Public speaking requires great preparation and great delivery. But what you do after your presentation can be almost as important. We all know about customer service and after sales service. The company that rings us up and checks that everything is good, checking to see if we need any further support or information. The customer service does not end at the sale.
The same with public speaking. The presentation, sharing of ideas, motivation and call to action do not necessarily end at the end of your presentation. Enclosed are some ways that we can ensure that after the presentation, the audience engagement and the learning go on beyond the presentation.
1. Do a post event questionnaire
This questionnaire can ask participants to give you feedback on what was valuable and useful information and what did not work or needs changing. This questionnaire often gives me an opportunity to improve and change my offering and also often the comments are positive and I can ask permission to use them as a testimonial. I also ask if there is any further information or courses that they think would be valuable to them.
2. Provide a list of my reference books
When I run a workshop, I take along my favourite reference books, relating to the topic. I let people have a look at them, take a photo of them or ask which books are most relevant to their needs. I automatically follow up my workshops with an email containing a list of my reference books, the author and why I like that book.
3. Send a video relating to the topic
During my workshops and presentations, I often mention specific TED talks or a previous webinar that I have recorded that relates to the topic being discussed. For example, if I have a question in my workshop on “how to deal with hecklers”, I have recorded a webinar which I can share with the group. I will email this out to all participants of the group. I watch a lot of TED talks and often send a link to one of these.
4. Do an email follow up campaign.
Some speakers have a 6-day or 7-day reminder sequence that keeps the audience learning and thinking beyond the workshop or seminar. It can be a series of tips, a list of the key learnings, or even motivational quotes relating to your topic. I have done workshops with Michael Grinder and he sends a motivational quote related to nonverbal communication every day. So 365 motivational quotes – and you can unsubscribe when you wish. It is a great way to keep your audience thinking about the lessons that you shared.
5. Get people to sign up for your newsletter
I create a monthly newsletter with a video of the month, a couple of blog posts focused on tips and a motivational quote. This enables me to also keep in contact with clients and my workshop attendees. It enables me to pick themes that focus previous learning around controlling nerves or public speaking for example.
The next time you do a presentation, what strategies are you going to use to add value and keep the learning going for your audience? Don’t be the speaker who presents, finishes and says goodbye permanently. Your workshop or seminar should be the inspiration and the start of your audiences’ journey, not the end. So why not help them along that journey as much as you can.
If you want to learn more tips on presentation and improve your presentation skills and public speaking skills, I am running a workshop on Winning Presentation Skills on 22 November in Perth.