In 2018, 4Networking recognized the need to gather actionable insights from their networking meetings to enhance overall quality and provide valuable feedback to speakers. Understanding that attendees—primarily UK small business owners—lead busy lives and hold strong opinions, we developed an engaging and user-friendly Meeting Feedback System to encourage participation.
System Design
The feedback process was structured into three main sections:
- Meeting Evaluation: Attendees assessed various aspects of the meeting, providing insights into its effectiveness and organization.
- Venue Assessment: Participants rated the meeting venue, offering feedback on factors such as location, facilities, and suitability for networking activities.
- Overall Experience: Attendees shared their general impressions, highlighting what worked well and areas for improvement.
Additionally, leveraging 4Networking’s unique format of three 1-to-1 meetings per session, the system prompted attendees to evaluate their interactions with fellow members. This included rating their experiences, indicating willingness to conduct future business, and providing specific comments for each member.
Data Utilization
The collected feedback was systematically integrated into the platform, serving multiple purposes:
- Continuous Improvement: Organizers used the insights to refine meeting structures, enhance venue selection, and elevate the overall networking experience.
- Speaker Development: Speakers received constructive feedback, enabling them to fine-tune their presentations and delivery styles.
- Membership Retention: The system played a pivotal role in retention strategies. For instance, if a member considered cancelling their membership, the platform could highlight positive engagement metrics, such as: “Over the past two years, you’ve participated in 20 1-to-1s, with 80% indicating a desire to do business with you. Renewing for another year could potentially lead to at least 10 additional leads.”
Outcome
By creating an engaging and efficient feedback mechanism, we empowered 4Networking to harness attendee insights effectively. This initiative not only improved meeting quality and speaker performance but also strengthened member engagement and retention, contributing to the organization’s ongoing success.
