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FAQ
1.  Why do I need to register to review?
     Our vision is to provide useful constructive reviews to benefit our readers, as well as to benefit the speakers.  Having some level of accountability helps give the reviewer a little more credibility than some "anonymous" poster.  

2.  Why do we need an Alias or Nickname?
     Using an Alias helps reviewers write an honest review without fear of causing a rift with speakers that you may know. 

3.  How Can I Write a Review to Benefit Others?
  • a. Be fair to the presenter:  If the presentation turns out to be something you are not interested in, or is not what you thought it would be, figure out why you attended? Was the promotion of the presentation unclear? Did the presentation veer from its intended target? Or did you not due your due diligence and read all the materials carefully?
  • b. Was the material presented in an interesting fashion:  The presenter may really know her/his stuff, but if it is presented as a bunch of dull facts, it may be hard to pay attention. But there is a fine line when trying to be entertaining while teaching. Too little is dull, too much, and there is not enough meat to the presentation. The problem is, everyone in the audience has a different idea of where that line is. So give props for at least trying to make the information interesting.
  • c. Consider your own experience level:  If you are a beginner, you may find that the presentation was too advanced for you. But it may be perfect for more advanced people, and too basic for a veteran. Without knowing where you fit in on the spectrum, it is hard to judge the validity of any claim that it was too basic or too advanced.
  • d. Was useful information imparted, or was it a smokescreen for selling product: There is absolutely nothing wrong with a presenter selling products. The cost of the seminar/workshop is often underwritten by sponsorship and the expectation of sales. But the seminar should trade valuable information for your time, not lure you in to an infomercial. If you paid little or nothing to get in, you can probably expect some significant sales pitches. If you pick up anything useful at all from such a presentation, then you got your money's worth. On the other hand, if you paid hundreds of dollars and got nothing but fluff and a sales pitch, you would be correct in writing a negative review.
  • e. How well did the presenter follow what was advertised: Did he/she meet all the goals presented in the promotional material? Sometimes questions from the audience can cause the presentation to go off on a tangent that is not of value to the rest of the audience, or use up time that was supposed to be for something else. Sometimes the presenter is too ambitious and tries to do too much and runs out of time. But all audiences are not the same, and what works one place may not for another, so if the tangents were worthwhile, be fair and mention that.
  • f. How well did the presenter know her/his material:  Was she able to easily answer all questions? Were important parts left out, or was everything clear and complete?
  • g. Was the information useful to you:  Some speakers are very dynamic and inspirational, and you leave on a high with a sense of purpose. But when you get home, did you have the necessary tools to implement what was taught, or at least given steps to take? Or was everything rather general, leaving you to wonder where to go next?
  • h. Were materials provided:  Especially for more technical presentations, it can help if you already have notes or important points or pieces of useful information available to you. This can be either physical handouts, or virtual ones provided via a website or blog.