So you’ve signed up to teach an offering with Find My Zen, and we’ve confirmed your listing and date. Now what? It's time to get planning and promoting!
PREPARE
1. Determine your objectives — Ask yourself: what is the key takeaway of your class? If people leave remembering only one thing about your class, what should it be?
2. Create a class outline — Now that you’ve outlined your objectives, develop an outline to help structure your thinking. Attempt to fit your content into a template: Introduction – Focus – Practice – Wrap-Up / Summary.
3. Develop content —Fill in the details of your outline. What research or materials do you need to support your talking points? Remember that you’re the expert, and people are looking for you to share your unique insights with the subject matter. There are likely gobs of information on the internet about your topic, but they’ve chosen to take an in-person class to hear about it first-hand.
4. Determine what will help to facilitate the offering —This may include pictures, props, presentations or hand-outs. The possibilities are endless. Be creative!
5. Make it fun! —After all, we are about Zen and the art of play. People are signing up for your class because they want to test the waters. Give your Explorers a chance to participate. Try to avoid spending more than half your class lecturing. Involve them in the learning, and aim to send them away smiling.
PRACTICE
Run it past a trusted friend or advisor. Make sure you choose someone who will give you honest feedback. Ask him/her questions like:
Would you or someone you know be interested in this content?
Does the flow of the class make sense?
How could it be better?
Use a bathroom mirror —Get comfortable with the material. Ensure that you have enough content to fill up the allotted offering time.
ARRANGE LOGISTICS
Make a list — What is the ideal seating arrangement? What equipment and technologies will you need? Wifi? A projector? What materials will you leave behind with students – class hand-outs, business cards?
Confirm the details — At least a week in advance, work with the host of your event (if applicable) to confirm the logistics. This may mean purchasing or renting necessary equipment or materials. The goal is to minimize any last-minute “uh oh, I forgot about that” moments.
SPREAD THE WORD
Market Your Class — Ensure your class gets the attention it deserves by using Find My Zen’s Marketing and Promotion Tips. Check out our Promoting Your Class article for more information
Provide a link to the listing —When you do market your class, ensure that potential Explorers can easily click through to sign up for your class.
Be creative! — Have a blog? A newsletter? Use social media? A favorite coffee shop where everyone knows your name? Friends who have always begged you to teach them your skill? You can spread the word as formally or informally as you like.
ON THE DAY OF CLASS ...
Be fully ready 20 minutes before the offering starts —Give yourself enough time to set up so that you’re ready at least 20 minutes before the offering start time.
Post a sign to welcome Explorers — If the room at the venue in which you’re holding your event is not obvious to find, consider posting signs that direct Explorers to the room.
Be gracious to the host— If you’re using a venue that’s not yours, make sure you thank the host – directly as well as in front of your Explorers (“We really appreciate [venue] making space for us”).
Own set-up and clean-up — Unless told otherwise, take responsibility for setting up your class and cleaning up. When you leave, ask yourself: did I leave it in the condition it was before I arrived? Will this venue agree to host a Find My Zen class again after this experience?
