Who - are you talking to?

“My play was a complete success. The audience was a failure.” Just as this quote by Ashleigh Brilliant applies to us as speakers, it is also relevant to our communications within public relations.

The message you think you sent is not necessarily the message that your audience heard. Knowing your audience will help you craft that message to accomplish your goals.

The first question is whether the audience in your communications is internal or external to Toastmasters. An external audience is not familiar with terms such as Area and Division; that District 4 includes over 200 clubs; let alone what it means that a featured speaker is a DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster). The messages aimed at an audience outside Toastmasters should be free of abbreviations and jargon.

Secondly, determine whether the target for the communication is an individual, a select group, or a wider audience. In each case, the more personalized the message is to the intended audience, the more receptive that audience will be to the message.

• Even general announcements must be targeted. For an external audience, corporate clubs typically target other employees. Community clubs focus on other demographics to find potential members with similar interests and goals, including age ranges, cultures, even fluency in a foreign language, by advertising in a neighborhood, church, school or sports center.
• A specific group typically has shared experiences and knowledge that can be leveraged in the message; repeating basic knowledge for this audience may be received as being condescending. Status reports and project plans are usually geared towards a more specific group internal to Toastmasters, such as club officers or a contest committee.
• A message to a particular person is most effective if it is individually tailored. If a message is sent to only one person, but does not address him or her by name, and is an obvious generic mass mailing, the response will be low.

Let’s take a specific example: you need a volunteer. In this case, asking an individual is more effective than asking an entire group. We can learn from a simple social interaction: in high school, the dance floor was empty when one courageous boy walked towards to a group of girls; upon arrival, he asked if anyone wanted to dance. While I love to dance, I am not “anyone,” and I still had the romantic notion of being the only one asked. No one else accepted his offer, either.

The same is true of a long distribution list for a request; every recipient will assume that someone – else – will sign up. To find a photographer, choose an individual with an interest in photography, and mention any prior photos taken for the club or other events as a reason for choosing him or her. Or ask someone who has wanted to gain visibility in the organization to take a role as an event chair, explaining how this opportunity will accomplish this goal. You are much more likely to hear “yes” in response.

Finally, knowing your audience also tells you where to place the message. Both Toastmasters and potential members have different preferences; some respond well to face-to-face meetings and phone calls; others prefer e-mails; still others use the new social media channels, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Knowing the communication preferences of your audience will help you place the message where it will be seen, both by current and potential members.

In other words, one size does not fit all. Send the right message, at the right time, in the right medium – to the right audience.