METHODS OF ORGANIZATION – Audience Analysis  

 

 


Your readers and listeners can have different Filters of the Mind, and the Monolith of Misunderstanding can create problems in getting your written and spoken communication understood properly.

 

 

What are the reasons?  The reader’s or listener’s perception/view of you, his opinion of your idea and your message.

 

 3 ATTITUDES OR FEELINGS OF AUDIENCES & METHODS OF ORGANIZING YOUR MESSAGE BASED ON THOSE ATTITUDES OR FEELINGS

 

Hostile Audience – when the receiver does not agree with your idea, suggestion, recommendation, or other communication.  In this case, you would use the INDUCTIVE or INDIRECT method of message organization (see diagram below).

 

Friendly Audience – when the reader agrees with your idea, suggestion, recommendation or other communication.  In this case, you would use the DEDUCTIVE or DIRECT method of message organization (see diagram below).

 

Indifferent Audience – When the reader really does not have a strong opinion about your idea, suggestion, recommendation or other communication.  In this case, you must use a Cost-Benefit Analysis or other “appeal” .  We will discuss Appeals in another section.

 

The main points here are (a) that you begin with a “buffer” statement (the least disagreeable, non-controversial point first – such as a fact that you and your audience can easily agree with.); (b) that you communicate the facts/ideas/points at the beginning (rather than the recommendation or conclusion); (c) support those facts and make them understandable to your audience with examples, showing benefits, and comparing your idea with other “bad” ones; (d) lastly, after you have shown/proven your points, then the audience is ready to accept your conclusion or recommendation.
 
 


METHOD:  With a Hostile Audience, INDUCTIVE or INDIRECT

Ideas, Points, Facts
 
                                                              

Go from a general point to more specific.
 
                                                               “Buffer”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Conclusion

or

Recommendation

 

 

 

 

METHOD: With a Friendly Audience, DEDUCTIVE or DIRECT

The main points here are that you start with (a) the conclusion or recommendation, because the audience already agrees with you, but your job is to support the decision and show that it is the correct one; (b) bring examples, etc. to show benefits of the decision; (c) give supporting facts and ideas, so that there is no doubt about the conclusion or recommendation you are proposing to your audience; (d) finally, restate the conclusion or    recommendation.
 

Go from the decision to the supporting points, which is specific to general.
 
 

 


                                                            Conclusion

                                                            or

                                                            Recommendation

 

                                               

                                    Examples, Benefits

                                    Clear Logic

                                    Comparisons

 

 

 

                        Supporting Ideas, Points

                        Facts

                        Then . . . Restate Conclusion

or Recommendation

 

 

 

 

 

 

METHOD:  Indifferent Audience, Cost-Benefit Analysis

 

 

Analyze the cost of:

1) the idea

2) its implementation

 

[This is best done with comparison charts or simple lists that show the costs of one idea against another or others.]

 

 

THEN . . .

 

3) Show the specific benefits or benefits your audience will get from your recommendation.

 

[This is not necessarily in saving of money.  Sometimes, the savings are in labor time, personnel frustration and other non-budget items.]