What Happens When You Assume You Know Your Audience?

So I’m presenting to a group of young entrepreneurs. Full of ambition, eager to learn, they’re ready to grab onto anything that might help them conquer the world.

I’m talking about building your personal brand and always bringing your ‘A’ game. I give an example that everyone knows:

If you’ve ever been to a Bruce Springsteen concert – three-plus hours of uncompromising energy – you know that he’s given it his all. And he’s known for giving it his all at every concert in every city, night after night.

Blank stares. Silence.

Hmmm, seems like a reserved group. Maybe I can goad them into responding.

Let’s see a show of hands: How many of you have been to a Bruce Springsteen concert?

No hands go up. More blank stares.

Ooooooo, I get it … albeit not as soon as I wish I did!

An uncomfortable lesson about what not to do: Don’t assume you know your audience, whether it’s your customers, your employees or a group of people at a presentation!

Challenge your thinking: What is their frame of reference? Which of your assumptions about them might be wrong?

Your thoughts?

Michael

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