At HWHN, we've hosted
workshops, conferences and retreats for over 10 years. If you're interested in
building the capacity of your business or non-profit to serve more people, then
hosting live (or online) events is an excellent method.
However, many of us have
attended boring or poorly run programs. Hosting a successful workshop or
training is a worthwhile way to build your team, develop new skills and
effectively impact your community. Here are our top 3 tips for a powerful
experience when your group comes together.
1.
Start with the End in Mind
Seems
like a DUH, right? However, too many of us miss this step. It is crucial
to work with your team to envision the end of your program right at the
beginning. Work with your team to answer the following questions:
- What are our goals of the workshop? How many people do we want to serve?
- How long of a session will it take to accomplish these goals?
- Who will this workshop benefit? How will we get our participants to trust our session over a similar one?
- Are these the skills, tools and information that’s most important to our participants?
- What is our budget for the workshop?
Once you have
the answers to these key questions and your vision is clear, it’s time to solidify
the details for a strong foundation.
2. Build an
audience
In our live
events trainings we share that we are all in the business of the 3Ms.
Marketing. Marketing. Marketing. To ensure motivated and engaged participants
in your target audience it’s important to provide them with the benefits of
working with your team before they ever enter the room.
The number of
attendees should have been determined in step one. So during your marketing and
promotions time frame, educate your audience on the benefits of the program.
What will they learn, why your staff is capable of educating them on these
skills and what other top of mind problems would your session solve. Now, using
many mediums to reach your audience is key. Flyers aren’t enough. Social media
isn’t enough. Use it all! Email marketing, social media, gorilla marketing,
calls, speaking engagements and the whole nine yards.
3. Create the
Experience
Now that your
logistics are together and you’ve prepared your participants by allowing them
to self-select, it’s time to ensure your time together is a memorable
experience. Participants use all their senses to experience an event. Consider
this as you plan and execute your workshop session. Consider this:
Ask your participants: survey your participants to see what they want
most to prioritize learning, and keep your finger on the pulse of their needs
Build in
breaks: Try not to go over 90 minutes without a break of some kind. Free time,
breaks, and socializing help your participants bond and to keep them focused
when in the learning environment.
Also, take
into account the space in the room for activities and hands on learning, the
materials offered to support the different learning styles and last but not
least what signature moment can you organically create to support making the
experience memorable for your participants.
Our most
important step is to have a great time! Remember to breathe, and spend time
getting to know the people who are present in the room – they’re who you’re serving!
