Why Strong Audience Connections Matter Now More Than Ever
- Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Creating a strong connection with an audience is critical for communication success, as described in Chapter 3 of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide:
Successful communication creates a sharing of ideas and feelings, resulting in an audience that attends to, engages with, and takes action on the message communicated in the manner intended by the communicator.
Successful communication begins and ends with the audience. Effective communicators know their audience because they have thoroughly assessed the audience’s needs, concerns, interests, and behaviors.
A communicator’s awareness and responsiveness enables a connection with the audience at a level that allows a free-flowing two-way exchange – successful communication.
When an audience feels a connection with the communicator and believes that the message meets their needs and concerns, they are motivated to pay attention and to engage, and ultimately are more likely to take action regarding the message.
Strong audience connections build trust.
For an audience to attend to, engage with, and act upon a message, they must trust the communicator. Strong audience connections build and strengthen trust. When communicating about science, those audience connections matter. Now more than ever.
Across the globe, trust in science and scientists is strong, though not as high as pre-pandemic. A 2024 survey by the Pew Research Center found that trust in scientists remains lower today than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Pew survey found that only 45% of U.S. adults describe scientists as good communicators.
Communicating effectively is dependent on creating a connection with the audience. Let’s explore how.
10 principles for creating strong audience connections:
Recognize that effective communication is a relational activity, not simply sending messages. Humans are social beings with brains wired for connection. Communicate with this truth top of mind. Make creating connections a top priority.
Get to know your audience. Assess their needs, desires, values, and more. Knowing your audience is paramount to effective communication.
Tailor and personalize your communication based on what you learn about your audience. Begin where they are, using words and illustrations they understand and can relate to. Make the audience think, “they know me.” Whenever possible, use names.
Demonstrate empathy so the audience feels seen, heard, and understood. Communicators who show they understand an audience’s feelings and perspectives are considered more effective.
Account for the audience’s readiness to change and what motivates them. Are they primed for action, or do they need more information and reasons to take action?
Seek to be authentic and transparent. Employ storytelling as a powerful tool to create authenticity and build connections with your audience. Be honest and be yourself.
Be approachable through your words and nonverbal communication. Do your words, tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language all communicate an openness to connect with the audience?
Create multiple opportunities for the audience to engage with you in meaningful ways. Involve the audience throughout communication design and delivery. Ask and solicit good questions. Spend more time listening than speaking.
Build community between audience members. Create a sense of belonging.
Continually seek feedback and demonstrate a desire to communicate more effectively. Check for understanding. Seek to improve your message and delivery. Listen and respond to the audience.
Read more about creating a connection with an audience in these posts:
“Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners.” ~ James Stewart
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