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Teaching, in general, was never really part of my initial plan. Early on, I had thought my blog posts were already teaching people things and that was good enough. However, since teaching the Blogging For Fun and Profit Course and Effective Strategies For Social Media Course at Sheridan College and teaching group fitness classes
The trend probably happened even before I started my business, but what I’ve noticed over the past couple of years is that more and more small business owners are running workshops as part of their business. Not only that
After facilitating and attending several workshops in the past couple of years, I thought it might be helpful for me to share some tips on how to run a successful workshop. In my opinion, they can be a lot of work, but they are worth giving it a try or two. Even though I’m a service-based
1. Think about the amount of money you are spending to run the workshop.
People give free workshops all the time, which is completely fine. However, if you have to pay to use the facility and if you need supplies, you should look into charging a fee. Coworking
2. At the bare minimum offer coffee, tea, and water.
As much as I could care less about hosting dinner parties when it comes to running workshops, I try to be the facilitator with the “
You wouldn’t want them to be hangry during your workshop because being hangry can result in not really paying attention or getting the best experience out of your workshop. So with my workshops, I would always make sure I had some sort of food available. Going back to the first point, look into asking local businesses to donate food, coffee, drinks, snacks, etc. You don’t know if you don’t ask. Don’t forget to mention them at the workshop and promote them on social media.
3. In addition to promoting your event prior to the start date, also promote during and after.
I’ll often ask the attendees to promote the workshop on their social media as well for additional exposure. Take photos as the workshop is happening. This can be used to promote future workshops.
4. Depending on the subject matter, the workshop itself can be hands-on.
However, if you’re teaching something that isn’t, try to get the participants involved through group discussion or activities so that they are actively learning. Make them feel comfortable asking questions. The goal is to create a safe, learning environment for everyone.
5. Let them know ahead of time that they will receive a copy of the material.
It prevents them from frantically trying to copy every single piece of information on each slide or taking pictures of every slide. This helps them to focus more on the actual subject being presented.
6. Allow time for networking.
I’m not very good with going to events where it’s just casual networking. I actually feel quite awkward at them and have become quite selective as to which ones I attend. I know I mentioned this once, but I’ll mention it again – I actually prefer having a learning component involved – whether it’s workshop or panel related. I see workshops as being a great combination of learning and connecting with others.
7. Remember that you are running a business.
So it’s completely okay to promote a product/service you have but make sure to give your attendees a special rate. If you would rather not, offer them a 15 – 30 min consult instead. Acuity is my
8. I know it is easier said than done, but try not to obsess too much about having a sold-out workshop.
Sometimes smaller is better and people may feel more comfortable learning and
It’s also important to note that the numbers could also depend on the date and time and the subject matter itself.
9. Slides
If you’re going to have them as part of your workshop – I would try to avoid overloading the slide with too much text. Include graphics and images to break the information up.
If you must present them with a lot of information, do it across several slides. Bring one point up at a time. Try not to overwhelm your audience with too much information all at once.
10. I know a few people who can present on the fly, but I highly recommend practicing a few times, especially if it is your first time running a workshop.
Or at least create an outline/ jot down some things you’d like to cover in the workshop. It will help with your confidence in delivering the material.
11. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Have someone there to take pictures or help set up so you have one less thing to worry about. Ask a business friend or two to attend. Sometimes seeing a familiar face can also help put your mind at ease.
If I Had To Choose Just 3 Tips They Would Be:
- Factor in the costs
- Focus more on the delivery/information for the workshop vs the number of attendees
- Think about what you can offer after the workshop
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