After delivering 100's of hours of teleclasses, it's all too easy for me to forget to establish the working behaviors (referred to as "norms") each time I start a session or program. Besides, jumping right into the content is fun for me -- and why everyone is on the call anyway -- so I have to fight my tendency to forget this very important part of the call opening.
I know that the most effective teleclasses I've led are those in which I've taken a few minutes to establish the group norms I want in my teleclasses. In addition to increased effectiveness of the call itself, the participants get more out of the call and are more willing to buy into any gentle upsell I might present during the session.
Of course, your group norms will vary, as you work to set the stage for the type of teleclasses you present, the content in your teleclasses, and the types of participates you're working with. But beyond the traditional opening "meet and greet," and rules for using (or not using) cell phones and speakerphones, the primary norm you want to set is the encouragment of active participation and sharing of information from everyone on the call.
People take teleclasses for many reasons, of course - and the content DOES count - but they could easily find similar information in books or on web sites.
But what they won't get elsewhere is the experience of you. In addition to the expertise you bring to the content you share in the teleclass, your participants get to experience your sense of humor, how much you care that they are successful, how you've done things in the past, how you're doing them now, and the lessons you've learned along the way.
They also get to experience how you think and process information by how you respond to their comments and questions. But you only get to share this with them if you allow and encourage their engagement, ques*tions, and sharing.
Secondarily, they want reassurance from the others in the group that you and your expertise are credible. Finding the right balance between delivering content and allowing for participation is more art than science, because it depends as much on the your personal and professional style as it does on the needs and desires of those on you call.
Here are some tips for encouraging participation and sharing:
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During your opening, tell everyone that they're welcomed to interrupt you with a question or a comment at any time.
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If you expect your participants to be sharing sensitive or confidential information of any type (about their business, about themselves, and so forth), explicitly make it okay for this to happen. You don't need to make a big deal about this, just around the cyber-room and have each person agree to hold confidential all information shared within the call.
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Don't allow one or two participants to monopolize the session. Give the "quiet" participants a chance by calling on them by name during the session.
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Acknowledge when you don't know the answer. Then turn it back into an open question to all participants for their answers or ideas.
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After a participant shares, acknowledge them and thank them, then summarize what they shared so it is universalized into principles or techniques that can apply to eveyone on the call.
Announce that you have a great something coming up - right now you're not ready to reveal it, but you know your prospect or client will love it. Pique your prospect's curiosity. Tell when your something will happen - but nothing about content or that it's a teleclass.
Here's to more wonderful, engaging, and highly interactive teleclasses in your future!
