Are you struggling to write a workshop description? Putting yourself in the shoes of your prospective student will help you write an effective description and enjoy the process.
Oftentimes, when we write a workshop description, we focus on ourselves. We feel like we have to prove that we’re “good enough” to teach.
Or we focus on our big idea, but forget to provide concrete benefits and logistics.
Or we write something we think will appeal to “everyone,” but it ends up sounding kinda generic.
Thinking about all of this stuff can stress you out!
Stop.
Take a breath.
Imagine your ideal student.
Put yourself in their shoes
See them searching on Google as they try to fulfill a deep desire.
Feel how much they want this. They are willing to spend time and money to get it.
Now imagine that they’ve found your workshop.
They see the title and something inside of them says, “Ooh! This might help me get what I need.”
They read more. They start to get excited. The workshop description sounds like it’s written just for them. It speaks to their specific wishes and concerns.
Because the workshop description explains the benefits of taking the workshop, they feel ready to invest in it. Reading your bio helps them trust you to teach them. Testimonials from satisfied students confirm their feelings. It’s clear when and where the workshop is and it’s easy to sign up—and they do!
Doesn’t it feel great to know that you made it easy for your student to decide if your workshop would fulfill their needs?
When you find yourself feeling stressed, frustrated, or anxious about writing your workshop description, try to keep this top of mind:
Writing your workshop description is an act of service.
It’s as helpful to your student as the writing you do for your workshop curriculum.
If you’re still feeling stuck, I’ve gone into a little more detail below about what to include when you write a workshop description.
5 Questions Your Student Wants Answered in a Workshop Description
#1 What will I gain from this workshop?
Students take workshops because they want to gain something and often, to change something.
A book proposal workshop takes them a step closer to being a published author.
A workshop about racism in the workplace takes them a step closer to becoming a better advocate for racial equity.
A stress management workshop takes them a step closer to feeling better.
Clearly state the benefits your student will receive by taking your workshop. This can be outlined in a bulleted list in the description, as well as mentioned in the title (e.g. How to Feel Less Anxious During Shelter-in-Place).
#2 Do I belong here?
Just like toothpaste brands, there are A LOT of workshops out there for your potential student to choose from. One of the things that will help them decide if your workshop is the right one for them is if they feel like they belong there.
They need to know they will feel comfortable with you and with the other students. They also want to know if what and how you teach are what they’re looking for at this moment in their learning journey.
You can give them information about whether, or not they belong by including:
• Who the workshop is for in the title and description (e.g. Book Proposal Writing for Visual Thinkers).
• Your photo and bio.
• Testimonials with photos and (if applicable) titles under the photos.
• A description of what they’ll learn and the learning modalities you’ll use (e.g. Zoom discussions, Facebook group, video, audio, workbook, mentoring etc.).
• Images and colors that resonate with how your students wants to feel after they take the workshop.
#3 Can you help me?
This is especially important if your potential student has never met you, or if this is the first time they’ve come to your website. You’ll want to include:
• A short bio with information about why your background makes you the right teacher for them. It can include things like education, work experience, awards, and personal experience.
• Include at least one photo of you looking directly at the camera (rather than off to the side).
#4 How will it fit into my daily life?
Don’t forget to include logistics like:
• When is it?
• How much time will it take?
• What parts do they need to show up for at specific times and what can they do on their own time?
• How much does it cost?
• Is there a payment plan, early bird discount, or special add-on (e.g. workshop + 30 minute coaching session)?
5. How do I sign up?
Make this as easy as possible. You don’t want to create any unnecessary obstacles to their signing up and paying.
• Use a big button, or if you can’t make a button, a clear link that encourages people to register. It could say something like “Sign up today,” “Get started,” or “Join us.” You get the idea. Here’s a link to a HubSpot article with more call-to-action examples.
• The button, or link should take them to a place to pay where (ideally) there should be a variety of ways to pay (e.g. credit card, PayPal).
When you write a workshop description it’s an act of service.
Instead of thinking of it as a thing that takes you away from creating curriculum, or teaching, embrace it as the “first lesson” for your students.
You’re teaching them that there is a place where they belong and can move closer to living their Big Vision.
If you’d like help writing or editing your workshop description, let’s chat!
Photo by Chris Charles on Unsplash
Britt…you covered creating very well. Terrific. One item I am noticing is that the copy now includes how long each session will be keep up.