How to Utilize Audience Feedback

A few months ago, I went to a $15 open mic in Austin. Dude gets on stage. The crowd goes bonkers. It's Shane Gillis, one of the most popular comedians in the world. He pulls out a notebook and a pen, grabs the mic, and starts telling jokes. When the crowd gives one of those loud, genuine laughs, he jots down a note. When the crowd looks at each other, confused, he jots down a note. When the crowd stares at him, expecting more, he jots down a note. When the crowd gives that knowing chuckle, he jots down a note. You get the idea. He's testing jokes. Making a note of what's connecting and, even more importantly, what's not. Then, I imagine, he cuts or changes the parts that don't connect. Tests them again at another open mic. And repeats the process until the joke, his story, is tight and compelling throughout. This is how you can treat Storytelling, too. Your story is flexible. You can constantly test, get feedback, improve, repeat. Like Shane, what you're looking for is moments of connection: • Your boss starts nodding along. • Someone leans forward in their chair. • There's a spark of interest in your partner's eye. You get the idea. You're searching for that visceral reaction in your audience. If you see that connection, you're onto something. Iterate until you get there.

Collecting feedback is a catalyst for your growth📈 I must confess I'm feedback-obsessed. Every time I conduct a workshop, run a personal consultation, or finish the last lesson of the course with my students, I ask for feedback. A well structured request for a feedback provides a valuable insight on: 🟣 How your product looks and feels like from your audience's perspective. 🟣 The most engaging topics/aspects. 🟣 What insights people gained and how they plan to implement them. 🟣 The most helpful aspects and skills people acquired. 🟣 Areas for future improvements. 🟣 Ideas and suggestions how to make it even better. So, how to shape a feedback request for insightful analysis? Here are my tips: 🟣 Start by defining metrics for opinions. What exactly do you like to know? 🟣 Combine quantitative and qualitative questions. 🟣 Use 360-gree questions 🟣 Encourage a focus on personal progress, comparing before/after. 🟣 Group questions by meaning. 🟣 Ask people to be honest. 🟣 Provide context at the beginning of the questionnaire why and how this feedback is important to you. 🟣 Ensure a space for free-form comments for people to write about whatever they want after they answered your questions. What is your secrets about feedback? How you are handling it?

Why do some writers earn more than others? It's not just about writing. The top earners know something you don't. They master the subtle art of the Client Experience. This approach transforms casual clients into loyal partners. ▶ Client-Centered Communication. It all starts with understanding your client as a person. Listen actively to their needs and feedback. Take responsibility for everything. Tailor your messages to reflect their personality. Effective communication builds trust, the cornerstone of any relationship. A client won't pay you if they don't trust you. ▶ Empathetic Engagement. Engage on a personal level, not just a professional one. Share stories that resonate with their experiences. By the way, this means having a life outside of work! I can't tell you how many times a quick story about one of my kids has cemented the relationship with my client. And celebrate their successes as if they were your own. Take ownership of the relationship, even if you aren't directly benefiting. This personal touch makes clients feel valued and understood. ▶ Confidence + Comfort. Clients should always know what to expect from you. Maintain a consistent tone and approach in all interactions. Don't let your mood dictate how you treat them - that's a quick way to get fired. You don't need to be available 24/7, but you DO need to be predictable and reliable. Consistency breeds comfort, and comfort breeds loyalty. ▶ Feedback Loops. Make it easy for clients to give feedback. Regularly ask for their thoughts on your work. Show that you're receptive and act on their input. And if you screw up, hold yourself accountable and admit fault (even if the fault is shared). Become the dude in the pickup basketball game patting his chest and saying, "My bad - that's on me". Feedback loops help refine your approach and enhance satisfaction. Transform every client interaction into a step toward lasting loyalty. This framework isn't theoretical—it's a compilation of strategies used by the highest earners in the industry. Soft skills win, but only if you develop them. Get likable and watch your client work stabilize.

About 10 years ago I gave someone feedback after a talk when I didn't have "license" to do so. She didn't ask for it, didn't know it was coming and it was met with a "how dare you" stare. 😳 Suffice to say, I NEVER did that again. This week at Articulation we are exploring FEEDBACK as our next Threshold Concept in becoming a great presenter. We stand by the fact you cannot become one without it. While there are several angles to this concept, the work that is hardest is getting speakers to understand the audience's perspective. What do you want them to learn, feel or do after hearing your talk? And moreover, what do they know or believe before it - so you know where to "meet them?" One of my favorite audience / coaching feedback stories came from working closely with Timothy Cripe from Nationwide Children's Hospital who gave an incredibly compelling TEDxColumbus talk on the steps he believed were needed to cure cancer. There were people in the room who were scientists and researchers. There were many others who were not. The question quickly became: How can he speak to the experts without losing the lay folks? This became a central theme when giving feedback. As such, he made some smart and creative decisions that allowed him to show on the slides the technical terms that certain experts expected to see, but not say them out loud to not lose the audience who didn't have an existing familiarity with the content and would have gotten lost in hearing a string of graduate level terms and acronyms. Side note: For what it's worth, I never suggest that a speaker "dummy down" their content. It is truly about making it accessible to their audiences. That mindset shift will allow a very smart speaker with a lifetime of content the license to let go of needing to be the smartest person in the room. Rarely does that turn out well. Wish me luck as my next client call is to dig into why an event is happening, who has been invited, what do they know, what do they expect and what is the intended outcome - all questions I have to get answered before I can begin to help their speakers to organize their content and get them to any stages of real feedback - and performance. Read more on the blog today about feedback: https://lnkd.in/e2iMF_mt Acacia Duncan Blythe Coons Kim Goldsmith Helmut Berthold Anne Hungate Eden Sulzer Rowan Winterwood