At the end of every presentation, your goal should be to walk away with as much of your audience’s contact information as possible. But the question is, once you have the data, what’s next? Studies show that following up with your audience within 48 hours exponentially increases your rate of engagement. Once the 48-hour window has closed, your audience quickly begins to forget who you are and what you said as they move on to the next presentation.
While we can all agree following up with your audience is important, it’s easier said than done. The task of milling through and utilizing all the information you have just collected can make even the most logistically minded presenter’s head spin.
With 12 years of experience in presentations, the team at Ethos3 has discovered a few easy tips to manage your data and complete your follow up with ease.
Take good notes.
Form emails are not personal and often times find their way directly into an audience member’s trash bin. By taking notes about each audience member you meet, you give yourself the upper hand in personalizing your follow up email in a way that makes them feel like they were the most important person you talked to. Write down distinguishing information or details that you learn from a story that will help you create a personal touch when you reach out. It’s important to note that notes should be written down after speaking with the audience member and not during the conversation; you don’t want to negate the personal touch by showcasing your tools with which you want to remember them by later.
Utilize a helpful software.
There are many data management softwares available that will help to streamline the way you keep track and send emails to leads. Find a software that works for you and use it to the fullest. One easy-to-use and free online platform we recommend is Mailchimp. Mailchimp allows you to catalog your contact information and then create campaigns to send both bulk and personal emails. With all the features of Mailchimp, you can create customized content in an easy-to-use manner.
Schedule it out.
When faced with the task of follow up, it can be easy to make excuses and find other priorities. At Ethos3, we recommend scheduling the time you will spend following up with your audience before you even give the presentation. This ensures that your calendar is free during the 48-hour window and you are committed to making the deadline. If this task is extremely overwhelming, then schedule several blocks of time and give yourself a break in between. This will help you reset your mind and gear up for the process.
Track the outcomes.
Data is an important tool when it comes to creating successful presentations and follow up campaigns. Be sure to track the engagement that you experience from your follow up campaign, and then analyze that data and look for trends that may lead to a more successful campaign the next go around. Even the worst or best campaign can provide vital data if you are willing to analyze it.
Follow up can be overwhelming, but there are ways to make it more manageable and effective. Armed with these 4 tips, you have all you need to create a successful campaign that not only increases your credibility but grows your engagement.
If you want to learn more about how to deliver a knock-out presentation, check out the Presentation Mentor online course today.