Feedback forms are like free money, and who doesn’t like free money, right?
If you’ve put on a workshop, training session, or spoken at an event, then you have access to audience members, all of which should be regarded as potential future clients. They have all come to learn from your expertise, but someone can only learn so much from just one session, right?
You can use this event as a way of upselling your skills, if they’ve enjoyed this session, just think what they could take from another.
But how can you find out what they liked, what they learned, and what more they’d like to do with you in the future?
The easiest way to do this is with a well-timed feedback form. But all too often, they’re presented incorrectly, so their potential is wasted.
This masterclass blog is going to explain just how easy it is to use your feedback forms to your advantage, so that the next time you send one out, you maximize all those possibilities and generate more business.
What Is The Point Of A Feedback Form?
Believe it or not, it’s really easy to miss the point of a feedback form.
Yes, its most obvious purpose is to give you feedback, but you’re really missing a trick if you only focus on that. You don’t just want to know if people enjoyed your event, you want to know more…
There are 4 main points that you’re trying to capture with this kind of form:
- The high pay-off actions that people are going to take from the room
- Creating meaningful up-sells of something that is available to buy from you
- Useable testimonials and bitesize clips
- Actual feedback on the event/workshop that you’ve put on
So many people imagine the finish line as either applause or a standing ovation – something to validate their awesomeness. But this attitude can create a clunky relationship and prevent continuation and growth.
A feedback form can solve this problem if you’re smart, and the most successful forms are the ones that can create a conversation beyond whatever event or session you’ve put on.
How To Get More People To Fill In Your Form
The best way to go about getting useable feedback is to ensure that the forms are completed within the experience.
If someone gets sent a digital form that requires a keyboard and time set aside to fill it in, the chances are that you won’t get the best feedback, if you get any at all.
Always look to do a printed form, something that’s on hand while the event is occurring. Work it into the session, too, so that what you’re asking them is fresh in their mind.
Setting Up Future Business
One of the most important questions that you can ask is: what are 3-5 key takeaways from today's event/workshop?
The reason why it’s so important is that they will likely need help with the issues that are flagged.
These takeaways are the most important things for them to implement going forward. They want to do these things. They intend to do these things. But there’s a strong possibility that they’ll fail to execute them on their own.
If you have this information, when you follow up with them in the future, you’ll be able to further the conversation and offer your services to help them achieve their goals.
The Ultimate Goal For Your Feedback Form
The ultimate goal of your feedback form is to get permission for an ongoing conversation.
A well-executed feedback process could drive all the future business that you need, you just need to collect the right information.
You can also use it for accountability. Ask them to give you the form with the promise that you’re going to go through it with them at an agreed time in the future. They said they wanted to implement these 3 things; how are they getting on? Do they need any further help or guidance?
You’ve just got the permission needed to carry on the conversation, and you’ve grabbed the opportunity to up-sell your services.
Creating Your Feedback Forms
Your form should evolve to ensure that you’re always collecting information with intentionality.
If you’re curious about what people liked on the day, then you can ask: What one word describes the event? Their words will provide you with authentic content and testimonials.
Asking them what they want from you in the future, is setting you up for prospective business. What are their next steps? Do they want one-on-one coaching, open enrollment training, or custom workshops?
How do they want to be contacted? When do they want to be contacted?
Your form should always do the following:
- Collect meaningful information
- Collect testimonials
- Set up and schedule your next conversation
Make sure that you hand it to them at the right moment and don’t rely on them taking it away and filling it in later – a great time to get it done is in the final break of whatever event you’re doing.
Creating Your Own Feedback Form
The feedback you gather is the perfect debrief for you, too. They provide the opportunity for a learning experience that nurtures your personal growth and shapes what happens next.
Praise is great, but it doesn’t translate well to paying your bills, so think more strategically about your feedback forms.
Remember these key points when creating them, and you can’t go wrong:
- Think about what you can get from it
- Introduce them at the right time
- Know your objective
A well-executed feedback form will generate revenue if you do it right!
