Connecting with the Audience

Building Connection with the Audience

Suppose you are a newly elected mayor and your administration is undergoing a major
reorganization. You assemble your staff and employees to present this reform. Now, in your
speech, how will you inspire your audience to embrace this change and help your administration
achieve its goal?
As a speaker, before you can inspire your audience, you have to strive to establish a connection
with them. In the example above, you as a mayor should address the concerns or needs of your
staff and employees first so that they will be receptive to your conveyed message. These concerns
include stability of their jobs, pay, workplace, and growth, among others. You will not get the
support that you aim for if any of your staff or employee is worried about his/her job during the
process of change.
The initial step in building connection with the audiences is to know them, which can be
achieved through audience analysis.
Audience Analysis
Audience analysis can be defined as a process of looking into the behavior, values, beliefs, or
even the culture of the audience. This can be done before your presentation. By doing so, you will
know what and what not to say, how to say it, and when to say it.
Some pertinent observations are as follows; If you speak to a younger audience like your
classmates, generally, they are interested in dynamic and innovative presentations with
appropriate and effective use of visual aids. Adult listeners are responsive to current issues
relevant to them.
Audience analysis is usually done by identifying the demographic profile of your audience.
However, situational and psychological factors can also be considered.
Some Time-Tested Principles
1. Consider the needs of your audience.
2. Identify your audience size and set-ups.
3. Smile and be polite.
4. Use the pronoun “we” or “you” frequently.
5. Use only those examples which your audiences are already familiar with.
6. Use layperson’s terms in your word choice.
7. Reinforce your verbal message through effective use of non-verbal communication skills.
8. Feel what your audience feels; think what they think.
9. Win your audience’s hearts.
10. Open casual conversations with your audience before and after your speech.
11. Watch your words.
12. Listen attentively to feedback after your speech.
13. Acknowledge and appreciate positive reactions.
14. Allow audience participation when necessary.
15. Use humor appropriately and effectively.
16. Approach disruptions of your audience contextually and adapt to the situation.
17. Deal with hostile audience or hecklers positively.
18. Handle questions effectively.
Some Time-Tested Strategies Applied for the Types of Speeches
IMPROMPTU SPEECH
On-the-spot or impromptu speaking is indeed a challenge. But if you can
master some time-tested strategies to confront this kind of challenge, surely, you
will be successful in communicating quickly and sensibly for two to three minutes
about anything without thinking too much.
1. Use a virtual outline to structure your talk or response. Below are some
examples
2. Keep your speech brief and to the point.
3. Do not apologize or say, “So sorry, I’m not really good at giving impromptu
speeches”, or “I’m sorry I don’t know what to say. I have no idea.”
4. If you need time to process what to say, begin by greeting your audience.
Acknowledging their presence, and thanking them for coming to the presentation.
5. Read.
6. Create or recreate a story.
7. Speak slowly and clearly.
8. Maintain eye contact. Observe the appropriate and effective non-verbal cues.
9. After the speech, say thank you.
10. Return to your place comfortably.
INFORMATIVE SPEAKING
There are several instances where you are asked to provide information about yourself,
family, school, or any specific topic through a speech. This type is the informative speech
whose primary aim is to help your listeners understand and remember the information you
present, discuss or explain.
Generally, there are four types of informative speech. These are (1) speech about objects
or people, (2) speech about processes, (3) speech about events, and (4) speech about
concepts.
ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS
A. Chronological Pattern. This can be used if you want to present a history or evolution,
or development of your topic in sequential order, from past up to the present,
beginning to end.
B. Spatial /Topical/Categorical Pattern. This can be used if you want to inform your
audience about the main features, descriptions, or categories of your topic.
C. Cause-Effect Pattern. This can be used if you want to show the causal relationship
of an event or phenomenon.
D. Comparison-Contrast Pattern. This can be used if you want to compare objects or
concepts and underscore their similarities and differences.
PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
Persuasive speaking can be considered as a form of speaking that most people of
diverse backgrounds are engaged in and involved the most. This is the kind of speech
that considers any topic under the sun that is arguably relatable and interesting. So,
when you deliver your persuasive speech, your primary goal is to influence the
thoughts, feelings, actions, and behaviors or attitudes of your listeners. Likewise, you
also aim to change their thoughts, feelings, actions, and behaviors and convince them
that your ideas are more important, practical, attainable, feasible, and workable. You, as
a persuasive speaker, advocate whatever cause or message you pursue.
QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE PERSUASIVE SPEECH
1. Well-defined goal.
2. Clear main point.
3. Sufficient supporting ideas.
4. Logical reasoning (concrete reasons why your listeners should support your ideas)
5. Effective and powerful ways to gain the attention of your audience.
6. Compelling ideas to make your target audience feel and think.
7. Salient motives to target the basic needs of your audience.
TYPES OF PERSUASIVE SPEECH
➢ Speech that Questions Fact
➢ Speech that Questions Value
➢ Speech that Questions Policy
➢ Speech that Refutes
METHODS OF PERSUASION
Considers what Lucas (2011) writes about how the audience can be persuaded by a
speaker.
The audience is easily influenced because of the speaker’s credibility.
The audience is easily convinced because of the speaker’s presented evidence.
The audience is easily persuaded because of the speaker’s reasoning.
The audience is easily swayed by the speaker’s use of language and style of
presenting his/her ideas.
The following are some tips in enhancing your credibility, presenting evidence, using
reasoning, and observing ethics and emotional appeal in a persuasive speech.
1. How to enhance your credibility
Explain how you become an expert on the topic.
a. You can do this by sharing how well you read on, investigated, or researched the topic.
b. Connect your experiences, beliefs, values, or attitudes with your audience.
c. You can do this by telling your audience that you have the same experiences, beliefs,
values, or attitudes.
d. Practice more often so you can deliver your speech with conviction.
e. You can do this by exposing yourself more often to speaking situations such as
reciting and reading announcements in class, introducing people in a program or
hosting it, participating in debates, or acting as a spokesperson of your class, club, or
organization.
2. How to use evidence
a. Specify evidence.
b. Avoid outdated evidence.
c. Choose reputable or credible sources for your evidence.
3. How to use reasoning
Avoid logical fallacies or errors in reasoning.
You can do this by studying the types of logical fallacies. The following are some of the
examples.
❑ Ad Hominem
❑ Circular Argument
❑ False Analogy
❑ False Authority
❑ False Cause and Effect
❑ Hasty Generalizations
❑ Red Herring