Audience Analysis Checklist

Chapter 2 – Planning the Message – Audience Analysis

Relevant Concepts:

Audience Analysis Worksheet:

Perform an Audience Analysis using the same scenario used in the last module’s Planning the Message (ASSIGNMENT).

Scenario:

After noticing that some workers were starting work late and finishing early, a department head wrote this message to subordinates:

It is apparent that many of you are not giving the company a full day’s work. Thus, the following procedures are implemented immediately:

The message was not well received by the workers. In fact, it led to considerable anger and confusion.

Planning the Message
Audience Analysis Checklist
What is my relationship to my audience?
Subordinate
Colleague
Superior
Client/Customer
Other: ___________________
What is my relationship w ith my audience?
Friendly and informal. I know my audience well We communicate often and have a social
business relationship.
Friendly and formal. We’ve met and have a cordial, business-like relationship.
Neutral or no relationship. I don’t know my audience personally.
Unfriendly or hostile.
Other:
What will my audience’s reaction to my message be?
Positive
Negative
Neutral
What factors in my company culture or other background information should I take into
account?
What factors in my audience’s culture or other background information should I take into
account?
c:\users\jcarc\documents\academics\bus 128 bus comm\canvas 16 week modules and documents\module 3\audience analysis checklist [blank worksheet].docx
Source: Rentz, Kathryn and Paula Lentz. Business Communication. 3e. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Chapter 2, page 24, Exhibit 2-3.
What does my audience need to know?
What does my audience already know?
What do I want my audience to think, feel, do know, or believe as a result of my message?
_____________________ would be the best channel for delivering the message because
c:\users\jcarc\documents\academics\bus 128 bus comm\canvas 16 week modules and documents\module 3\audience analysis checklist [blank worksheet].docx
Source: Rentz, Kathryn and Paula Lentz. Business Communication. 3e. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Chapter 2, page 24, Exhibit 2-3.