Workshop Marketing
How to Get More Workshop Attendees
Why Is It So Hard to Fill Workshops Lately?
You’ve got the experience. You’ve designed workshops that you know will make an impact. Your content is solid, and the transformation your attendees will get is clear to you. But then, something happens that leaves you frustrated: the registrations just aren’t coming in.
No matter how many times you post about it on LinkedIn or how excited your inner circle seems, the seats remain unfilled. Or maybe, a few people sign up for your workshop, but it’s nowhere near the numbers you were hoping for.
The pressure builds, especially when you’ve put your heart into developing something that you know could create real change for people. It’s exhausting, trying to figure out how to market yourself, especially when you’re not a marketing expert—that’s not what you got into this for.
Why Isn’t Anyone Signing Up For My Workshop?
As facilitators, trainers, and coaches, most of you spend hours creating something valuable—a workshop you believe in. But often, there’s a gap between how much you believe in your work and how well your audience understands its value. And that gap? That’s where the registrations get lost.
Workshop Registration Issue #1:
Clarity of Message
Are you clearly communicating what your workshop delivers? If your potential attendees don’t immediately recognize how attending will solve a problem for them, they’re likely to scroll past. The clearer and more specific you are about the transformation, the more likely they are to pay attention.
Workshop Registration Issue #2:
Audience Alignment
Another common pitfall is trying to appeal to everyone. A general message rarely resonates with the right people. You’re a specialist in your field, whether it’s leadership, communication, or agile processes. But are you honing in on who will benefit most from this workshop? When you get crystal clear about your ideal participant and speak directly to them, the connection happens much more easily.
The Hidden Struggle of Workshop Marketing
I know you didn’t get into this work to become a marketing machine. Most facilitators don’t! You’re passionate about helping people grow, facilitating transformative experiences, and creating lasting change for teams or individuals. But with the ever-changing landscape of training, workshops, and coaching, relying on “build it and they will come” no longer works.
Workshop Promotion tactics you might have tried:
- Sending out emails to your existing list (good start, by the way).
- Posting on social media when you have time.
- Announcing your workshop in groups or communities you’re part of.
Still, it’s not enough.
Why? Because marketing and promotion takes time and consistency. It’s not about being on all the platforms, or flooding your inbox with newsletters—it’s about connecting deeply with the right people. And most importantly, doing it in a way that works for you. The last thing you want is to feel like you have to become a full-time marketer when your heart is in training and coaching and you just want to get people to attend your workshop.
How to Get Workshop Attendees
When we talk about boosting attendance, I’m not going to suggest you spend hours on every marketing platform available or offer discounts that cut into your value. That’s not sustainable. What I suggest are strategies that work for your specific situation—strategies that feel good and help you get results.
Speak Directly to the Pain Points to Get More Workshop Attendees
You know your audience best. You’re working with leaders, coaches, or teams—people who are facing real challenges every day. Ask yourself, “What’s keeping them up at night?”
Is it:
- Leadership challenges in a remote working world?
- Teams struggling to communicate effectively?
- Individuals trying to step into bigger roles but lacking confidence?
When you position your workshop as the solution to these specific, pressing problems, people listen. It’s no longer just a “nice-to-have” course; it’s the thing they need to solve their immediate issue.
To Increase Workshop Signups, Simplify Your Offer, Focus on Value
One mistake I often see is offering too much information upfront. Instead of overwhelming your audience with every detail, focus on the outcome they’ll achieve. What will change for them after attending your workshop?
- Will they walk away with clear, actionable steps to implement in their work?
- Will they have a new framework for managing conflict within teams?
Keep the offer focused on transformation—what happens after they attend your workshop, and why they can’t afford to miss it.
Boost Workshop Attendance
No, You Don’t Need to Be Everywhere
Contrary to popular advice, I’m not going to tell you to run ads on every platform, start a funnel, or hire a social media manager to post for you to get people to attend your workshop. You’re one person. Let’s keep things practical.
What you do need is:
Consistency with whatever platform feels right for you. It could be LinkedIn or email, but make sure you’re nurturing your audience with valuable content—not just announcements.
It’s about tailored communication. If you’re emailing your list, don’t just send a blanket announcement. Segment your list and tailor your message. Speak to where your audience is in their journey. Offer relevant solutions for where they are right now.
The key isn’t to do everything, it’s to do what feels right for you, in a way that doesn’t burn you out.
I am Nadine, Business Consultant for Facilitators, Trainers and Coaches
There’s a reason why the cookie-cutter approach for how do you get people to attend your workshop doesn’t work. Everyone’s business and audience are unique, and I believe in finding solutions that work for you—not everyone else. The advice you’ll find online may work for some, but it’s likely to leave you overwhelmed and with more questions than answers.
That’s why I’m here to help. Whether it’s refining your message, figuring out which platform to focus on, or building an irresistible offer—let’s talk. Together, we’ll find the strategy that feels right for your business, your audience, and your goals.
Book a free consultation, and let’s start crafting a plan that will finally get those seats filled. Or, if you prefer a self-paced approach, check out my course “How to Turn Empty Seats into Sold-Out Workshops.” It’s packed with insights and strategies that will get you the results you’ve been waiting for.