I recently spoke at an industry event on the subject of differentiating your message.\u00a0 I was invited to speak by someone who knows my work as a communication coach<\/a> who told me that there would be a variety of people from the industry there; those who call on large organizations, and those who meet with smaller clients\u2014two very different sales processes.<\/p>\n

I worked hard on the talk trying to balance the needs of the two groups, but after speaking with my contact a second time, he assured me that anything I had to say would be equally applicable to both parties.\u00a0 So I concentrated on the part of the industry that I knew best\u2014selling to the smaller clients.<\/p>\n

On the big day, I arrived at the venue to discover that the audience was almost 100% large organization people.\u00a0 I was quite sure that much of my presentation was not going to be relevant to them, but I determined that I had no choice.\u00a0 It was too late to change anything.\u00a0 I had to dance with the girl I brought, deliver the presentation<\/a> I wrote, and, as musicians say, \u201cbe wrong strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

I did well.\u00a0 I was able to execute my plan.\u00a0 And I had seven or eight people ask for my business card, which is a good thing.\u00a0 But I also learned a lesson.<\/p>\n

The lesson is this:\u00a0 talk to more than one person about the nature of the audience<\/a> you\u2019ll face.\u00a0 Ask for several names of attendees, and the names of several of the organizers.\u00a0 Call them all and ask them to tell you about the event.\u00a0 Ask, “Who will be there?\u00a0 What are their needs and interests?\u00a0 What should I avoid?”<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t blame my client for giving me wrong advice.\u00a0 She was telling me what she believed to be true.\u00a0 I blame myself for not being more curious, not gathering more intel, not looking under every stone to get a clear and comprehensive picture of the audience I was addressing.<\/p>\n

Clich\u00e9s are clich\u00e9 because they\u2019re so often true.\u00a0 Know your audience<\/em><\/a> is an old bromide that anyone can blurt out when asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s the most important thing in public speaking?\u201d<\/p>\n

But how???\u00a0 <\/em>One answer is, \u201cGet your intel from more than one source.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hire<\/em> Sims Wyeth & Co.<\/em><\/a> to improve your team’s <\/em><\/em>leadership skills<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>presentation skills<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>voice,\u00a0speech<\/em>, and <\/em>speech writing<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 We’ll help with stage fright, body language, presentation structure & strategy, persuasive speaking, and PowerPoint so you’ll look and sound your best.<\/em><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently spoke at an industry event on the subject of differentiating your message.\u00a0 I was invited to speak by someone who knows my work as a communication coach who told me that there would be a variety of people from the industry there; those who call on large organizations, and those who meet with… Read More »Know your audience<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":""},"categories":[144,149,1],"tags":[411,297,145,146,337,300,904],"yoast_head":"\n