[Image by Gerd Altmann of Pixabay]
Your big day has arrived and you’ve just presented. Many speakers think once they present they’re done…not quite. The follow-up starts right now and here are fourteen effective ways you can accomplish this.
- You definitely want the conversation to continue and you want to do so in a timely manner. A good rule of thumb is to follow-up within 48 hours or less.
- Use polls asking participants for their specific feedback.
- A brief survey can be sent to all attendees.
- Have an incentive for responding to your poll or survey.
- If you’re in-person, I recommend asking for comments from those who attended your session.
- Networking opportunities abound so interacting is paramount, collecting business cards.
- Consider photo options to capture you interfacing with others.
- If your session was recorded, ask permission to have a copy and then share it on your website.
- Remember to include social media sites and publicize this to your audience.
- Self-evaluation is imperative; you may use my Presentation Log for this purpose.
- Remember to send resources, notes, or a brief recap to all those in attendance.
- Make yourself available to anyone wishing further clarification.
- Turn your follow-up into a blog, podcast, or article.
- Add a note of appreciation to your event host or sponsor, hoping to get invited back.
Unfortunately, listener’s don’t retain much of what they hear or learn. A speaker’s job is always to keep the conversation going. Feel free to add to this list of fourteen ideas but remember it’s always imperative to stay in contact with your audience. That’s the only way to stand out!