Notes on: Audience

“Doubts of all things earthly, and intuitions of some things heavenly; this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a man who regards them both with equal eye.” — Herman Melville

Leading a brand is a fascinating exercise in understanding belief structures. The longer one engages in it, the more fascinating it becomes. Maintaining perspective on stakeholders and oneself is critical.

Here are some questions I ask myself. Please keep in mind that this is just one example.

Who is my stakeholder speaking to? Where are they in their career? What are their ambitions? Are they just starting out and looking to impress? Are they mid-career and aiming to move up? Are they seeking a quick win? What do they need to show to prove themselves? Are they at the end of their career cycle and aiming to secure a legacy? As a brand and marketing leader, it might be beneficial to ask these questions directly. Doing so demonstrates that you are seeking to strike the right balance in the relationship.

Who am I speaking to? This quote by Herman Melville appears in the early chapters of Moby Dick. You will find it on my LinkedIn profile, at the bottom of my website, and in the signature of every email we have exchanged. I read the entire book on the subway, and it was a magical experience to go on this adventure while swaying back and forth with all the straphangers below deck. The big question I ask myself is - why do I believe what I believe? Am I trying to impose my own beliefs on the audience? Am I trying to impress a new client? If I am introducing a new concept, product, or service, why do I believe the audience is ready? Sometimes they are not, and that’s okay. Enter the faster horse. However, the hardest thing to understand is one’s own motives. Dig deep before crafting that campaign or go-to-market strategy.

I hope you will offer your own point of view. I would love to hear.