When I try to remember the last speech,presentation or sermon I attended, very few surface to the top of my memory. I do recall sitting through hundreds of boring hours of PowerPoint presentations given by various people — professors, classmates, and business colleagues.

So like the rest of the planet, I am ahuge, huge fan of Susan Boyle – the unassuming woman who took to the stage on Britain’s Got Talent the other week and literally blew away the judges, the audience, and now the Internet community. In fact, the only person who was probably not thrilled with her performance had to be the guy or gal who followed her. While she was knocking ‘em dead onstage, I’m guessing that person was getting nauseous backstage.

Every speaker wants to deliver an effective presentation. Successful presentations ensure sales, referrals and repeat bookings, which are the driving force of the speaking business. And at the core of every effective presentation is an understanding of the audience. By researching your audience before making a presentation you will better position yourself for future engagements. While researching for your next speech, keep these questions in mind: