Determine Audience’s Core Heartfelt Need – Persuasive Speaking

When you craft your message, recognize there are different age groups in your audience.  Each age group (e.g. 20-30 year olds, 30-40 year olds) has a different set of strongly felt needs and expectations.  As a speaker you need to be aware of each age group’s core expectations. 

Some age groups would rather be informed, some provoked, still others are looking for training.  How do you merge all these different expectations into one message?

Find the commonality(s) of each age group before you talk.  For instance, I was asked to speak to a group 75 small business owners and professionals sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce.  My topic – “Why You Need a Business Coach?” 

It was a diverse group of males and females ranging from age 25 to 70.  What can I say that intersects the heart of each individual no matter age or gender?   I asked them to locate paper and pen and write down a one or two word answer to this question:  “What in your life, personally or professionally is not working right now …….is it about Family? Customers?  Employees?  Marketing?  Delegating?  Time Management?”  I then said (after a pause), “Focus on that thought.  Now look to me – you see what you have in front of you? – I can help!”

Everyone’s heartfelt issue has been brought to their consciousness, regardless of age or circumstance.  Now you have everyone’s attention.

Find the common need.  Everyone has something lacking in their life.  I next challenged the audience that now is the time to address that need.  They can continue to dance around the issue but evidently they must address it.  I can empower that person with a plan to overcome the matter and therefore change their life.  To work through that need (depending on their age), some will need to be educated, some empowered, some provoked, some encouraged, some informed. 

Even though each individual came to the meeting with different expectations, when they leave they now know they have a resource to help them overcome the primary challenge hindering their life.

If you make the beginning of your message about them, (and not about you) the audience will stay with you to the end.

How do you persuade people to do business with you?  Determine the group’s core need and speak to it with confidence.  You can empower them to overcome it, grow it, nurture it, change it (you get the picture) etc.  First, people need to buy INTO you before they buy FROM you.  When you show the audience that you understand their heartfelt need (and have the tools to help them), they will flock to you. 

What are you going to say at your next talk, that a week from today each audience member will remember your key point(s)?

Bottom Line:  Find the Heartfelt Issue in the Group that is Relevant to Almost Everyone

Research Your Audience Before You Speak – Persuasive Speaking

As a rule, I ALWAYS do advanced research on a group I plan to speak.  I regularly customize my message to meet the unique makeup of each gathering.  Before I speak, regardless of the topic, I try to understand the unique personality, wants, needs and learning styles of the group.

I NEVER present the same message twice.  I always tweak my presentation reflecting the uniqueness of the audience.

For instance, if the topic is marketing, I will speak differently to a group of entrepreneurs age 40 and under compared to a group age 40 and older.  I still have the same core message but I will communicate differently at each event.  Why? The primary difference is that the needs and learning styles of each group is dissimilar.

Speaking to under 40’s.  Generally, they look to be educated.  I will talk with them about emerging internet marketing technologies and get them involved in participatory exercises.  Why?  They expect you to talk about Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and the latest app for their smartphone.  Also, they have shorter attention spans and as a group they like the talk to be more interactive rather than lecture.  They are more open-minded to learning new ideas.

Speaking to over 40’s.  They want to be informed and provoked. They are less savvy about emerging technologies and know significantly less about how to interact with the internet.  They want more “hands-on” marketing ideas.  They are getting set in their ways, so sometimes they can be critical of your content. 

I meet each group’s core needs or expectations by researching and understanding each group’s unique learning style and needs. 

Example of a group over age 40. I was asked to speak to a group of ministers (all men) from 10 different denominational backgrounds to compare/contrast new Bible versions.  My advanced research determined that this group is over the age 40 and generally closed minded (sadly).  Almost all have grown up with a particular Bible version (mostly NIV) and are not interested in interacting with new versions.  So what could I say to persuade them to embrace the new versions of the Bible?

The very first point I made (to get their attention) is that their familiar Bible version will one day be obsolete.  They should be prepared to embrace new Scriptural versions whether they agree with me or not.  I noted that in the last few generations many new versions have appeared that were painstakingly translated into modern English (including the NIV).  

I also said that their parishioners like it or not, will begin to embrace newer Bible versions and they as Christian leaders must keep step with the changing times.  I was able to make an impact with the presentation because of (1) my research; and (2) complimenting the research with a persuasive message.

Bottom Line:  Research Your Group to Build a Persuasive Argument