As I am writing this post, I am thinking about how 2018 is still relatively new. I think you may even be able to still say Happy New Year when this post goes live.  If you haven’t set goals yet for yourself and your business, January is a popular time to do it. Just don’t call them New Year’s resolutions because people tend to get into a certain mindset where they put too much pressure on themselves, give up too soon and then become disappointed. The worst part is they will wait until NEXT YEAR to create which may potentially be the same resolutions all over again.

A particular goal I think everyone should have for 2018  and one that should be an ongoing goal (if you haven’t already done so, add this one to your list) is to invest in learning for your business. Whether it be from online sources such as blog posts, podcasts, e-courses, and webinars or offline sources such as conferences, business books, courses, and workshops.

One of my goals for this year is to host AND attend more workshops. This is a BIG one considering that I am VERY introverted. Think whatever you want but I am truly more comfortable having conversations in small groups (4 is ideal. 6 seems to be the max.) or 1 on 1. I am most comfortable being alone curled up with a book or binge-watching on Netflix. I often tell people that I am more social on social media than I am in real life.

So a couple of reasons why I decided to make this a goal is because I feel both approaches to a workshop can help with your business significantly and that I need to do more scary things.

Not convinced?

Scroll down and start reading.

 

 

How Attending a Workshop Can Help Your Business

 

• Learn something new. If you are a business owner, not only should you continue to educate yourself about the particular business you are in, you should also educate yourself about general business trends and practices. By constantly educating yourself, this is an indication to current and potential customers that you care about your business and you want to stay competitive.

 

• Networking – From the countless conversations I’ve had with small business owners, they’ve said networking has been one of the major pillars that have helped support and sustain their business. Workshops are a great way to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs.

 

• Gets you out of the house/office. If you need a change of scenery, a change in the routine, then perhaps you should look into throwing a workshop into the mix.

 

• For motivation and inspiration. With the majority of the workshops I’ve attended, I’ve left them feeling refreshed and eager to implement the new knowledge I’ve gained.

 

• Enables you to get a feel for someone you may want to consider with working in the future and only a minor investment of your time and money is involved. You get to meet them in person, see their personality, see their teaching style, etc.

 

•  Learn the basics of a new skill/update your skillset in a friendly, non-intimidating interactive learning environment.

 

 

 

How Hosting a Workshop Can Help Your Business

 

• If you’re a service-based business, workshops can be a great way to present your knowledge to your target audience/potential clients.

 

•  Use it as a way to promote your business and additional products/services. Small business owners are usually friends with other small business owners so if they enjoyed the workshop, they’ll most likely recommend it to their friends.

 

• You can ask for testimonials from attendees and then use them on your site and social media.

 

• It can be a stream of income for your business.

 

• It may lead to other teaching or speaking opportunities.

 

•  Get feedback from your participants on how to improve future workshops and discover what they are interested in learning more about.

 

• Build your confidence when it comes to speaking in front of people.

 

• Helps you develop better leadership, listening and communication skills. This statement may be overused, but it still holds true – “People will want to do business with people they know like and trust.” If you have employees working for you, these skills are also necessary to develop. During the actual workshop, people will most likely ask questions, so it’s important to listen carefully and understand the question so you can provide a valuable response. It’s ok to not know the answer as well. But it’s very important to know and understand the question.

 

• Experience growth, development, and progress as a person from all of the above!

 

 

Use WORKSHOP15 to receive $15 off on the upcoming Blog Like A Boss Workshop –  Mon Nov 19th @ Make Lemonade in Toronto.

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