Listening to your Audience

In writing circles, the recommendation is to "Know Your Reader". In training and speaking circles, the feedback is "Know your Audience". Essentially, its all the same. Communication - all communication - is two way. Miscommunication happens when the participants are communicating from their perspective and not LISTENING to the person they want to communicate with. It doesn't matter how articulate you are, or how good of a writer/speaker you are, if you haven't tailored your message to the needs of the reader/audience, effective communication isn't going to happen.

Ask yourself - who is going to read this? What do they really care about? If you don't know - ask! LISTEN to their response. Then go back and think about whether you can meet their needs.