They say the best deed you can do for others is to share your knowledge and impart your skills. And what better way to do it than by conducting seminars and workshops? You not only help other people reach their dreams, you can also earn in the process.
But not everyone can just whip up a workshop and expect to be successful There are basic tips which every good workshop facilitator needs to know. Here are a few.
Prepare your talk/material ahead of time, review and make sure content is current and well-researched. We've seen too many workshops crash and burn with this very vital and prime detail. Remember -the reason why you're giving a workshop is because you are an authority on it, you know all the ins and outs on the topic. People will most probably pay to see you, to hear you, to take note of everything you are teaching them - so please, make all possible preparations and make sure the content of the workshop is worth paying big bucks for. Ensure that all your content is updated. What may have been true in the 80's may not be true anymore in 2012. The world is evolving, so should your material. Next, devote time to research. It will be very likely that some of the participants know some things which you may not know. That's scary! Imagine being asked about something relevant and you not knowing how to answer? As a workshop facilitator, you have to make sure you cover all bases. Content is key.
Limit your topic. The less wide your scope is, the smaller the margin of error, and the bigger the chances of you being ale to cover all bases. Do not attempt to skim through all related aspects of the entire topic - focus only on the important ones. Better yet, when promoting your workshop - be specific. If it's a topic on marketing, then specify what type, like if it's social media marketing or offline marketing. Try not to be the jack of all trades but the master of none. This is another mistake of some workshops - they want to touch on everything lightly. If you must touch on every topic, then touch each talk thoroughly. I don't really know how many weeks your entire talk will take if you do, but at least, you covered all your bases.
Prepare handouts and video materials, if possible. You may be the most interesting facilitator, but it is inevitable that your audience will eventually feel sleepy or bored at one obscure part of your lecture. The best way to deal with this factor is to be as animated as possible, without sounding insincere and too corny. Crack a few ice breakers (no green jokes or roasting please),prepare handouts - only to serve as guides which also help the participants "internalize" everything that is being taught, and have some video or slide shows. Remember, whatever you read in 2 hours can be explained even more clearly with a 4 minute video. These collaterals help make the entire teaching process easier and more understandable.
Put a lot of thought into your presentation - of yourself. Don't focus 100% of your attention to your workshop content only - focus on marketing yourself also. A facilitator who looks smart, dresses well, smells good, and looks great may be a great indication of the quality of the workshop. If the one conducting the workshop took some careful thought into being presentable for his participants, then imagine how well put together his entire workshop must be? Well, not all the time, but definitely, a presentable facilitator gets his message across easier than one who is hard to look at. Show your participants respect by showing up in your very best.
Adjust to your audience. You may have to shift gears when you realize that your participants are not as well-versed on the topic as you'd wish they were, or even the opposite - if they seem to be a gathering of all the experts in the field. Imagine giving a workshop on social media to a group of people who do not know the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn? When faced with this dilemma, don't get irritated - adjust instead. Remember that there was a point in your life when you didn't know what the difference also was, so learn to backpedal, and go back a few steps for the benefit of those who can't follow. On the other hand, if you have a sophisticated and knowledgeable audience, be prepared to talk about the more advanced and complex issues, otherwise, you'll end up with a group of bored and dissatisfied participants. This is why it is always good to let participants fill in an application prior to a workshop - so that you will have an idea of what you'll be faced with.
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