Proven Facilitation Tips: How to Open Your Online Workshop – Klatch

Your workshop’s opening is a critical moment in which you gain participants’ attention, motivate them, and make them understand why this workshop is important.

By effectively setting the tone for the rest of the online workshop, you can help participants stay focused on what will be happening and maximize their learning experience. This article gives you some facilitation tips on how to open your online workshop effectively!

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Facilitation Tips 1: Give People 5 minutes to Arrive

Although you may notice that a few of your students are missing right away, don’t be alarmed. They may just be running late or having some technological difficulties. Wait a few minutes for all your students to get on Zoom for the workshop.

Instead of viewing this as wasted time, consider it an opportunity to get to know your students better. Klatch’s interactive learning platform makes this easy by giving you a space to interact with learners and build deeper connections.

Facilitation Tips 2: Who You are and Why You’re Qualified

To begin your online workshop, introduce yourself and welcome participants. Explain how you became the facilitator of this workshop and your experience in your specific field. Tell them a story related to the workshop topic to pique your students’ interest.

To ensure that participants’ names are correctly pronounced, invite them to state their names slowly and clearly, and write them on their zoom profiles.

For more facilitation tips, visit How to Facilitate Online Workshop Discussion: Top Tips for Group Facilitation

Cover Workshop Etiquette and Agenda

Discuss workshop etiquette and guidelines with your participants. Some topics to consider include:

• Be respectful to one another.
• Everyone is responsible for contributing to the discussion in whatever way they are most comfortable (e.g., written or spoken).
• While another person is speaking, pay close attention.
• Respect everyone’s right to speak and share their ideas; no one person should dominate the discussion.
• Arguments should be directed at opinions and ideas rather than the person expressing them.
• Following a raised hand, participants may ask questions at any time.
• Begin and finish on time.
• Everyone is free to leave the room quietly and without explanation at any time.
• Cellphones should only be used in an emergency.

The goal of an online workshop is for everyone to feel comfortable holding each other accountable. If someone is not following guidelines, please remind them of what you’ve established. If you don’t feel comfortable addressing the participant during the workshop, please ask them to speak with you after it is over.

Since your online workshop is a live, interactive event, let your students know about the expectations of the course before it starts. Doing this lets students know what to expect and won’t feel as confused during the workshop.

Facilitation Tips 3: Get to Know Your Audience and Understand Their Goals for This Workshop

Before beginning this online workshop, it is essential to know what the participants already know about the topic and their interests, needs, and expectations. 

To gauge whether this workshop would be a good fit for them, please ask them some questions about their knowledge and experiences related to the material we will be discussing.

Along with their names and job titles, ask participants to share one goal for the day and one concern they have about doing this work.

Facilitation Tips 4: Use Icebreakers

Some great ice breakers at events get people started on getting to know each other in a fun and exciting way. By doing this, participants can connect more easily and learn more about their interests.

 Here are some icebreaker activities you can do!

• Five of my favorite things- Pair people up with strangers and have them share their top five lists of anything—books, movies, desserts, vacation spots, etc. If they have time, they can explain why these items are their favorites.
• Break people up into pairs for quick introductions. They must each tell the other their name, job title, a hobby they enjoy doing in their spare time, and one item on their bucket list. Following that, pairs introduce each other to the entire group.
• You can also ask them to respond to the following questions in the discussion box or break-out sections:
  • Why did you choose this workshop?
  • What are three facts about the subject that you are aware of?
  • What is an example of a relevant experience you’ve had?
  • What do you want to learn after the workshop is over?

Learn more about 4 Fun Icebreaker Activities to Help Your Students Get to Know Each Other!

Facilitation Tips 5: Play Welcome Music

We like to play music as soon as our students walk in. It increases engagement exponentially. Starting your workshop with music helps to lighten the mood and get everyone in the right frame of mind to work. You can also play music while your students work on assignments, tasks, and so on during your workshop. Rather than working in silence, listening to the same music creates the illusion that we are in the same room, which increases engagement.

Facilitation Tips 6: Summarize What Happened in the Previous Workshop Session

When opening your workshop, it is important to summarize the results of the previous day’s workshop and the plan for the current workshop. Restating goals shows the group’s journey to truly build something with which they can achieve the desired result. Use bullet points on a slide or a whiteboard to visually display this summary or outcome. Then, at the end of the session, send it to participants with a heartfelt thank you note.

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Become a Facilitator on Klatch!

Create your online workshop with complete control over the content, pricing, and schedule. Use our Facilitator Portal’s Training Center and best practice tips to help you along the way! Alternatively, join our free group onboarding session to receive real-time feedback!

Klatch facilitators can teach as frequently as they want. Workshops can be sold on a weekly or event basis. Run one seminar at a time or several at the same time.

We spoke to hundreds of creators currently attempting to use 5+ different platforms, including video, emails, learning management system (LMS), group messaging, payments, a website, and more. Unfortunately, it often takes dozens of hours per week or month, only to create a discontinuous experience where learners can’t interact with one another. 

Klatch solves all that and puts dozens of hours back into facilitators’ pockets to do what they love most – connecting with their audience & making more money while they do it!

No monthly fees. Join hundreds of talented facilitators.