Xiang is doing a summer internship with the Red Cross. Her University has asked her to deliver a short speech to a group of college students about the importance of donating blood

Question

What demographics should Xiang consider about her audience, and how can she shape her speech to adapt to them? Based on what you know about her audience, what level of Maslow's hierarchy should she appeal to and how would that shape her speech?
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The ideal answer would include the following:
1. The age of Xiang's audience is important. Because they are college students, they have concerns unique to being 18–22 years old. She also will want to consider their education level, ask she can be fairly sure that they are all attending college. She may want to consider the racial and gender make-up of her audience.
2. She can adapt her speech by speaking to their concerns. For example, while they may feel that they do not personally need blood transfusions, she can educate them about the statistics of young people needing blood transfusions after car crashes. They may not know what giving blood entails if they have never done it, so she can explain how the procedure works.
3. For the second part of the essay, the author should choose a level of Maslow's hierarchy and justify it with specific examples. For example: Based on her audience, Xiang may want to speak to her audience's desire to be appreciated by others. She can describe what a difference blood transfusions make in the lives of those who receive them and how much they are needed in the community. She can tell her audience that each one of them has the potential to save a life.