As a trainer, you put considerable time and effort into delivering your courses. So, when the delegate feedback isn’t great, it’s disappointing. While this feedback is valuable for continuous improvement, it can knock your confidence. So, how do you boost the satisfaction rating from your delegates? My delegate satisfaction ratings are 97%, so let me share some insight into how I achieved them.
Room for Improvement?
Sometimes, there is room for improvement in how we shape and deliver our content. You may need to tweak activities or introduce more inclusive materials to engage learners. However, the issue isn’t always about your offer. It can be due to a lack of communication with the company that has booked you.
In my previous article, I shared tips for companies on how to achieve a return on investment from training. Approaching this advice from a different angle, I want to explain how it can help you to boost delegate satisfaction ratings.
Understanding The Training Brief
If you believe that you have the content nailed, then the way to improve your training could be communication.
Firstly, I appreciate that training bookings have dipped this year. However, when you are contacted by a company, I urge you to ask more questions before you accept. Primarily, I think it is vital to understand what the company wants to achieve. What are their training objectives?
If they can’t provide clear objectives, then enquire about what prompted the training request. What gaps have they noticed? What changes are necessary for the future of the organisation? Through conversation, you can start to build a training brief.
The training brief is useful for managing expectations of both parties. In addition, it offers a starting point which can be referenced when discussing outcomes.
Understanding the Delegates
Secondly, who is this training for? The success of any training is understanding your audience and tailoring content to their specific requirements. So, are the prospective delegates being prepared for a leadership role, or are they about to embark on a new project? Are you being asked to upskill recent recruits or experienced employees? The more information you can gather on who the training is for, the better.
Tying in with this, can the company share some specific scenarios where the new knowledge needs to be applied? By incorporating real examples into your course, you instantly make the content more meaningful and engaging to those who attend.
Equally, do you need to be aware of any learning needs? I’m all for making every training session inclusive, so it is useful to know if using any particular tools or adaptations will increase accessibility.
I also suggest discussing ways to prepare the delegates for the training. Can you provide a pre-event introduction to yourself, along with the themes, objectives and the benefits of the training? How will the organisation disseminate this information and when?
A Tailored Training Solution
Taking time to understand the brief and the audience enables you to prepare the most relevant training. You gain the opportunity to research, develop activities or tweak the content to provide a tailored training solution.
I appreciate that this is more work than simply delivering your tried and tested course. However, this attention to detail is what makes the difference when it comes to delegate satisfaction ratings.
Pre & Post Course Communication
If you get the booking, it’s a great feeling. However, the preparation work doesn’t end there. I schedule a series of emails or phone calls to ensure both parties stay informed in advance of the event. Check changes to the delegate list, access to facilities for the virtual or in-person training, timings and other arrangements. This helps everyone to avoid last-minute issues.
Equally, stress the importance of the delegates having time and support to implement learning. To encourage this post-course action, you might offer a follow-up virtual Q&A session or send links to resources. This helps to put the learning into practice so the delegates and company realise the benefits of training.
Want to Boost the Satisfaction Ratings of Your Training Course?
Candidate and company reviews are crucial for securing repeat bookings and evidencing your value as a trainer. I fully believe that high satisfaction ratings are a key differentiator for retaining and winning new business.
Did you find the tips in this article helpful? If you want more support to put them into practice, contact me on 07775 624724
to discuss how I can help!
One option is to join my Premier Training Club. With focused monthly sessions, peer learning and support in implementing top tips, I have helped many trainers to fine-tune their offer and boost bookings and profits. You also benefit from a 1-2-1 session with me to address specific challenges that you want to overcome.