As important as it is to have a solid, thorough process for tracking leads in your business, it is equally as important to have a good follow up process in place. Reaching out to your audience after your speaking engagement is often the key to turning listeners into clients. Everyone in your audience is a prospective client and following up with them after your event can lead to securing a new client, speaking engagement or other enticing opportunity.
While every speaker’s follow up process should be customized to best suit their industry, the following tips can be incorporated into your process to help ensure that you connect with prospects and convert them into clients.
Collect names and email addresses of attendees. If the event allows for it, spend time mingling with the attendees, asking them for feedback, fielding their questions, and fueling that connection that began from the stage. If the event type does not provide this personal time, negotiate with the organizer to obtain a list of attendees that you can reach out to afterwards.
Send a follow up email or letter. Remind them of key points in your presentation and invite them to sign up for a free gift and your newsletter. Your objective is to start building relationships. Here are a few ideas:
- Prepare a special report available only to attendees.
- Send them the slide deck used during your presentation, and schedule a call to answer any questions that may have come up since the presentation.
- Set up an auto responder series first with a reminder to start implementing what was covered and a suggestion of the easiest change they can make right now; then send more resources a few weeks later.
- Ask them to schedule a free 15-minute “get acquainted” call to talk about next steps.
Be persistent, but don’t be a pest. There’s a fine line between persistence and annoyance. Be careful not to cross it. Time your follow up communications so that they are well-received, and even include a bit of additional information, but be sure to make it relevant and informative. A sure-fire turn-off for most people is to have that one speaker who contacts them every few days, and offers simply a sale pitch rather than helpful information that will transform their lives.
Send a handwritten thank you note to the event organizer for inviting you to speak. This is a thoughtful, well-received gesture. It only takes a few minutes to write out a personal note, but it is just one more way for you to stand out and let them know that you were honored to participate in their event and look forward to working with them again. Oftentimes, it’s the small details like this that help make you memorable to them.
Ask for feedback from the event organizer. Constructive criticism lines the path to improvement, and even if your presentation was exceptional, following up will cause the momentum to continue. It is important to increase the impact of your message in the follow up. Ask for feedback on your presentation and inquire about future events that might again fit your area of expertise. And don’t be shy about asking for testimonials from the organizer, as well as participants; they are happy to provide them.
My challenge to you this week is to create your follow up process using a few of the tips mentioned. Develop engaging materials that reinforce your presentation’s message. Your materials should be impactful enough to persuade the audience to take the next step. Your follow up should be as compelling as your presentation.
If you’re finding that incorporating speaking into your business is overwhelming and you are ready to partner with a dedicated team of professionals, Infinite Business Solutions stands ready to help. As part of your team, we can help you accomplish your goals, share your brilliance, and elevate your business to new heights. Contact us today and let’s get started!
