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How to better understand your audience in meetings

Introduction

Hi there, in this week's episode of The Art of Business English, we are looking at how better understanding our audience can improve our meeting outcomes. 

Below I have the six things we need to consider to help us better understand our audience. 

Let's dive in. 

Who is coming?

To help you better plan a meeting and understand how will be attending your meeting. You should answer these questions below:

  • Find out who is coming
  • What is their role in the company?
  • What is their role in the meeting?
  • What are their expertise?What are their expectations?
  • What factors might influence them?

Don't be one-sided

Only thinking about what you want to achieve and not considering the expectations and motivations of those who will be attending your meeting can lead to poor outcomes. Read the tips below and listen to the podcast for the full explanation. 

  • Have your goals clear
  • Be ready for surprises
  • Be ready for counter arguments and ideas
  • Prepare possible answers before the meeting
  • Understand your motivations and their motivations
  • Look for alignment

Brainstorm scenarios

Thinking about how a meeting is going to go is a good idea. If you are a non-native English speaker then this is even more important. Here we want to plan for some different potential scenarios so that we are better prepared. 

  • If they say this, then what?
  • How might they react to this information?
  • What do we do if…?

Final Thoughts

Planning your meeting effectively is a great way to improve the effectiveness of your meeting and makes good use of the time invested. Understanding your audience and who will be attending is crucial to achieving your meeting goals and making sure you get the desired outcomes.

Did you know that The Art of Business English has a premium course on how to confidently participate in meetings? Why not check out a free sample before you decide to grab your copy of the full programme.

You can enrol in the free sample course below. 

You are ready to learn English

We have a way to help you

Enrol in the free sample course of "Confidence in business meetings" now. 

Comment, like and share this post and if you love the Art of Business English, then why don't you give us a 5-star review on iTunes or Spotify? 

Till next week, take care.  

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Andrew


Andrew is the CEO and founder of the Art of Business English. Besides teaching and coaching native Spanish speakers in Business English, he is also passionate about mountain biking, sailing and healthy living. When He is not working, Andrew loves to spend time with his family and friends.

Andrew Ambrosius

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