How to Understand Any Audience: Speak to Their Hearts, Not Just Their Ears

(Speak With Confidence – Part 2)

You can have a powerful message — but if you don’t understand your audience, your words will never fully land.

In Episode 2 of the Speak With Confidence series, Madiama Mbaye breaks down one of the most overlooked skills in public speaking: understanding the audience before you speak.

Great speakers don’t guess. They don’t assume. And they don’t speak the same way to everyone.

They take time to understand their audience’s expectations, needs, fears, and cultural lenses — and then shape their message accordingly.

This episode teaches you how to move from delivering information to creating real connection.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why most speakers miss their audience even with a strong message
• The 4 silent questions every audience is asking
• How to identify audience expectations before you speak
• The difference between audience needs and audience fears
• Why cultural awareness is essential for effective communication
• A simple 60-second audience check you can use before any talk
• How understanding your audience builds confidence naturally

Key Takeaway:

You don’t connect by speaking louder — you connect by understanding deeper.

When you understand who you’re speaking to, confidence replaces guesswork.

What’s Coming Next:

In Episode 3, we’ll explore How Great Speakers Read the Room — how to notice energy shifts, body language, and audience reactions while you’re speaking, and how to adjust with confidence.

Invitation:

If this episode helped you, imagine what a full guided training could do.

The Mentium Public Speaking Course is coming soon — a step-by-step program designed to help you speak with confidence, clarity, and impact.

👉 Join the interest list https://mentium.fillout.com/forms