What are the best practices for creating engaging and effective webinars or online workshops?

Good events usually respond to an audience's needs or concerns. They explore a solution, a framework, a way of thinking that can further a specific debate in your audience's mind. To find a need to solve, directly ask your audience, do research in your industry, and read the latest reports on what your audience has on their radar to inform the topic and angle of your online event.

Although webinars are made to delve into the nitty-gritty of specific topics, be mindful of the attention span of your audience - they are humans after all. My 2 cents: Tailor the content so that it is not only informative but also relatable. Follow the rule of issue - approach - solution. Make your audience an active participant and ask for opinions, answers, etc. Keep it short, no decks. More than one speaker and possibly at the same time - as if it were a debate.

Creating engaging and effective webinars or online workshops involves clear planning, interactive content, and technical reliability. Start by defining clear objectives and understanding your audience's needs. Use compelling visuals and storytelling to maintain interest. Incorporate interactive elements like polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms to foster engagement. Ensure your technology is reliable and conduct a rehearsal to iron out any issues. Promote your event effectively to attract a wider audience. Lastly, follow up with attendees for feedback to continuously improve future sessions.

Try creating parts of stories for your presentation, in which all the parts are interconnected. People love stories and storytellers. They find comfort in the relevance and relatability of your stories. If they are sharing comfort with you, it will be easier for you to communicate your message, and the message impact will be stronger!

When selecting a platform for webinars and online workshops, consider your specific needs and constraints. Each tool, from Zoom to Microsoft Teams, offers unique features. Evaluate based on participant capacity, interactivity level, audio/video quality, security, and how well it integrates with other systems. This tailored approach ensures your choice enhances the delivery and effectiveness of your content, providing a seamless experience for both presenters and attendees, ultimately making your event more impactful and aligned with your goals.

1. Get rid of presentation slides: People attend webinars to hear from experts, not read. It's a breath of fresh air and forces audiences to pay attention. 2. Tell a story: I use the StoryBrand Framework, which includes agitating the audience's want, addressing the problem, justifying why they should trust you, giving them the plan to reach said want, giving a CTA, casting a vision of what their lives would look like if they follow your plan, and setting KPIs. 3. Make it interactive: Ask the audience questions, have them complete an exercise, or quiz them. The audience is on their toes and forced to pay attention, and you have others you can rely on in giving your presentation (especially helpful for those who struggle w/ public speaking).

Lay out all your content on a good old piece of paper. Use colors, arrows, and side notes to add details and eventually outline the entire flow of your online event. Only after that, transfer your ideas into a presentation tool like Canva or PowerPoint. In one sentence, focus on laying out your key ideas and the flow of your presentation before considering design. Trust me, this will save you hours of work in event preparation.

To effectively promote your webinar or workshop, diversify your marketing through email blasts, social media, blog content, and ads. Craft an engaging landing page with a clear headline, persuasive description, and easy signup. Maintain engagement with confirmations, reminders, and post-event follow-ups to enhance participant experience and foster anticipation for your event.

Keeping in mind the "Why" for your audience, what questions you're answering for them will help draw not only more attendees, but a higher quality audience. Hitting them upfront with what's in it for them will create interest and engagement and well as participation during the presentation. Sharing in your headline and content description what they're going to get out of the webinar or workshop solves their need and entices them to want to join in.

When delivering a webinar, I remember to be energetic, informative and casual in the way I speak to keep participants engaged.

While delivering the webinar, it it critical to keep below actions in mind 1.Start on time and end promptly 2.Create a welcoming and interactive environment 3. Use visuals and multimedia effectively 4. Be an engaging presenter 5.Address questions and comments promptly