Workshops are a fabulous way for you to train and also to network. The platform for workshops has changed due to the pandemic. Before COVID-19, the majority of workshops were held in person. This allowed individuals to have direct and personal interactions with other participants. Now that in-person workshops are less common, virtual workshops are a fabulous solution. In order to carry out a workshop that is enjoyable and engaging, you are going to need to have a strategy. In order to get the best strategy for you and your workshop, there are some helpful tips that will allow you and your participants to get the most out of your virtual workshop.
Regardless of the virtual platform that you choose to use for your virtual workshops, there are going to be plenty of participants who are not tech-savvy. You do well to help your participants learn how to use the technology. Either send out an email that details how to use the technology on your chosen platform, or you can choose to take time out during the first day of the workshop to teach participants how to use technology. This training can be less than five minutes. Just show participants step-by-step how to use the platform in order to get in contact with you, raise their hands, and navigate their mic and camera. The more clear and concise your instructions, the more secure your participants will feel when it comes to using a new platform.
2. Give A Preview of the Class
You do well to send out welcome letters to your participants. In the welcome letter, you will give all the content information to your participants, and show them how they are going to log on to the platform. Apart from that, you want to let them know what the workshop will look like. Send out information as to the schedule and daily activities. In this way, your participants will have their own daily agenda, and they will know what each day will look like. This will allow them to plan for breaks and lunch. Apart from that, give your participants information about Q and A sessions. In every virtual workshop, you want your participants to be engaged with each other and with you. You also want to make sure that all participants are having a good time and learning, so give them the opportunity to have a Q and A session during the workshop. This can be at the end of the day, or you can have the session spread out throughout the day. Make all the participants feel at ease. Why not start the workshop off with an icebreaker. You can have all of your participants answer simple questions like, “where are you from?” “What do you hope to learn from the workshop?” or “what has been your favorite travel destination?” It doesn’t really matter what the question is, the point is to break the ice. This creates an engaging environment where all participants feel welcome.
3. Make Sure That Your Workshop is Engaging
The participants of your workshop are there because they want to learn something new and interesting. At the same time, they do not want to feel like they are in a virtual high school. You have to make your training engaging so that participants are learning and having fun. Plan out activities well so that participants are able to go to different rooms, engage with each other, work out different scenarios, play engaging games, and you also want to make sure that you give sufficient breaks during a virtual workshop. The last thing that you want is for your participants to be bored or tired.
You Can Have a Successful Virtual Workshop
A virtual workshop can be highly effective and enjoyable if you do it the right way. Before you launch your virtual workshop, make sure that you get a great strategy together, and work with high-quality resources that can help you to put together a wonderful program. Despite the pandemic, there are thousands of people around the world who want to learn from you, so launch your workshop and gather your tribe.
