Worksheet for Understanding Your Audience

INSTRUCTIONS
Use this worksheet to assess an audience that you need to persuade and to plan how you can adapt your delivery
to appeal to the audience members.

Part I: Describe Your Proposal and Its Benefits

What is the idea or proposal that you plan to communicate to your audience?

What do you hope to persuade your audience to do based on that idea or proposal?

List the benefits of your idea or proposal.

Part II: Analyze Your Audience

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2014 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business School Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

1.

In the first column, list the individuals you need to persuade. Place each person in the appropriate category:

Decision makers: People who have the power to approve or reject your idea
Key stakeholders: Those who would be directly affected if your proposal were accepted
Influencers: Individuals who can sway your decision makers and key stakeholders

2.

In the second column, list the benefits that you think each audience member values most.

3.

In the third column, note how you would gauge each audience members receptivity to your idea. Do you think the
person will be hostile, neutral, uninterested, uninformed, supportive, or mixed?

4.

In the fourth column, consider each audience members preferred decision-making style. Does the person: Want factual
and supporting information before making a decision? Prefer to analyze other respected individuals decisions and follow
their lead? Tend to feel enthusiastic about new ideas early on but then look for data to support the proposed idea? Tend
to be initially skeptical of others ideas and need to be convinced of your credibility?

INDIVIDUALS

BENEFITS

RECEPTIVITY

DECISION-MAKING
STYLE

Decision Makers

Key Stakeholders

Influencers

Part III: Plan Your Approach

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2014 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business School Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

1.

In the first column, copy the names of the individuals as you listed them in Part II.

2.

In the second column, note how you plan to win each audience members mind. That is, what benefits of your idea will
you emphasize? What evidence will you provide to reassure your audience that those benefits are within their reach?
What words will you use?

3.

In the third column, note how you plan to win each audience members heart. That is, what vivid descriptions,
metaphors, analogies, and stories might you provide to connect with your listeners on an emotional level?

4.

In the fourth column, note how you plan to acknowledge resisters concerns and communicate your understanding of
their concerns.

Once you understand the composition of your audience, you will be better able to adapt your delivery. Depending on the
audience mix, you may want to appeal to the majority or to the decisions makers. You may choose to meet with some
individuals separately.

INDIVIDUAL

WIN HEARTS

WIN MINDS

OVERCOME
RESISTANCE

Decision Makers

Key Stakeholders

Influencers

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2014 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business School Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.