The Five Training Principles That Keep Online Audiences Riveted

Are you facing a bunch of black screens as you try to engage trainees in online training? People turn off their cameras and go do their dishes. They're on their phones. Or heck, sometimes, they leave the room altogether. There's no magic potion that snags and keeps the attention of our online audience. But we do know certain principles engage and ignite the people we train.

The Five Principles of Keeping Online Audiences Riveted

1. Make the training valuable to them and show them how it adds value to their lives and work. If it's not valuable, you'll lose them.

2. Keep each session short with frequent breaks for trainees to have time to absorb and apply the information. If you don't give them time during the training, they'll take it themselves.

3. Use breakout rooms and peer-to-peer teaching. People often learn best what they teach to others.

4. Tell stories and keep them fun and funny. Encourage your trainees to tell their own. Leave sufficient time for that sort of interaction. It's better to train fewer topics but train them effectively.

5. Make the entire training interactive. (Play a game during training. I play something I call, "Lingo!" I develop a board where I'll use certain words during the training that will be on that board. The first person to get Lingo! wins a prize. My audiences love the interaction, and the prize is always something that will add value to their work.

If you keep your trainees engaged and having fun, they'll stick around, interact, and learn.