Knowing your audience is the first step in any presentation, and the one that is often overlooked. There are several types of audience dynamics that you may encounter, including:
• Receptive
• Challenging
• Hostile
Receptive
A receptive audience has come to hear you with an open mind or they may already be pre-disposed to your point of view. In either case, you need to win them over as you would a challenging audience, rather than assume the audience has already 'bought into' your presentation.
Challenging
A challenging audience is more skeptical, more questioning. Sometimes there is one audience member who wants you to prove your point and he or she let's you know it. Your audience can also be a group that holds a different point of view, but wants you to have the chance to express your own. The key here is be ready with examples and supporting evidence. Ask for feedback and make sure that each point of your presentation is understood.
Hostile
Hostile audiences can often start out as challenging audiences that feel you haven't proven your point. Sometimes they are “captive audiences” that have been requested to attend a presentation but have no interest in being there.
Sometimes a hostile audience can be diffused by opening your presentation with a humorous comment or asking for a show of hands as to “how many people want to be here?” If a number of people raise their hands, your next comment might be “I've never met so many sincere people in one room.”Icebreakers” work well with hostile audiences, and since you can never be sure who is hostile, it is always a good idea to present to a small or large group as if there are some hostile members in attendance. You can't always win over the hostile audience or group member, but you must do your best to answer questions and provide evidence for your points.
Presentation Basics
Presentation Environment
Presentation Attributes
Audience Dynamics |
