{"id":24276,"date":"2026-08-21T16:56:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thomas-skipwith.com\/?p=24276"},"modified":"2026-08-21T16:56:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:56:23","slug":"audience-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomas-skipwith.com\/en\/audience-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Audience analysis: the secret weapon of successful presentations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Know your audience: Why every good presentation starts with an audience analysis<\/h1>\n

In 1995, I was travelling through Vietnam with a backpack. The country had just opened its doors to independent travellers. For me, so much was new: the surroundings, the language, and the question of whether I\u2019d find my way around in this foreign country.<\/p>\n

Would I get by with English?<\/p>\n

One day, a small, slim Vietnamese man approached me. He was about 50 years old, wore a white shirt and blue trousers\u2014and spoke German.<\/p>\n

What a wonderful surprise!<\/p>\n

In conversation, it turned out he had lived for many years in the former GDR. In that moment, I immediately felt at ease and understood.<\/p>\n

A shared point creates closeness<\/h2>\n

Why am I telling you this story?<\/p>\n

Because this man intuitively did something right: he thought about who he was dealing with. Then he looked for something we had in common\u2014and found it.<\/p>\n

That common ground had nothing to do with Vietnam. It was in our language and a shared past.<\/p>\n

The result: the distance between us instantly shrank.<\/p>\n

In a presentation, it\u2019s also about building a connection with your audience. You don\u2019t want to just dump information. You want your audience to listen, understand, and ideally take action.<\/p>\n

To do that, you first need to know who you\u2019re dealing with.<\/p>\n

What is an audience analysis?<\/h2>\n

An audience analysis is the conscious process of engaging with the people you\u2019re presenting to.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just about the number of listeners. Among other things, you should ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • What language does my audience speak?<\/li>\n
  • How much subject-matter knowledge do they have?<\/li>\n
  • What practical experience do they have?<\/li>\n
  • Which terms are familiar\u2014and which do I need to explain?<\/li>\n
  • What does the audience expect?<\/li>\n
  • What information do they really need?<\/li>\n
  • What\u2019s their attitude to my topic?<\/li>\n
  • Is my audience there voluntarily, or were they required to attend?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These questions help you tailor your presentation more effectively to your listeners.<\/p>\n

    Not every audience needs the same presentation<\/h2>\n

    Imagine you\u2019re presenting a new project.<\/p>\n

    In front of senior management, different aspects will likely matter than in front of your colleagues from R Senior management may primarily want to know:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • What benefits will the project deliver?<\/li>\n
    • What costs will it involve?<\/li>\n
    • What risks are there?<\/li>\n
    • What decision is expected?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Your colleagues in RD, on the other hand, may be more interested in technical details, methods, and practical implementation.<\/p>\n

      The content can be the same. Your presentation shouldn\u2019t be.<\/p>\n

      A customer presentation works differently too. Customers generally don\u2019t want to hear as many details as possible about your company. They want to understand the concrete benefit your offer brings them.<\/p>\n

      Choose the right language<\/h2>\n

      Audience analysis starts with language.<\/p>\n

      Are you presenting in German, Swiss German, French, or English? And if you\u2019re speaking German: is Standard German or Swiss German the better choice?<\/p>\n

      Technical terms and anglicisms also need a reality check. For specialists, they can be precise and efficient. For a non-specialist audience, they can quickly feel like an extra hurdle.<\/p>\n

      The key question is:<\/p>\n

      Does this term help my audience understand\u2014or does it just show that I know it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

      If your audience doesn\u2019t have the necessary technical background, you should explain technical terms or replace them with clear, accessible wording.<\/p>\n

      Must-have or nice-to-know?<\/h2>\n

      As a subject-matter expert, you could probably talk about your topic for days. But your audience usually doesn\u2019t have that time.<\/p>\n

      That\u2019s why it\u2019s worth distinguishing between two categories:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • What does my audience absolutely need to know?<\/li>\n
      • What might be interesting, but isn\u2019t essential?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        In English, this distinction is often described as \u201cmust have\u201d and \u201cnice to have\u201d.<\/p>\n

        This separation forces you to focus on what matters most. It doesn\u2019t make your presentation poorer\u2014it makes it clearer.<\/p>\n

        An overloaded talk isn\u2019t automatically a valuable talk. Often, the most sticks when you choose less content and communicate it clearly.<\/p>\n

        How to prepare<\/h2>\n

        Before your next presentation, take a few minutes and answer these questions in writing:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Who is in the audience?<\/li>\n
        2. What roles and responsibilities do the listeners have?<\/li>\n
        3. What prior knowledge do they bring?<\/li>\n
        4. What do they expect from me?<\/li>\n
        5. What are they particularly interested in?<\/li>\n
        6. What might make them sceptical?<\/li>\n
        7. Which three messages should stick at the end?<\/li>\n
        8. Which examples fit their professional reality?<\/li>\n
        9. Which language and technical vocabulary will I choose?<\/li>\n
        10. What should the listeners do after the presentation?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          The more specific your answers are, the more precisely you can shape your presentation.<\/p>\n

          In my book \u201cThe compelling internal business presentation<\/a>\u201d<\/strong> you\u2019ll find a detailed checklist for audience analysis. It helps you assess your listeners systematically and prepare your presentation professionally. A corresponding checklist is also available online.<\/p>\n

          Conclusion<\/h2>\n

          A good presentation doesn\u2019t start with PowerPoint. It starts with the audience.<\/p>\n

          When you know who you\u2019re facing, you can choose your language, your examples, your arguments, and your content more effectively. You\u2019ll reach your audience more easily\u2014and be understood better.<\/p>\n

          Just as the Vietnamese man in Vietnam found something we had in common, you too can build a bridge to your audience.<\/p>\n

          Analyse your audience. Then your presentation will be more effective. <\/strong><\/p>\n

          \ud83c\udfa5 Video: Tip 31 \u2013 Audience analysis<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

          If you\u2019d like more tips for more attractive and more convincing presentations, subscribe to my channel and visit www.thomas-skipwith.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

          \n

          More in “100 Seconds for More Attractive Business Presentations”<\/h3>\n

          This post is based on a short video from my series “100 Seconds for More Attractive Business Presentations.” In it, you’ll regularly receive concrete, immediately actionable tips for better business presentations in person and online.<\/p>\n

          If you don’t want to miss any tips:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • \n

            Subscribe to my YouTube channel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            Or visit my website for further rhetoric training and coaching: www.thomas-skipwith.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            \ud83c\udfa5 Check it out<\/a>:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n