How to Host a Winning Workshop

Well-planned workshops can be incredible for everyone involved and particularly beneficial for brainstorming, interactive learning, building relationships and problem-solving. However, detailed planning is critical for success.

So, how can you plan a workshop that will not only be relevant and productive but will inspire your attendees?

Start with a goal

Every workshop must have a goal. Whether you need to improve your company’s hiring procedures, educate managers to be better organisers or get your team onboard with new technology, you need to define your workshop’s goal.

“Workshops without a clear goal at the centre of the discussion run the risk of wasting company money and time,” says Chantal Kliche, Retail Manager of Thompsons Travel, Cape Region. “Whenever we consult on a client’s meetings, incentives, conferencing or events needs, one of our first steps is to establish their business goals so that we can align our efforts with their objectives.”

Refine your guest list

Your workshop objective directly impacts on your list of attendees. “For example, if your team is requiring a creative strategy for the new financial year, you might want to include only a handful of key attendees versus a larger group,” says Kliche.

Top tip: ensure all collateral that is going out ahead of the workshop articulates your goal to your selected audience. From desk drops to e-vites, contact Thompsons Travel to handle these details on your behalf.   

Choose the right location

Choosing the perfect location for your workshop means weighing up your objective with your guest list to make the best decision. “While an intimate gathering of a handful of key managers might mean that the boardroom down the hall makes sense, if your goal is to inspire innovation or new thinking, you might consider taking them off site to stimulate them in a different environment,” says Kliche.  

“With nearly 40 years of experience behind us and excellent relationships with suppliers, we have the expertise as well as the contacts to help you achieve your goals, within a reasonable budget,” says Kliche.

Top tip: check out our top 3 local destinations for ideas on where to host an out-of-town workshop.

Details matter

From decor to audio-visual requirements and catering to overnight accommodation, every detail matters. Hosting a winning workshop means scoring a collective buy-in from your attendees – you want them to gain value from the experience and employ the lessons they have learned to improve their workplace performance.

“The trick is to treat your workshop like a mini-conference,” says Kliche. “Even if you’re just hosting a small group of key players, apply the same thinking you would were you hosting an international delegation of thought leaders – innovative invitations, online registration forms, seamless travel logistics, and even recyclable gift bags; all these small details add up to big value.”

Want to host a winning workshop? Contact the meetings, incentives, conferencing and events specialists. We look forward to assisting you in achieving your business goals.