I started teaching speechwriting at mediabistro.com in New York City this year. (It’s been a great experience – more on that in a future Mint.) One of the things that I’ve been emphasizing in class is the need to anticipate the mindset of your audience.

Actually, mindset is just one of the variables. What’s their mood likely to be? Are you speaking at a cocktail reception? Have they had a drink or two? Are you the sixth speaker or the first? Do they know you, or are you a stranger? Are they sitting or standing? Are you the last speaker before lunch, or did they just eat? Did they choose to come to this event, or was it required?

With a bit of planning and research, we can uncover the answers to these questions in advance. The answers help us create a clearer picture of the audience’s starting point. Because if our goal is to move our audience in a specific direction, we have to start by meeting them where they are.