Today I poured a long black (Alan poured a martini) and we got spicy about feedback: smile sheets, unsolicited opinions, and why being liked is overrated compared to being respected. Alan shares why he was often hired to discomfort audiences, how to stay buyer-centred (not audience-centred), and when to refund, repeat, or remix. We also riff on The Mom Test, critical mass marketing, and the difference between repeating your āLiving on a Prayerā hits and still innovating.
What we cover
ā¢ Respect ļ¼ like: why pleasing the buyer beats chasing tepid standing ovations
ā¢ āFeedback is for the senderā: spotting passive-aggressive advice and status plays
ā¢ Smile sheets: why two ā9sā out of 200 donāt matterāand what to do if they do
ā¢ The buyer test: who actually pays and whose opinion counts (hint: not the event coordinator)
ā¢ Marketing before content: sell to critical mass, then build the thing
ā¢ When things go wrong: the one time Alan refundedāand how he turned a bad workshop into a huge Bank of America engagement
ā¢ Signature hits vs. novelty: give people the classics and add a fresh twist
ā¢ Being āuncoachableā vs. trusting yourself: why greats still use coaches to avoid breathing their own exhaust
Quotables
ā¢ āItās more important to be respected than to be liked.ā āAlan
ā¢ āFeedback I didnāt ask for is for the sender, not for me.ā āAlan
ā¢ āIām not here to convert; Iām here to delight the people who like what I do.ā āAlan
ā¢ āMinimal success: a sincere thanks. Maximum success: āDonāt leave until we book you again.āā āAlan
Mentioned
ā¢ The Advice Trap ā Michael Bungay Stanier (on why we love giving advice)
ā¢ The Mom Test ā Rob Fitzpatrick (donāt validate ideas with compliments; validate with payment)
ā¢ Bon Jovi & Billy Joel (why fans want the classicsāplus a fresh surprise)
Try this
ā¢ Before your next talk, list your buyer, their success metric, and your own mināmax success range.
ā¢ After the talk, call the buyer for targeted feedback. Archive the smile sheets.
ā¢ Selling a new offer? Open a 12-hour window and ask for paid commitments first; build the content after you hit your number.
If you enjoyed this
Share this episode with a friend whoās drowning in feedback, or tag me with your biggest āunsolicited adviceā story. And if you want Alan in Australia for the 80/20 Tour, tell me where we should host it!
*New* You're invited to join Leanne's free community, Work Fame. (https://www.workfa.me/)
Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:
1. Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel:Ā Let's energise your next event. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9RyOeXZfW4)
2. Get My Book: Design your workshops fast usingĀ The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint (https://2hourwork.shop/) .Ā
Let's connect on all the channels:
Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannehughes/)
Leanne Hughes on Instagram (https://instagram.com/leannehughes)
Visit my website: leannehughes.com (https://www.leannehughes.com)
Email me: hello@leannehughes.com
Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio (https://helloaudio.fm?fpr=leanne17) .
