Latest / She Speaks to Scale / 17. Five Lessons I Learnt From Delivering an In-Person Workshop (That Will Help You Do The Same)
Transcript
- Sarah Collins: Hello and welcome to She Speaks to Scale with me, Sarah Collins. The podcast that empowers women in business to own their voice, be heard and create impact, one communication insight at a time. I'm a media trainer and communication coach and a former senior television producer. It's my mission to bring the communication skills we need to thrive in today's world of business to the generation of women who simply weren't taught them. Whether it's scaling your voice to step into thought leadership in a media interview, speaking with confidence on camera, on stage and beyond, or scaling the way you communicate when it really counts. This podcast will help you use your voice to be heard in the moments that matter. If you've ever thought about running your own in-person workshop, whether that's a half day, a full day, or something even bigger, this episode is for you. Because a few weeks ago I did exactly that and I'm sharing my learnings from it with you in this episode. Something I haven't shared on this podcast yet is the fact that I used to be petrified of speaking as myself in front of other people, which might surprise anyone that knows me given that I actually loved being on stage. I studied drama at GCSE A level and as part of my degree, I performed in dance shows throughout my childhood and with an amateur dramatics group in my 20s. But as my last guest, Hannah Douglas, so brilliantly put it, it was The act of taking on another character that I loved. But as myself, I genuinely thought I was a little bit boring, that I didn't have anything to bring to the table that hadn't already been said by someone far more interesting than me. So I'm wondering if any of that sounds familiar, Because from what I hear, those are the exact doubts that hold back so many women of our generation. Coaching changed all of that for me. My self awareness was raised, and my confidence along with it. And I began to realize that actually, what I have to share, my thoughts, my opinions, my insights, they do matter, and people want to hear them. And that's something that I work on with my clients today. My first real step, though, into delivering any kind of workshop came when I was at ITN. I offered to run some coaching workshops for the well-being network, which I was part of, alongside a colleague who was also a coach in training. I was nervous, I remember my whole body shaking, But the feedback Taught me that people were genuinely benefiting from what I had to share, and from that moment I knew that workshops had to be a part of my business because I got so much energy from delivering them. Fast forward to meeting Leanne Davies, marketing and visibility strategist at a networking event, and our paths kept crossing. We were always gravitating towards each other. And what Liam brings in terms of visibility and what I bring in terms of voice, our skills didn't just align, they completely complemented each other perfectly. So one conversation led to another. We sat down and discussed what that might look like working together, and that's how Unmistakable was born. So why unmistakable? This is something that we have been asked. now the actual definition of unmistakable is not to be mistaken for anything else, to be clearly recognised and very distinctive. The online world has changed from what I hear and to stand out, be remembered and top of mind for when it counts, you have to be clear about what you do. You have to be memorable and not afraid to be distinctive. Share your opinions, your insights and your stories. Unmistakable, the word encompassed all of that. We wanted the female founders who attended the workshop to leave with an increase in confidence, a belief that what they have to say matters, and the tools to show up and communicate it in a way that felt right for them. When the day came around it was everything we'd hoped for and more from the stunning menu and the most delicious lunch I've had in a very long time To the safe space created for vulnerabilities to be shared, and the exercises and challenges completed with pride by all. It was honestly such a great day. The feedback has been incredible, and I don't say that to blow our own trumpets at all, but because I was genuinely proud of what we'd created. I knew we'd put a brilliant day together. What I didn't anticipate was how much the women in the room would show up and give the day itself as well. Their willingness to share, to try things that felt uncomfortable, To really show up for themselves and each other, taking time to work on them and their business, we created a space for women to feel seen and heard and witness shifts happening right in front of us. Now, on to what I actually learned that could help you going forwards. I've got five things for you. So, firstly, online and in person serve different purposes, but both do matter. I delivered two free online workshops last year, which I'm so glad I did. They're accessible, lower cost to run, and reach a wider audience, but in person create something different entirely that online will always struggle to convey. Connection. And a vulnerability that you just can't get through a screen. So the learnings here are: if you're new to workshops, start online to build your confidence and test your content. But before you feel ready, and that's the most important part, take it to the next level. In person is truly where the magic lies. And then number two is collaborate with someone who compliments you. So going into this with Leanne meant we each bought something the other didn't have. My 20 plus years in television production and expertise with voice and communication, And Leanne's expertise in visibility and marketing and the experience she'd had building a community of over 100,000 women with Run Mummy Run. We also came from a place of having walked the walk. Leanne had to get over her visibility fears to become the face of her community, And I had to stop hiding behind the camera to become the voice of my brand, both of which we help our clients with today. What also became apparent, which we actually hadn't anticipated at all, was that as we started working together, how well our strengths and skills complemented each other too. So Lianne is absolutely fantastic on social media, and I'm very happy to send emails. Leanne got great joy out of creating our branding, whereas I knew I was very quick at putting together a sales page and funnel. So the learnings from this are if you're thinking about running a workshop in collaboration with someone else, look for someone whose strengths work alongside yours. Then you can share the load, and trust me, it also makes the whole process much more enjoyable and fun along the way. Number three is be strategic with your marketing. So this was perhaps our biggest learning. As it was the first time we'd run unmistakable, we didn't have a wait list. So we were marketing entirely to the audiences we already had. And while Leanne and I both have engaged audiences, we underestimated the energy and time that consistent marketing over two months would take. The marketing, as you'd expect, consisted of social media posts, emails, and promoting the workshop during networking events within our local area. With the location being specific, we knew this would not make it accessible for everyone. So the learnings from this are if you can build a waitlist in advance and implement a more strategic marketing plan that can protect your energy throughout. Make sure you're still showing up and promoting your own business throughout that period, something which fell away a little for both of us at times. But we're aware of that now. And number four is create space for conversations to flow. Whilst Leanne and I created a brilliant day from start to finish, including training from both of us at different intervals, we had some rigid timings initially planned. What we took away was to be a little more flexible in terms of time for interaction and conversation, because when they flowed, it was when the shifts truly happened. there's nothing quite like seeing like-minded women support and encourage each other. And we created an intimate space so attendees would feel safe to share. That's exactly what happened. So the learnings from this are to allow extra time for conversations to flow. Some of my most memorable moments from the day were when the attendees were sharing and resonating with what each other had to say. If we'd have skipped on to the next thing, those moments wouldn't have happened. And number five is if something feels scary, it's probably exactly what you need to do. I was always a bit dubious when people said this to me, but now I know otherwise. Leanne and I were nervous when we started the process and had all those thoughts you'd expect. Would anyone want to come? What if we did all the promotion and numbers were really low? But our purpose in providing this space for the ambitious female founders that wanted to up level their voice and visibility was bigger than the fear we felt. As it was, we had no need to be nervous, and we've now even set a date for our second event. So the learnings from this are the thing that is scaring you the most is likely to be the thing you need to do in order for your confidence to grow. So what one action can you take towards that today? Whether you're thinking about running your own in-person workshop, collaborating with someone for the first time, or simply stepping into any kind of in-person opportunity, I hope this episode has given you something useful to take away. And if hearing about Unmistakable has sparked something in you, then do sign up to our waitlist for our next event. The link is in the show notes. Thank you for listening to this episode of She Speaks to Scale. If you liked the episode or you think it will be useful for someone else, please follow and leave a review. If you've got any questions, do let me know via the social handles in the show notes. And remember to speak with intention, not hesitation, and let your voice be heard.