There is more to being a virtual trainer than taking your training slides and presenting them online via a virtual platform. There are a host of nuances and skills that virtual trainers employ in order to obtain successful learning transfer.
But some organizations are unsure how to get started. How to get seasoned in-person trainers to the level of confidence and competence required for virtual delivery?
10 ways to become a virtual trainer
With the right tools, anyone can excel as a virtual trainer. Once trainers have the base fundamentals that a Virtual Train the Trainer Program can give them, it is down to practice and refinement.
Each individual trainer brings something unique to their virtual workshops and everyone finds their own way of working, but in the meantime, here are a few tips we find useful.
- Greet every participant as they enter.
- Offer important information several times to help participants remember.
- Get comfortable with the tech before your workshop.
- Take advantage of the chat function
- Be conscious of tone; be uplifting and positive.
- Get regular feedback; check in with the participants at the end of the workshop.
- Use the webcam.
- Have a drink nearby.
- Have a participant list handy.
- Keep a learner log.
We will explore each of these tips in detail below:
1. Greet every participant as they enter
Giving an initial greeting is essential. It helps participants to feel more connected, it ensures that their audio is all set up correctly and it gives everyone the opportunity to practice speaking in the virtual space. Plus, it’s good manners.
2. Offer important information several times to help participants remember
Repeating key concepts, using visual slides, interactive engagement and handouts can help to make information stay with participants. Content needs to be engaging and memorable, so that the information stays fresh.
3. Get comfortable with the tech before your workshop
Coaches who take time to learn and completely familiarize themselves with the platform will find the investment worthwhile, so they can feel prepared and equipped to use the tech and all its functions, to the fullest ability.
4. Take advantage of the chat function
Facilitating conversation in all its forms is key to virtual training and the chat function can be a key component in this. It gives participants a place to respond to each other and the coach in the middle of other discussions, pose questions and keep the flow of participation going in a natural way.
5. Be conscious of tone; be uplifting and positive
Voice is what sets the tone of the training. Keeping the tone light and positive will help cultivate an interesting and engaging environment for the workshop. Keeping the tone even and well enunciated will also ensure participants have a positive experience.
6. Get regular feedback; check in with the participants at the end of the workshop
Getting regular feedback from participants and even other trainers can be really beneficial for workshop growth. By asking for feedback, the workshop stays up to date, current and clear. Using polls, or a short survey can give some important insights into what is working well in the workshop and which areas need to be improved.
7. Use the webcam
Being able to see the face of their trainer makes a huge difference to participants. Leaving the video running as much as possible allows learners to see facial expressions and deepens the human connection between coach and cohort.
8. Have a drink nearby
Tripping over words, suddenly dry throats, or coughing fits catch us all by surprise. By keeping a glass or bottle of water nearby, trainers can limit the impact that these sudden onslaughts can cause.
9. Have a participant list handy
Having a participant list makes it much easier to facilitate a positive experience for learners. It ensures that the trainer has access to everyone’s name prior to meeting them, allowing for a smoother, more intimate learner experience, right from the start.
10. Keep a learner log
A learner log is where a trainer can keep track of the levels of engagement taking place in the virtual workshop. This allows them to easily monitor who has been answering questions and participating the most, so they can keep it level. This helps to reduce any social loafing and ensure everyone gets an equal amount of interaction.
VTT’s train the trainer programme (TTT)
Many in-person training sessions can be easily adapted to the virtual environment, but it takes the skill and knowledge of how to change them to suit their new environment that can catch new virtual trainers out.
At VTT, we offer our own ‘Virtual train the trainer programme’. It is made up of 5 masterclasses:
Here is a short video with some honest reviews about what it’s like to go through a Virtual Train the Trainer Program from some of our recent participants.
If investing in a Virtual train the trainer programme would benefit your organisation or you would like help boosting your internal trainers to a level of confidence and competence in their own delivery, get in touch with us today.
Additionally, you can book a free demo where we will run part of a real workshop so you can experience our coach-led live delivery. We would be pleased to help get that journey started for you.
