I was at a magic convention a while back.

As I think you might know, I haven't performed magic seriously for years but I like to go to the odd convention to keep up with old friends as see “what's new” in the magic world.

One of the acts performing in the gala shows were the “Victorian Time Travelling Magicians”, Morgan and West.

Very good act. Well structured. Funny. Magical. Do go and see them if you get the chance.

Their act oozes class. But it doesn't just happen by accident.

I had a chat in the bar with Morgan after the show. But it was only a quick chat because as soon as their show director arrived they disappeared off to do a breakdown of the act: what had worked well and what they could do to improve it.

While the rest of us chatted, laughed, drank and shared tricks, Morgan and West were working on improving their act with direct feedback from an experienced show producer.

Feedback like this is vital if you want to improve anything you're doing.

For performers, audience reaction, applause, laughter, gasps of astonishment tell them whether they're doing a good job. In marketing it's sales, website visits, click-through rates, optin rates, etc.

But just knowing whether something is good or bad isn't enough. You need to know how to improve it.

That's why professional performers have paid directors, producers and advisers who give them feedback not only on whether something is good, but also on how to make it better.

That's why I introduced marketing critiques into Momentum Club. When we do our regular webinars, as well as me presenting content or answering questions, I also give feedback on marketing that members have submitted. 

You can get feedback from a mentor or coach, from colleagues in a mastermind or even a group on Facebook or Linkedin you're a member of (but make sure the people you get feedback from really do know what they're talking about).

And then you need to test.

No mentor or coach can be right all the time. They can point you in the right direction based on having seen many similar situations. They can help you avoid a whole bunch of pitfalls. But you'll need to test your improvements and see whether they result in more “applause” as you'd hoped.

Of course, most people don't get feedback. They don't test and improve. They just wonder why they're not getting the results they want.

Don't be one of them.