Audience interaction is probably the most important aspect when holding a seminar. With an audience who takes part in your ice breakers, answers your questions, and throwing back inquiries after your lectures, it only goes to show that they are listening to your program very closely, and that they are enticed to learn from you.
But not all seminars can achieve such feats; in fact, even seasoned seminar organizers still find it hard to make their audience become more alive, awake, and enthusiastic in their events, and they keep on looking for ways to achieve high levels of participation among their target audiences.
There are, however, simple strategies that can be used to increase audience participation and interaction during seminars, workshops, and conferences. If you are planning to host such events anytime soon, then the following tips might just be able to help you out:
Hold the event at the right venue.
When holding activities such as seminars and workshops, it is downright important that you do them at a venue that provides the adequate learning environment. This gives the participants the space to breathe and set themselves in the mood to listen and focus on the lessons you’re going to share.
There are event venues in Singapore that are specifically designed for seminars and workshops. You may want to inquire about these types of rooms in case you are brewing a learning activity sometime in the future.
Hire speakers who are known for their craft.
Another tip that makes audiences participative during seminars is when you showcase speakers who are well-known for their expertise. These resource persons come with the right reputation, just like celebrities whom you want to serve as your brand’s endorsers.
When you promote your event, make sure to feature the names of those who are going to conduct the lectures, so that your target participants are aware of the personalities they will be listening to. This information also gives them a better gauge when deciding whether to go to your event or not.
If you are holding a one-day seminar, you should hire at least two speakers to facilitate the lectures, so that the audience will not get bored looking at just one person throughout the day. On the other hand, if you’re doing a workshop, you may want to get a trainer who already has a strong following on social media to entice more participants to attend.
Make good use of audio-visuals.
Since seminars and workshops offer only a limited time for the audience to digest all the information that you are going to share, you may want to use interactive forms of communication so that they can easily pick up your key messages. You can make use of video and slideshow presentations to gather their attention to one place, and afterwards you may supplement these with spoken word explanations and other insights.
In this regard, it is essential that you check the audio and video systems of the venue prior to the event. Event venues in Singapore usually have sound systems included in their rental packages, but not projectors (you may have to bring your own or rent from them separately).
Think of material giveaways.
Let’s face it: people by nature love freebies and giveaways, and sometimes you have to give them that. In seminars, conferences and workshops, your participants become more active during games and ice breakers, and if when they know they have the chance to take home something special, such as a gift or prize.
You can then do some games during breaks, or have a raffle promo based on their ticket or seat numbers; the winners will receive small but meaningful prizes, ranging from event tokens to even cash cheques.
