Things that I have learned

This is what I have learned from each seminar so far

1) Know your audience. This makes the seminar more meaningful to the participants.

• Each seminar needs to be a bit customized, based on the needs of the participants.
• Before presenting ask the organization what their major concerns maybe about the topic. Have they had any major incident or problem that has made them want the seminar?
• Try to learn as much as you can about the organization and the people that are part of it.

2) Always get feedback from your audience. How else will you improve? How else will you know if you gave meaningful information?
These are some helpful questions

• Ask your participants at the end of the seminar to write their comments
• Ask your participants if they would change the seminar in any way
• was the seminar interesting---why?
• was the seminar helpful--why/how?
• will they be using the information that they learned--where/how?
  

3) Have a handout. This will help the participants remember what you presented. This may also give you another seminar some where else---networking

• place your contact information
• summary of information---short one

4) Sell---something that you have written, recorded, items...etc.

• ask the following questions before doing this step

1. does it pertain to the seminar topic
2. is it something that the participants will find a value in

Team Building Seminar

Recently I was given the idea to ask for feedback from my participants after I give a seminar. Ideas; create surveys, hand out post it notes, hand out pieces or paper. In the education world we sometimes call these Ticket Out the Door. Give the people time toward the end to collect their thoughts and write them down.

The last seminar I co presented at (Team Building) we gave out post it notes to each participant and a pen. Each one of us that presented stood strategically around the room so that we would make sure we got the post it back as well as the pen. I stood right at the door.

The seminar went very well. We received a great deal of positive feedback from our presentation. I think I will be creating another blog that just shows the different feedback from the seminars that I am involved with.