Know your Audience: How Disney adjusts speeches to meet audiences where they are

Put yourself in the shoes of those who must sit through your speeches. Are they employees or investors? Do they want something from you, or do you want them to do something? In this session, you’ll learn what it means to thoroughly evaluate an audience before you start writing so your speeches are written for the people who are listening. Jay Shannon, executive communications manager for Disneyland Resort, will talk about the nuances of audience expectations and how minor adjustments can make major differences in what you communicate.

Key Highlights:

• What questions to ask about your audience before you write one word, so you write to communicate with them instead of talking at them
• What you can and can’t control about your audience, so you give your speaker the greatest opportunity for success
• Strategies to tailor your message for new audiences so you don’t reinvent the wheel
• Day-of speech tips for helping the speaker connect with the audience
• How to give the audience something they didn’t know they needed so your speeches are memorable