Objective:

Usually when we teach research, we forget to teach about researching the audiences perspective. This lesson attempts to teach that one needs to understand the audiences perspective in order to make a connection and have their message be effective. The last lesson started to look at the needs of others, now students will examine how to determine the needs of groups of people.

Preset Activity:

Have students get in a circle and think of something that interests them and prepare a question that addresses that interest. Students will ask the class a question, and everyone will have a chance to answer it. This could also be done by forming groups and have the groups come up with some questions. Then have the class come together and announce their questions to the class. The class will write down the questions and answer them on paper. The teacher could sort through them and discuss common themes at the end of this lesson.

Lesson:

So far we have discussed theories on how to change attitude, and how persuasion works. The most important aspect of persuasion is to know your audience. If you don't know what your audience is thinking, it makes persuasion harder. Most of us have learned that we need to research an idea in order to be able to write a good paper on it. Making a good argument, or to be persuasive, one needs to do their research. You have to learn about the people you are talking to. The method of finding out about people is called demographics. That is, demographics is information about a group of people. The preset activity was an example of finding out the demographics of a group of people. The group is this class.

Advertisers always research demographics before advertising. They try to connect with the way people think in a certain area. So what are some things that can be considered demographics, and how can they help?

• Average Age: The age group can have factors on how people think about things. Do your parents listen to the same music as you? Do they like the same food, or enjoy the same activities as you?
• Income: This can play a factor as to the type of products people are looking for. Are they looking for luxury items, or are they looking to save money?
• Gender: Are there more men or women? Which gender will most likely be interested, and how do their views differ from the opposite gender? Would you use a hockey player to sell Depends?
• Religion: Does their religion play a factor in how they will view your topic. If it's something that their religion preaches against, you will have to have a good reason why and how it could fit into their religious beliefs.
• Other Affiliations: Just like religious affiliations, groups that people belong to can have a huge influence on how they make decisions. Are they members of PETA, or do they belong to a wine tasting group? These groups can tell you a lot about the persons attitudes.
• Family Size: Is their decision going to affect lots of people, or just them? Will it make it harder for them to support their family? You wouldn't want to sell a sports car to a family of five unless you sell it as an expression of freedom
• Political Party: If you are taking a political stance, do the people favor this stance or not? Will their political stance be a factor in their decision?
• Type of Occupation / Education: White collar workers or those with more education might want more statistics and explanation in a more formal manner. Blue collar workers might want to know how it will give them relief from the stress of work.
• Hobbies: The types of things that people choose to do outside of groups or work can tell you what is important to them. It can also tell you how to approach and argument. If someone likes tennis your argument shouldn't be centered around how to avoid physical activity.

Task Orientated Approach:

• Along with demographics, it is important to know under what circumstances a person or group will be introduced to your argument or persuasive message. If a person is a Roman Catholic who likes tennis, your method of persuasion would be different for that person depending on whether you are introducing your method in their church or on the tennis court.
• In each situation a person will be in a different state-of-mind.
• In a book titled The Responsive Cord (1973), Tony Schwartzwrites about using messages that are built for the time and place, when and where they will be heard. Schwartz calls this the task-orientated approach.

Reflective Activity: Have students come up with a product/service that they think the students in class could use. The students can use the results of the demographics survey already done. They should also make a new questionnaire that will ask questions that pertain to their product. As part of this questionnaire, students should remember Schwartz's task-orientated approach. The people taking the questionnaire, and where the results will be used, is in school.