Adapting to

Audiences
Chapter 2
 Identifying Your Audiences
To match your purpose and audience needs, it is important to understand the
multiple audiences of organizational messages.

1. Initial audience – 1 to get message

st

2. Gatekeeper – has power to stop message

3. Primary audience – decides whether to accept
message
4. Secondary audience – may be asked to comment
on message or act upon message
5. Watchdog audience – pays attention to message
and may base future actions on its evaluation of
message
 Ways to Analyze your Audience

Empathy Most important tool in audience Use what you know about people
analysis and organizations to predict likely
responses and design your approach.
 Ways to Analyze your Audience

Analyzing Individuals:

While personality indicators such as Myers-Briggs, Personality Dimensions, etc. are

useful, consider the broader socio-cultural influences and practices you see daily.

Note: Intercultural communication discussed later in term.

 Ways to Analyze your Audience

Analyzing the Organizational Culture

Ask the following questions…

1. Is the organization tall or flat? How many levels between the CEO and the lowest worker?
2. How to people get ahead?...seniority? Experience? Well liked? Serving customers?
3. Does the organization value diversity or homogeneity? Independence or dependence?
4. How important are friendship and sociability?
5. How formal are behaviours, language and dress?
6. What are the organization’s goals? Money? Serving customers? Advancing knowledge?
 Using Audience Analysis
to Adapt your Message

Audience known well -- analysis/adaption will be Audience not known well/unknown or message
unconscious. very important – take time to analyze using the
following six questions…
 Using Audience Analysis
to Adapt your Message

Six (6) questions to help Analyze and Audience:

1. How will the audience react to the message?
2. How much information does the audience need?
3. What obstacles must you overcome?
4. What positive aspects can you emphasize?
5. What are the audience’s expectations about style and
format?
6. How will the audience use the document?
Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Spotlight audience benefits.

“The warranty
starts working for
you immediately.”
Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Cultivate the “you” view.

“You will receive your order.”
“Your account is now open.”
Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps

Use sensitive language, avoiding

gender, race, age, and disability
biases.

office workers, not office girls;

doctors/they, not doctor/he or
nurse/she
Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.
Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps

Be conversational but
professional.

“Your report was excellent”

not

“Your report was totally

awesome!”
Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.
Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Express your thoughts

positively.
“You will be happy to…”

not

“You won’t be sorry that…”

Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.

 Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Be courteous.

“Please complete the

report”,

Not…

“You must complete the

report!”
Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.
Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Simplify your language and

use familiar words.

salary not remuneration

begin not commence

Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.

Adapting to Task and Audience:
Eight Steps

Use precise, vigorous words.

“email me”, not “contact me”

“Please buy staples”, not “Get
those things for me”

Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.

 Developing Reader Benefits and “You” View
Sender-Focused
We are requiring all staffers
to complete these forms in
compliance with company
policy.
Because we need more space
for our new inventory, we are
staging a two-for-one sale.
Receiver-Focused
Please complete these forms
so that you will be eligible for
health and dental benefits.
This two-for-one sale makes it
possible for you to buy a
year’s supply of paper but pay
only for six months’ worth.

Copyright © 2010 Nelson Education Ltd.

 Developing Reader Benefits and “You” View
“I” and “We” View
We take pleasure in announcing
an agreement we made with HP
to allow us to offer discounted
printers in the student store.
We are issuing a refund.
We need your account
number before we can do
anything.
I have a few questions on which
I would like feedback.
“You” View
An agreement with HP allows you
and other students to buy
discounted printers at your
convenient student store.
You will receive a refund.
Would you mind giving me
your account number so that I
can find your records and help
you solve this problem?
Your feedback is important. Please
answer a few questions.