How do you identify and overcome risks in your presentation using audience analysis?

Always look in LinkedIn first if you do not know everyone attending the presentation. Look at their experience, where they have worked (who knows you may share a similar network) Share this information with your team members. Set an agenda - send this to the customer prior to the meeting to set expectations and also allow them to add in suggestions. Stop talking!! I know many of us are enthusiastic but check in with the audience - do they have any questions, are they understanding what is being presented. Have a run sheet - keep on time. Have an allocated time keeper. Ask your audience open questions. Have we presented everything they were expecting, Smile and be genuine - dont underestimate the importance of this.

One key question to add on to the list is “What will they ask?”. On the basis of knowing who the audience is, their background, demographics, etc. it is possible to predict their questions, which will help create a flow for the delivery. You present a slide, you know the predicted question they are going to have, you have an “I know what you’re thinking” moment on stage, you move to the next slide, voila! It delivers the right content! It makes the entire presentation very relatable and helps lead to questions from the audience related to the flow (not derailed ones!)

I love being a speaker. What I have learned over the past 30 years of public and professional speaking... firstly with Microsoft and now as a wellbeing expert, is that a presentation and content should ALL be about h improving outcomes for the listener- the audience- and not about my ego or nerves. If we, as speakers, can make that our mantra ... 'how and what am I going to deliver is going to make these listeners improve their lives"... it shifts the narrative and delivery. The second thing, I have become acutely aware of is doing a briefing call at least once before the presentation so that we fully understand the audience, their vernacular, desired outcomes and any pain points.

Comprende su edad, género, nivel educativo y otros aspectos demográficos y adapta tu presentación, utiliza analogías y ejemplos concretos, en medida de los posible busca que sean relevantes para ellos, esto facilitará la comprensión y hará que la información sea más memorable.

If you’re talking to an audience whose expertise doesn’t match yours, use more commonly used words in your presentation; skip the jargon. It’ll force you to know your material so well that you can explain it simply, and it’ll make it easier for your audience to understand your presentation. You may even want to practice your presentation in front of others and ask them whether they understand the words you’re using.

When you're invited to speak on a certain topic, and you're a subject matter expert, it's very tempting and even natural to talk about what YOU think is interesting and important about the topic. What you need to do, rather, is to think about THEM. Learn as much as you can in advance about who they are, what they're interested in, what else they've heard or will hear on the topic and then align your knowledge with their needs and curiosities. Everyone in your audience will be waiting for their WIIFM (what's in it for me) desire – something new, useful, beneficial – to be satisfied, and it's your job as the speaker to deliver that!

Don't just anticipate but answer the questions without being asked In one of my sales presentations in 2010 At the end of my presentation, I said, ” I am sure you have some burning questions, let me anticipate and answer” I started answering objections I thought they had and this led to a great discussion. On my way back to the office, I got a call from my contact and he said, ” You have won the pitch, that Q&A was great”. Why did I anticipate and answer questions? Because listening is a hard task and asking questions even harder. So, your audience prefers not to ask questions. But if you engage them with what you know is going on in their mind, you overcome objections, have a conversation and catalyze trusted partnership

Another key point is to put yourself in your audience's shoes and envisage the questions, concerns, or points of clarification they might have. Consider their areas of interest, potential misconceptions, and the depth of detail they might require. Anticipating their questions allows you to address them proactively in your presentation, demonstrating your attentiveness to their needs and concerns.

If possible, ask the conference host to solicit questions in advance from attendees. You may only get a few questions in advance, but they can give you an early read on the audience’s true interests. Also, attend any pre-speech cocktail receptions. There, you’ll have a chance to chat with audience members and ask what’s on their mind. Dean Foust ceospeechwriters.com

Practice makes perfect. Practice in front of the mirror. Practice with your friends, your family, your pets. Put yourself in the shoes of the listener and imagine what questions you might have. Step out of your own perspective (I know, easier said than done) to anticipate what others may question or take interest in.

To keep your audience’s attention, break your presentation into eight-minute segments. Every eight minutes there should be a noticeable shift — either to a new topic, an interstitial break where you show a video or have an interactive moment with the audience. For instance, you call on audience members, you have an exercise that requires them to stand, or you take a poll that they answer with either a show or through an app on their smart phone. In short, keep mixing it up. This will prevent the audience from falling into a slumber.

I’ve used the talkadot platform (talkadot.com) to solicit feedback from my presentations. Sure, mostly people who liked the presentation will provide feedback, but pay attention to the critiques. Perhaps they are seeing something you’re blind to.

During and after your presentation, actively seek feedback from your audience. This could be through live interactions, surveys, or post-presentation discussions. Incorporate their feedback into your delivery, adapting your pace, tone, or content based on their responses. This helps to ensure that your presentation remains relevant and resonates effectively with the audience's needs and preferences.

Your presentation will be the most effective when you are connected to your audience. If you're not, then what's the point? Your ultimate goal should be to not only read your audience but to connect with them. When you are you are not just focused on what you have to say but also what "they" are saying with their body language, their verbal responses and cues. This helps you to know what to give them an opportunity to chime in by asking for feedback and questions. This way, the audience feels more engaged, and this will guarantee that they have a better experience raising the likelihood that they will retain and rave about what they heard from you~

Independent if it is an internal (at your own company), or external presentation, there are 2 goals: transport Information and motivate audience. Sometimes, there are factors such as your topic was already (partly) discussed by an earlier presenter. Here you have to flexible to adapt your presentation, like changing focus. Or also you may the last presenter at a 2 days event, where parts of audience already left and others understandable tired due to all the content. In general, be flexible to adapt to the situation and feedback. Ensure that the audience gets the relevant information, but also enjoy that you got the opportunity to present.

Practice handling questions and objections. Everyone is not going to agree with you. Different perspectives are a great way to build engagement in your topic. Practise listening to feedback and thinking of ways to respond. And feedback is a great way to build relationships by following up with people afterwards

Be able to handle objections is critical for your ability to perform well in public. When facing objections during a talk, the last thing you want to do is dismiss someone’s point of view. Every question or critique is an opportunity to delve deeper into the subject. I always take a moment to acknowledge the complexity of the topic at hand, agreeing that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. Then, I carefully explain the thinking behind my perspective, pointing out any potential oversights in their reasoning without diminishing their viewpoint. A calm, respectful explanation, followed by a thank you for their contribution, underscores the value of diverse thought.

Understand that disagreement is related to the content, but not something personal against you as presenter. As you are prepared, you can explain how you came to your conclusions, and give them the opportunity to explain why they came to a different one. So the participants (including you) have different ideas to take home.

Be prepared to address objections or differing viewpoints that may arise from your audience. Through audience analysis, you can preemptively identify potential areas of contention or skepticism. By acknowledging and directly addressing objections with clarity and empathy, you can build credibility and foster a constructive dialogue with your audience. Handling objections demonstrates your ability to engage with differing perspectives and reinforces your credibility as a presenter.

Handle every obstacle with grace! Things may not go as planned and that's okay as long as you are ready to pivot. Always have a back up plan and a back up plan to your back up plan. Be prepared to handle offbeat questions and be willing to speak on what you know and defer to other experts for the rest.

Audience analysis when done right can help you to effectively identify and manage potential risks in your presentation, ensuring that your delivery is well-aligned with the needs and expectations of your audience, and ultimately enhancing your impact as a presenter.

Something that is not expressed in this article but is super important is non-verbal communication. A top tip for anyone looking to master non-verbal communication: talk to yourself in the mirror. It may sound odd, but it works. Choose any topic and start a conversation with your reflection. Record it, then play it back to see how you naturally move and gesture. Watching yourself can reveal a lot about your body language (it might be difficult to do but its worth it) that you may not be conscious of in the moment. It’s a simple yet incredibly effective way to become aware of your non-verbal cues and to fine-tune how you come across to others.

Audience analysis doesn’t necessarily happen only in advance. While preparation in understanding the audience is vital, a helpful tip is to closely observe individual audience members during the delivery itself. From body language, it will become easy to identify, who is understanding the content, who is engaged, and who is on their phone! The engaged “heads-nodding-yes” people would become the speaker’s go-to people to look at (like a comfort zone) when the speaker feels there are risks shaking the confidence of delivery!

There are 3 levels of considerations which you can go through which will eliminate the risks of a forgettable presentation. 1. Level 1 - Start with fundamentals. Understand audience, intent and message. What stories, anecdotes, facts, statistics, research etc. you wish to put in it. Does it have an appealing opening, supporting body and a strong conclusion? Proofread and make it error free. 2. Level 2 - Work on the non-verbals that is your delivery. What body-language and vocal variety can do justice. How can you evoke emotions? 3. Level 3 - Add the cherry on the cake by using great visual aids descriptive language, visual imagery, rhetorical devices, storytelling etc. To make it stand out. Avoid the risk following the above levels.