Research in marketing and in political science has found that who delivers a message is extremely important to whether the message is paid attention to and believed. Therefore, you will want to consider:
- Who influences the audience?
- Who does the audience trust?
- Who are important role models?
For one-on-one meetings, make sure you choose the right person, in terms of trust, respect, and influence. When presenting to a group, think about who the group respects and trusts. You are not necessarily looking for the most knowledgeable, but rather the most believable, the most heartfelt, and the most trustworthy to the audience you are seeking to influence. Think about social networks. Mapping them out or writing them down can be very helpful in identifying the best individuals for communicating your message.