ABSTRACT
Although most audiences do not spell out their information requirements as clearly as the sourcing manager did for the three sales teams who presented to him, we can still learn several lessons from this true story. One of the most important lessons we can learn is that experienced audiences, like the sourcing manager, already know what information they need from other professionals in order to make the types of decisions they make routinely. What’s more, experienced audiences may judge the quality of a recommendation or firm on the basis of how thoroughly, efficiently, and honestly business people and other professionals address their information needs. Chapter 1 amplifies these lessons. It describes the nature of audience expertise in decision making and what professionals in all industries need to know about it in order to be persuasive.
