican (or Democrat) audiences. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to deliver philosphical or thought provoking ideas to bunch of pre-schoolers. Or talk about physics and chemistry in front of music majors, or vice versa. You get the idea.

If you want your message to get across, you must understand your audiences, and frame your message around the interest and maturity level of audiences.

Knowing your audience is key to a successful speech.