The final key to creating a killer presentation is an unavoidable step but the one that may yield the biggest returns in your growth as a public speaker. To rise to the top of your field, takes growth and change. Ideally, you need to improve every time you speak and there is only one way to gain that growth. It is through feedback. So the tenth and final key to creating a killer presentation is getting feedback.
Ask for Ideas
To really grow and improve, even to gain new and fresh ideas to keep your presentations interesting and fresh, one feedback is not enough. You need continual feedback. At the end of every event, ask your participants for feedback. Ask them what they liked and what they didn’t like about the presentation. A key to designing future presentations and workshops is to get feedback and ideas from those that attended. Ask them on which topics would they like more information. Ask them for ideas.
The best time to ask is at the end of the event. This is when people are usually networking and socializing with each other building business contacts. It is also a time when they debrief with each other and dissect the seminar. This gives you the perfect opportunity to begin establishing your speaking business. All business is dependent firstly on relationships. Take the time to interact with your audience and test your market by asking them what they want to hear and learn. You should not ignore this step as it will increase the value of your speaking career. Greet them, express your pleasure at seeing them there and ask them what they loved best about the seminar, and what they would like to hear more of in the future.
Self Confidence First
Now it takes courage to ask for constructive criticism, however this feedback will really help you grow and improve your product. However, it takes self-confidence. You have to get yourself out of the way and focus on the benefits to your audience. When you have their best interest at heart, and truly desire to help them improve their lives by sharing your expertise, asking this next question will be easy. “Please tell me if there was anything that you didn’t like.” If you consistently get the same feedback that there was a certain gesture or a certain topic they did not enjoy, then it may convince you to stop doing that in the future.
However, be sure you can take the criticism without reacting. Even if it was something you thought was your strongest point, and the feedback smarts, simply smile and thank them for the valuable feedback. You can fix your bruised ego later, but that feedback may help you make significant changes to your presentation, which will boost your audience attendance, and therefore increase your business. Being open to this kind of feedback allows you to continually build your business to the next level. As you improve, your product improves and promotion will take care of itself, because people talk, and word of mouth referrals will help promote your speaking more than anything else.
In Conclusion
If you take these ten keys and apply them to your speaking skills, the results will speak for themselves. You will give a killer presentation that people remember and talk about to others. You will change lives, you will grow, and you will stand out from the majority who could not be bothered to put in the effort to improve.
In the end, it will yield tremendous results.
