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Friday, January 18, 2008

Audience identification

Perhaps the first step in organizing one’s communication is to ‘identify one’s

audience-the receivers. To take an extreme example there would seem little point in

attempting to entertain a 5-year-old child by discussing quantum mechanics. Research

by the BBC has confIrmed

that an intelligent, interested audience will grasp more of.

the topic being communicated than a less intelligent, bored one. Many industrial writers

also realize the importance of knowing the intelligence, interests, attitudes, and technical

jargon of an intended audience. Few, however, have gone as far as suggesting sample

interviewing’ as a means of gaining this knowledge. Neverthe]es, it seems self¬

evident that the amount of effort applied in ‘type-casting’ an audience should depend, to

some degree, on the importance of the intended message. Even with the least important

message, however, it would seem rewarding to consider the target audience. Even the

least important communication has to be received to avoid a complete waste of eff0l1.

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