Training Design Tips - 5 Ways to Convert Your Live Workshop to Teleclass Format

Educational programs are an important part of any solo professional's sales cycle, and a range of offerings helps you to meet potential and current clients where they are in their business and life.

But how do you leverage your time and knowledge to reach more ideal clients and improve your bottom line?

One way to accomplish that is by converting a live workshop to a tele-class (or virtual classroom) format. This format can help:

• Attract a wider client base.
• Cut down on the expenses associated with live events.
• Can be easily repeated throughout the year.

Below are some tips for converting your current live content to a virtual format:

1. Research a virtual classroom tool. While a phone bridge and participant guide may suffice for your topic, consider a virtual classroom application that will allow for better interaction with your audience. Many of these applications allow for chatting, polling, and breakout sessions - much like a live environment.
2. Organize your content into smaller pieces. Your participants need time to process and apply your content. Review your content for logical breaks by topic. For example, your full-day workshop may be broken down into six 1-hour topics.
3. Build engagement in the virtual classroom. In this environment, you're competing with outside influences like email, the internet, phone calls, and other home distractions. Your course must offer ways to keep their attention focused on the topic. Polling, allowing someone else to share their screen, conversation, and frequent changes are all ways to keep the class moving and the participants engaged.
4. Use multiple instructional elements. Participants come to your class with a wide range of experience, motivations, and learning styles. Instructional elements should blend to accommodate visual, auditory, and tactile learners. Think about using video, participant guides, or recording the sessions for later use by the class.
5. Update your marketing. Because you have a wider potential audience, you will want to review your sales letter, registration process, and marketing techniques. For example, you may create a social media campaign to market your virtual offering, or create a joint venture with trusted partners, asking them to market your offering to their subscriber list for an affiliate commission. Get creative so you can attract the widest possible audience within your target market!

Educational programs allow solo professionals to build trust and credibility, plus a profitable sales cycle, both key to becoming booked solid with ideal clients. I invite you to visit www.amyfranco.com and subscribe to my e-course, "5 Essential Strategies for Becoming Booked Solid." I'm the owner and principal learning designer of Amy Franko Consulting. I'm also a certified Book Yourself Solid business coach, serving women who are solo service professionals. I use a simple system of protocols specifically designed to bring more ideal clients into your business, even if marketing and selling isn't something you like to do! If you'd like to include this article on your website or in your e-zine, please make sure it remains intact and include the blurb above. by Amy Franko