Workshop Builder

Workshop Builder

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to create a workshop, training session, or live educational event
• User says "build me a workshop" or "plan a training" or "design a class"
• User has expertise to teach but needs structure, timing, and exercises
• User is planning a paid workshop and needs a professional curriculum
• User wants to convert existing content (course, blog, talk) into a live workshop format

Core Principle

EVERY WORKSHOP MUST HAVE A SINGLE TRANSFORMATION: attendees arrive at State A and leave at State B. ALL content, exercises, and timing serve that one transformation.

Workflow

Phase 1: Define the Transformation

Gather from the user:

1. Topic — What is the workshop about?
2. Transformation — What can attendees DO after the workshop that they could not do before?
3. Duration — How long is the session? (default: 90 minutes)
4. Format — In-person, virtual, or hybrid?
5. Audience — Who are the attendees? What do they already know?
6. Size — Expected number of attendees (affects exercise design)

If the user provides a vague topic like "marketing," ask: "What specific outcome should attendees walk away with?"

Phase 2: Design the Agenda

Build the agenda using this proven structure:

Timing rules:

• No lecture block longer than 15 minutes without interaction
• Every exercise includes: clear instructions, time limit, and debrief
• Build in 5-minute buffer for a 90-min workshop, 10-minute for 3+ hours
• Virtual workshops: add a 5-minute break every 45 minutes

Phase 3: Design Exercises

Each exercise must specify:

1. Type — Solo reflection, pair share, small group, full room, or hands-on
2. Prompt — The exact question or task (written out, not summarized)
3. Duration — Time for the activity + time for debrief
4. Materials — What attendees need (worksheet, sticky notes, whiteboard, etc.)
5. Debrief method — How to share back (volunteer share, popcorn, gallery walk)

Exercise selection guide:

• Under 15 people: pair share, hot seats, live workshopping
• 15-50 people: small group breakouts, gallery walks, polls
• 50+ people: chat responses, polls, solo reflection with volunteer shares

Phase 4: Create Materials

Produce these deliverables:

1. Facilitator Guide — Minute-by-minute script with talking points, transitions, and exercise instructions
2. Attendee Worksheet — Fillable document attendees complete during exercises
3. Slide Outline — Slide-by-slide content recommendations (not actual slides)
4. Pre-work (optional) — What attendees should do before arriving
5. Follow-up Email — Template for post-workshop engagement

Phase 5: Stress-Test the Design

Check each of these before delivery:

• Can a first-time facilitator run this with the guide alone?
• Is the transformation achievable in the time allotted?
• Does every exercise directly serve the transformation?
• Are instructions specific enough that attendees know exactly what to do?
• Is there a plan for running behind schedule? (mark optional sections to cut)

Example 1: Paid Workshop — "Write Your First Email Sequence in 90 Minutes"

Transformation: Attendees arrive with no email sequence. They leave with a complete 5-email welcome sequence drafted and ready to load into their ESP.

Format: Virtual via Zoom, 20 attendees, 90 minutes

WORKSHOP AGENDA: Write Your First Email Sequence in 90 Minutes
==============================================================

0:00 - 0:08  OPENING HOOK (8 min)
             - Show a real welcome sequence that generated $12K in 30 days
             - "By the end of today, you'll have your own version of this"
             - Quick poll: "How many of you have a welcome sequence right now?"
             - Set ground rules: cameras on, use chat for questions, we'll move fast

0:08 - 0:22  FOUNDATION: The 5-Email Welcome Framework (14 min)
             - Email 1: The Welcome + Quick Win (deliver on the promise)
             - Email 2: The Origin Story (why you do this work)
             - Email 3: The Problem Agitator (show you understand their pain)
             - Email 4: The Social Proof (case study or testimonial)
             - Email 5: The Soft Offer (invite to next step)
             - Show one real example of each (2 min per email)

0:22 - 0:42  EXERCISE 1: Draft Emails 1-3 (20 min)
             Type: Solo writing with worksheet
             Prompt: "Open your worksheet. For each of the first 3 emails,
                      write the subject line and the first 2 paragraphs.
                      Use the templates on page 2 as starting points.
                      You have 15 minutes. Go."
             Materials: Workshop worksheet (pre-distributed PDF)
             Debrief (5 min): 2 volunteers share their Email 1 subject line
                              + opening paragraph. Facilitator gives live feedback.

0:42 - 0:52  DEEP DIVE: What Separates Good Sequences from Great Ones (10 min)
             - The "open loop" technique between emails
             - Subject line formulas that get 40%+ open rates
             - The one mistake that kills sequences: selling too early

0:52 - 1:12  EXERCISE 2: Draft Emails 4-5 + Refine (20 min)
             Type: Solo writing, then pair share
             Prompt: "Draft emails 4 and 5 using your worksheet. Then go back
                      and add one open loop to each of your first 3 emails.
                      After 12 minutes, you'll pair up to review each other's
                      Email 1 only. Partner gives one 'this is strong' and
                      one 'consider changing' piece of feedback."
             Materials: Worksheet, breakout rooms (pairs)
             Debrief (3 min): 1 pair shares their best subject line

1:12 - 1:22  Q&A / HOT SEATS (10 min)
             - Take 2-3 questions from chat
             - If time: 1 hot seat — volunteer shares full sequence,
               facilitator edits live

1:22 - 1:30  CLOSE + NEXT STEPS (8 min)
             - Recap the 5-email framework
             - Action item: "Load your sequence into your ESP by Friday.
               Reply to my follow-up email with a screenshot and I'll
               review it free."
             - Pitch (if applicable): "My course goes deeper into
               automated sequences — link in chat"
             - Thank attendees

BUFFER: 5 minutes built into Q&A block (cut to 5 min if running behind)
CUT IF BEHIND: Reduce Exercise 2 pair share from 5 min to 2 min

Attendee Worksheet (outline):

Page 1: The 5-Email Framework (reference diagram)
Page 2: Email templates with fill-in-the-blank sections
Page 3: Subject line formula cheat sheet (10 formulas)
Page 4: Open loop examples
Page 5: Blank drafting space for all 5 emails

Example 2: Free Workshop — "Find Your First 3 Coaching Clients This Month"

Transformation: Attendees arrive unsure how to get clients. They leave with a specific 30-day client acquisition plan with daily actions.

Format: Virtual via Zoom, 40 attendees, 60 minutes

WORKSHOP AGENDA: Find Your First 3 Coaching Clients This Month
===============================================================

0:00 - 0:05  OPENING HOOK (5 min)
             - "I got my first 3 clients in 22 days without a website,
                without ads, without a big following. Here's how."
             - Poll: "Where are you right now? A) 0 clients B) 1-2 clients
                      C) 3+ but inconsistent"

0:05 - 0:18  FOUNDATION: The 3-Channel Client Acquisition System (13 min)
             - Channel 1: Warm outreach (people you already know)
             - Channel 2: Community engagement (Facebook groups, LinkedIn)
             - Channel 3: Content conversations (DM strategy from posts)
             - Why you only need 3 channels, not 10
             - Show the math: 10 conversations/day x 22 days = 3+ clients

0:18 - 0:30  EXERCISE 1: Build Your Prospect List (12 min)
             Type: Solo reflection with chat participation
             Prompt: "Open your worksheet. Write down 20 names of people
                      who either A) could be your client, or B) know someone
                      who could be your client. Don't filter — just list.
                      When you hit 20, type 'DONE' in the chat."
             Materials: Worksheet page 1
             Debrief (2 min): "How many of you were surprised you could
                               list 20? That's your warm market."

0:30 - 0:40  DEEP DIVE: The Conversation Framework (10 min)
             - The 4-message DM sequence (not salesy, not weird)
             - Message 1: Genuine compliment or question
             - Message 2: Ask about their current challenge
             - Message 3: Share a quick insight (free value)
             - Message 4: "Would it help if we talked about this for 20 min?"
             - Live demo: show a real DM conversation that led to a client

0:40 - 0:50  EXERCISE 2: Write Your First 3 Messages (10 min)
             Type: Solo writing
             Prompt: "Pick one person from your list. Write messages 1-3
                      using the framework. Make message 1 specific to
                      something real about that person. You have 7 minutes."
             Materials: Worksheet page 2
             Debrief (3 min): 2 volunteers share their Message 1 in chat.
                              Facilitator rates them and suggests tweaks.

0:50 - 0:55  Q&A (5 min)
             - Take 2 questions from chat
             - Address common objection: "Won't this feel pushy?"

0:55 - 1:00  CLOSE + NEXT STEPS (5 min)
             - Action item: "Send 3 Message 1s today. Not tomorrow. Today."
             - "Reply to my follow-up email with what happened and I'll
                coach you through the next step — free."
             - Pitch: "For those who want the complete system with templates,
                       scripts, and weekly coaching — link in chat."

CUT IF BEHIND: Reduce Q&A to 2 minutes
BUFFER: Built into Q&A block

Facilitator Guide Format

For each agenda block, the facilitator guide includes:

BLOCK: [Name] — [Duration]
SAY: "[Exact opening line to say]"
DO: [Physical/technical action — share screen, open poll, start timer]
SHOW: [What's on screen — slide number, demo, worksheet page]
TRANSITION: "[Bridge sentence to next block]"
WATCH FOR: [Common issues — confused faces, dead chat, running long]
IF BEHIND: [What to cut or compress]

Recovery and Fallback

• If the user cannot articulate the transformation, suggest 3 options based on their topic and ask them to pick one
• If the workshop is under 45 minutes, use a simplified 4-block structure: Hook, Teach, Exercise, Close
• If the workshop is over 3 hours, add structured breaks every 60-75 minutes and a midpoint energy activity
• If the user wants to cover too many topics, enforce: "One transformation per workshop. Which topic, if mastered, would make attendees say this was worth their time?"
• If exercises seem too complex for the audience, default to solo reflection with chat sharing (lowest friction)

Constraints

• NEVER design a workshop without exercises — lecture-only events are presentations, not workshops
• ALWAYS include timing for every block — to the minute
• ALWAYS specify what to cut if running behind — mark at least 2 cuttable sections
• ALWAYS include a facilitator transition between every block
• One transformation per workshop — reject scope creep
• Virtual workshops must have interaction every 10 minutes maximum
• Exercises must include exact prompts, not summaries like "have them brainstorm"