Audiences will have different communications requirements and needs which need to be met. Before you decide on a communication type be sure to take into consideration whether the audience are internal or external, their level of understanding, the reason for communicating, the most effective method of communication, the style of communication which will be used and the tone that is required for communicating with them.
The differences in communication between internal and external audiences is that all the internal audiences will have an understanding of terms, jargon and abbreviations – which are used regularly in the business. However, external audiences would require a simpler and more formal approach to their communication as using business related abbreviations and jargon will only confuse the audience and start to make them unclear of what is being said to them.Also identifying the difference between the internal and external audience will impact the level of professionalism that is required for the communication. Internal audiences wouldn’t require correct spelling or grammar as there isn’t a worry of appearing unprofessional with a colleague, however any communication with external audiences you need to be sure that the grammar, spelling and punctuation is all perfect to maintain the business image. Ensuring you understand the level of knowledge the audience has is essential as not everyone will have the same understanding of the business.
When communicating with external audiences such as customers it is important to ensure that you are speaking to them regarding services or products at a basic level to start off with as assuming they know anymore may impact on the business you’ll be doing with them.Deciding on a communication method for different audiences is important when considering the aim of the communication. This is because sending a lengthy business letter regarding a change in contact details would be more time consuming and is a lot more hassle than sending a quick formal email regarding the change in contact details.
The tone and style of the communication with audiences vary with the audience type. For example, if the aim of the communication is to inform the audience of a serious matter, the tone would be more formal and structured to ensure that the audience is aware of the aim throughout. However, if the audience is having a discussion where a more relaxed atmosphere is needed, the structure of the discussion would be informal to suit the audience.
Also the tone and style would change with the age range for both serious and not-so serious discussions as the communication would need to be age appropriate. For example, younger audiences would need a simpler, more engaging style and tone with anything communicated to them however older adults can have more complex wording and would need a different tone used.
