Preparing a workshop these days?

Here are 3 quick and practical tips on how to make it better:

1. Give a clear WHY (WIIFM) 🎯 straight at the beginning

I would dare say that this is THE most common miss-out I've seen both in presentations and workshops:

The presenter or trainer thinks that the audience already knows why this topic is important.

So they just share the name of the topic and think that that is enough to keep the audience interested.

Instead, the key to engaging the audience from the start (apart from making the beginning fun and surprising) is to start from how is this topic relevant for the audience, how can they benefit from it in their personal and professional

life and WHY should they care.

You can create the WHY in a direct or non-direct way - by sharing more about relevance and benefits, or by asking and facilitating them to figure out why this is a crucial topic for them.

You are doing this already? Great!

Now, ask yourself how can you do it even better?

2. Use "dual channels" of the brain in a congruent way 🧠

Support your message in both visual (could be slides, visuals, or even your gestures) and auditory ways (your words and voice).

Too often we overwhelm one of these aspects - while neglecting the other.

Eg. talk too much without optimal visuals, or have great visuals but make them too complex so our words lose the attention of the audience.

However, pay close attention that these two aspects are not "clashing", but are mutually supportive.

Use images and creative visuals that clarify and support the message that you are sharing verbally - not ones that will distract from it.

You are doing this already? Awesome!

Ask yourself, how can I do this even better? Which parts of my workshops are "weakest" in this aspect?

Ask people for feedback after the workshop.

3. Use more concrete words, images, metaphors, examples 🐴

Brain LOVES concrete.

Words and images that we can actually imagine are much more memorable and engaging for the brain than abstract words and concepts.

So, the quickest hack to make a workshop (or presentation) more engaging is to bring in more examples, stories, vivid language and metaphors.

Add more of those - and you get more engagement and more "sticky" memory!

💪🏻 Moment to reflect - and act:

Which of these will you strengthen already in your next workshop?

P.S. If you are looking to get way better and way deeper into creating amazing, impactful, memorable workshops - consider joining us at Train the trainer course starting in May

👉 applications are open until 5th of April, do reach out if you would like to hear more details https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/train-the-trainer/

#learning #workshops #workshopdesign #trainthetrainer #brainbasedlearning