 Know Your AudiencePublished Date: 2003-02-06 13:13:17 WorkOnInternet.com
By Mary Westheimer Whether you're writing or marketing fiction or nonfiction, you must understand your audience before you begin. After all, you wouldn't speak to your mother the way you'd talk to your sweetheart, would you? Knowing who you are talking to helps you decide what to say and how to say it as well as where and when to say it to them.
People are accustomed to different vocabularies, value systems and levels of understanding. You will be able to speak more clearly to your audience if you can sketch an accurate picture of the people in it. Take some time to create a profile of your typical reader.
Some questions will apply to all cases, some only
to special situations, but before you begin, ask yourself:
Once you've answered those questions you can learn more about
your audience with help from local resources. You can also use the checklist to assess your awareness.
You can narrow this down to a range, say 20-40, but don't leave
it too broad, since it can tell you a lot about your reader. For
instance, some people remember the beatnik era of nonconformity,
while others more readily relate to hippies or punk. Retirees,
too, will likely be more interested in travel opportunities than
recent graduates. Video games might captivate a teenager, yet turn off
an adult. Of course, these differences are not always age dependent,
but determining your readers' age level will help better define
interests and goals.
What Kind of Occupation Does My Reader Have?
Your age determination will help here. A child, obviously, is
in school, that will help you pinpoint vocabulary and
understanding. You can usually narrow adults down to a white
collar
or blue collar position or, better yet, a specific type of
employment. If you are writing for readers in a specific field,
try
to narrow it down even more.
For example, if your article lists businesses that resole
nurses'
shoes, you know your primary audience will be nurses. You can
then
further break that down into private nurses and those employed by
a hospital or nursing home. Note that they'll be more familiar
with
nursing jargon than, say, a recent nursing school graduate. But
you
can see how this would help you widen your base from just nursing
publications to college newspapers on campuses which feature
nursing programs.
What Is My Reader's Annual Income Level?
Once you know age and occupation, this question becomes easier
to answer. Again, you can settle on a range. This information
will
tell you more about how much spendable income your audience has
and
may help you zero in on other points, for instance...
How Educated Is My Reader?
This will especially help you determine your vocabulary. Some
publications tell writers to assume readers have no more than an
eighth grade education. That rules out words like "prescient" and
largely abstract concepts. A highly educated audience may also be
more tolerant of controversy, have greater interest in global
affairs, or have a broader perspective on historic repetition.
Where Does My Reader Live?
Start with the world and narrow this down. If you're writing in
English, that immediately reduces your audience. And if you're
writing about issues in a certain region, that will usually allow
you to narrow it even more (unless, for example, it's a travel
piece). This can help with vocabulary and level of understanding.
For instance, how many people outside of the Southwest would know
what an "ocotillo" is? Who outside of the northern climes would
care about blizzard survival? Also consider the type of structure
your reader occupies. Are you writing for an apartment dweller,
or
someone who has a house and all of the responsibilities and
pleasures that come with one?
Is My Reader Married, Single, Divorced or Living With a
Significant Other?
This question will help you understand your reader's interests,
restrictions and demands. Married couples might want hobbies they
can do together. Single people tend to have more leisure time,
but
are quite often lonely, while divorced people usually have the
time, but not the extra money.
While many of humorist Erma Bombeck's columns appealed to a
general audience, some are particularly poignant or humorous for
parents. This question will also help you determine how much
leisure time your reader has, what he or she does with it, and
what
products or tips might be valuable.
What Does My Reader Do During Leisure Time?
Are you appealing to a couch potato or a weekend athlete? A
fisherman, skier or artist? Knowing this will allow you to speak to your reader in terms and
concepts that appeal -- and make sense -- to them.
Is My Reader Male or Female?
This doesn't matter in all cases, but could sharpen marketing
strategies if it pertains. It also could affect vocabulary and
value systems.
What Is My Reader's Heritage?
This is one question that won't always be necessary, but can be
critical. Those of Irish background, for example, are more likely
to want to read a story about the mass immigration caused by the
tragic Potato Famine.
What Are My Reader's Political or Social Leanings?
Again, this may be unnecessary. But if you're writing a think
piece about corporal punishment, determining potential readers'
positions will certainly help you market it.
What Types of Things Does My Reader Usually Read?
This question will help with marketing and approach. If you're
writing a book about sophisticated financial maneuvering, there's
a good chance your readers get Money or Forbes.
This
determination helps identify terms they'll already be comfortable
with.
What Other Attributes of My Reader Will Slant My
Presentation?
This is the X factor. Your subject may be written for a
population that has special interests. For instance, your readers
may be parents whose children were killed by drunk drivers. Such
a
group has concerns that can affect outlook on a variety of
issues.
Now you might want to head for the nearest library or reference
center and begin delving into demographic research. Detailed
studies can help you better understand readers' preferences.
Also consider consulting members of your target audience about
your project. They can sometimes provide unusual insights and
may even be willing to critique your ideas or the work itself
(this is sometimes called peer review).
Even if you just decide to use the profile you've created here,
you'll find you have now called up someone you can talk to
comfortably, and someone who will understand you.
AUDIENCE CHECKLIST:
MARY WESTHEIMER has made more than 350 published
contributions to publications including Columbia Journalism
Review, USA Today and Publishers Weekly. She
has
taught journalism and been an editor of various publications,
including serving as a contributing editor for America West
Airlines Magazine.
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