This chapter highlighted the importance of understanding your audience before delivering your speech. Knowing your demographic before your speech is going to be profoundly helpful with regards to your ability to relate to your audience. For instance, if you are giving a speech on the benefits of vegetarianism, you are going to approach the topic differently in Dallas Texas from what you would do in Berkeley, California. In Texas you have have to try a more persuasive approach, along with focusing heavily the basics of vegetarianism, why it's a god idea, and using statistics to bring the idea home for the audience. In Berkeley you would be preaching to the choir, so you would likely be able to skip the basic concepts since the majority of the audience would likely already be on board, and you would be able to take less of a persuasive approach and more of a "stroking the ego" approach.
Understanding your demographic will not only give you the ability to realte your information to your audience in an effective manner, but it will save you from a very deep and lasting embarrassment. I would hate to have to not done my research and wind up giving a speech on the wonders of dairy products for health and vitality to a Lactose Intolerance Anonymous group, or something similar. I run into enough instances where I would love to put my foot in my mouth without creating a scenario in which I give a speech directed to the opposite demographic from those to whom I am speaking.
You had me cracking up. Great points. I never really considered it that in depth, but man oh man would that be a life saver. I thought more in a broad perspective like not wanting to give an AARP speech to the classroom of college students, but you have a greater insight. I can just see the faces of those Texans now :) I wonder, in real life, how easy it would be to actually find out who your audience was going to be ahead of time. In thought, I guess it would really depend on the scenario. If you did the speeches for work, chances are you would be advocating or selling something and you would probably be going into harsh audiences to accomplish your goal. Sounds like a great job for someone with a great deal of passion for something. Maybe a personal trainer speaking at the fast food restaurants :) or a vegetarian speaking at the local steak houses. what a challenge!! but a super feeling of conquer and accomplishment
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