They tend to have one thing in common.
So what is that one thing that the most engaging virtual trainers possess?
Pizazz.
But before we learn how to train with pizazz, we need to ask a slightly more important question…
What is pizazz?
It's hard to describe. Sometimes you just know it when you see it, like in this video...
Clearly, the '80s were full of pizazz. Especially the hairstyles.
This video below contains 50 ‘80s hairstyles that had big-time pizazz. As you're watching, be thinking about this question…
What are some common traits that give a hairstyle pizazz?
There’s certainly a lot we could say about those hairstyles. Maybe you or a relative rocked one or more of them!
But if we were to boil down the top attributes that pizazz-y hairstyles tend to have in common, it seems that they all…
- Stand out from the crowd
- Display confidence
- Spark emotion
- Are memorable
These also happen to be four key attributes that will help you train with pizazz!
So which of those four attributes do you want to improve on the most?
3 Tips to Help You Present with Pizazz
Confession time.
What are some things you've done to kill time during a boring webinar?
Catch up on email, check social media, scroll through TikTok, text, do laundry, empty the dishwasher, run errands, binge a TV show, etc.?
OK, now what was it about those webinars that made them so boring and easy to look away from?
Lots of lecture, minimal interaction, a boring presenter, the content wasn't applicable, distractions were more important, etc.?
You probably don't remember much from that webinar. And you're likely not applying or benefitting from the things that the trainer was rambling on about.
Webinars are an interesting animal. The computer is both a powerful learning tool… and a powerful distraction. So what can we do keep our learners engaged?
Let’s dive into a few tips that will help you do just that…
- The BAR is open
If you want to capture your learners’ attention, you need to start with a strong opener.
And if we want our opener to be effective, we need to take participants to the BAR.
Great openers do three things:
1) break preoccupation
2) allow for networking, and
3) are relevant to the content
- Theme your presentation
This helps make your presentation stand out and be memorable!
For example, our webinar “Your Checklist for Kick-Ass Virtual Training" was superhero-themed. Our webinar "The New Face-to-Face Training Experience" was Aladdin-themed (because we’re living in “A Whole New World”). Our webinar "How to Present with Pizazz Online" was, you guessed it, '80s themed.
What are some other examples of webinars you’ve led or attended that included a theme to make it more memorable? What’s an example of a webinar you’ve led in the past that could have been enhanced by incorporating a theme?
- Get participants to write
When participants are learning, they’re doing three things.
They’re talking, writing and doing (which includes applying the content). And there’s one thing you can do as a trainer that will help participants do all three.
Create a great handout that they want to keep! If there's no budget for a printed handout, create a fillable PDF handout, or simply have learners take out a blank piece of paper and write/draw/etc. on that.
Be sure to keep an eye out for future blogs in this series that’ll give you 22 MORE TIPS to help you present with pizazz online!
