Public Speaking: Adapting to an Audience, Application Essay Example

The most important consideration for a public speaker is to be Audience-Centered.  In order to effectively communicate with an audience, it is necessary to understand what you, as a public speaker, want them to know or how you want them to respond. Keeping the audience foremost in mind will determine what topic a speaker chooses, how the speech will be structured, what sorts of additional materials will be used, and all other aspects of the speech.

Being Audience-Centered begins with a consideration of the psychology of the audience. Different audiences will bring different mindsets (such as those that are compelled to attend or those that choose to attend). Appealing to the egocentricity of the audience is paramount to ensure that they are as receptive as possible. By understanding the demographic makeup of the audience it is possible to develop a speech that best suits the psychology of that audience. At the same time, it is important to avoid stereotyping the audience.  There are a number of demographic considerations that may be applicable, depending on the circumstances; these can include age, gender, religious background, and sexual orientation as examples.

After analyzing the audience, it is possible for a speaker to adapt the speech to suit that analysis. Knowing the audience makes it possible to assess how they might or will likely respond to a speech, and to adapt it accordingly. It is important to keep this in mind, and to ensure that the needs of the audience are of greater importance than the needs of the speaker. During a speech it may also be necessary to adapt to the audience, if things are going badly, or just not according to plan. A good public speaker can respond to unexpected changes in the size of an audience, the venue for the speech, the allowed time, or other changing circumstances.