Imagine yourself as a new joiner on a hybrid work schedule trying to understand the job profile and being asked to sit through a meeting where you do not understand the terminology. In contrast, others seem to be doing fine understanding it. You will feel a little lost, hoping you got a little brief in the beginning, or the presentation was in simpler words and you could understand better.

Remember this when you begin any presentation. Every audience does not fit the same frame. Every audience is a blank slate, and you need to customize your language, tone, and content accordingly. An audience of 4 people will have very unique needs compared to addressing a large crowd, especially in today’s hybrid work schedule where some attendees might be virtual and others in person. An impactful presentation leaves the audience in awe of the information you have just shared with them and how you have covered areas that needed their attention.

In this blog, we will talk about how you can accomplish this and be an expert who leaves a mark on the audience.

Tips for Customizing Presentations for Diverse Audiences:

Understanding the audience will help you understand the message you want to give out. What is it that the audience cares about and what is it that they want? If these questions are not answered during your presentation, it will be considered disappointing

How Do You Modify Your Presentation for Different Audiences?

First, know the language your audience is most comfortable communicating in and choose that language to present. It is advisable to have some sort of human or AI translator available in case of a language barrier. The next thing to look into is how formal your industry requires you to be and tailor the tone and the content accordingly. Look at industry-specific videos to understand how professionals speak and tweak your speech accordingly. E.g. an investor pitch and presentation will have a formal tone and complex terminology while a product introduction and presentation will have a friendly, and possibly informal tone.

1. Respect cultural sensitivities:

Adapt to different viewpoints and avoid touching on culturally sensitive topics. You have to be mindful of culturally sensitive humor, manners and language. This will prevent accidental and unintentional misunderstandings and will make your content look well-presented.

2. Use appropriate visuals and graphics to complement your content:

Information seen is grasped faster than information heard. Visuals that you add to your presentation make it smart and add value to it. Using an AI PPT maker can further streamline this process by quickly generating visually appealing slides. Visuals and graphics make your presentation look well-researched. Presenting to different audiences can use different visuals, these can be in the form of charts, graphs, images, or videos. A school presentation could have images that speak directly to the students whereas a corporate presentation could incorporate graphs that present the economics and numbers being spoken about. Make sure your visuals complement the information you are already giving, adding extra visuals that give more information than required will divert the audience from the main message and distract them. Avoid these presentation mistakes by being selective with your visual aids, ensuring they enhance rather than detract from your key points.

3. Tailor the length according to their schedules:

Tailor your presentation’s length should be as per the audience’s schedule and attention span. If the audience requires in-depth information on a topic, make sure you have covered all the points and given your research sufficient time. If you are presenting to busy CEOs make sure to cover all important points in the given time and pass on your message in a concise but effective manner. A presentation designed for students, however, needs to be designed in a way that is not too long but is interesting enough to keep their focus so that they don’t get bored.

4. Incorporate humour, but use it mindfully:

Different types of audiences in a presentation respond differently. Gauge the energy in the air before you crack a joke. Your jokes will be funny to some audiences but in certain rooms where the vibe is more formal, your jokes may be met with dead silence. Humor is good but it is not always good, understanding your audience well comes into play here. Even while making a joke, make sure it is light-hearted and not offensive to anyone.

5. Use relatable references:

Using relatable references not only makes your audience understand your points better but also remember you as a presenter for a long time. Giving real-life examples or references from the same field of work that the audiences can understand is a good option. E.g. When giving a presentation on marketing, giving a reference from a good ad by a certain brand that has been very popular and further elaborating on your point would be a good idea.

In the world of presentations, mastering the needs of the audience and how to tailor presentations to audiences is key. Post that it is your communication skills that make sure your presentation is a hit or whether it is falling flat. Personalizing a presentation for an audience helps you build connections and fill the loopholes. Your presentation should be able to answer your audience’s questions. How to tailor presentations to an audience target is a skill you can refine with the right guidance and eventually become a strategic presenter in no time.

Author Bio:

Anurag Bhagsain is the Founder of slidesai.io, where he leads the charge in transforming presentation design. With a love for blogging, Anurag uses his expertise to create informative content that educates and motivates. From sharing tips on effective storytelling to simplifying design concepts. Anurag is dedicated to empowering his audience to create compelling presentations. When he's not immersed in blogging and presentations, Anurag enjoys coding & gaming.