For a presenter who faces different types of audience every day, it is quite challenging to demonstrate ideas, concepts or skills to match these varying mind-sets. In order to deliver a customer-engaging presentation, it is important that you put yourself in the shoes of your listeners while speaking. Bringing diversity in a presentation according to the audience requires preparation and knowledge of handling your listeners.
Types of Audience
A presenter should cater to his audience considering the different age-groups, gender and locational factors.
- Age Groups
Your methodology and attitude should be different for people of dissimilar ages. For instance, if you are trying to get an idea across to kids, tomfoolery to a certain extent is not a bad idea. You can dress up accordingly and make them laugh to break the ice. Whereas, people above the age of 60 years, we need to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere to help them accept our exhibits.
The easiest is getting along with the middle-aged group which is professional and understand your approach easily. Teenagers however are the trickiest category, at times they may comply with your ideas or they may reject you altogether.
- Gender
With women you need to go easy but do not treat them as the non-understanding class. They have proved their intelligence and can stand as big barriers for you if underestimated.
Men as most people think are not hard to please, but they can certainly give you a tough time if they are experts of the field and you are an unprepared neophyte.
- Location
Localization has a great impact on our level of compliance and understanding. Hence it is advisable that when presenting your ideas, integrate a personalized effect according to the place you are in.
- Topic of Presentation
This plays a critical role in approaching, styling, handling, administering and ending your presentation. The listeners are influenced by the topic of presentation; rather it is one of the major reasons why they are present to hear you. Hence, choose your topic carefully; if it is a controversial or question-evoking matter, then prepare yourself accordingly.
Characteristics of Listeners
Although it is most certainly impossible to please everyone in the audience, however, keeping a rough idea of the type of listeners you are about to face will keep you on the safer side. For instance if you are to face a group of people who are introverts or highly extroverts; it will help you in fabricating your speech and presentation accordingly.
The best way to know about the acceptability level is, by looking into the eyes of your listeners. They will convey the right message to you through eye-contacts and even body language. Adopting different styles for varying audience is one of the most useful tactics to learn as a presenter.
