How to Deliver Virtual Training Effectively
How To Deliver Virtual Training Effectively
Covid-19 has changed the way people think and feel about training. Covid restrictions and fears have led many people to prefer attending virtual training, rather than live event training. Consequently, the best virtual training providers quickly adapt to the change in conditions, and become virtual training companies. They need to reformulate their virtual training classroom, content, delivery and style.
Our top virtual training tips
Here are the problems and the solutions to presenting virtual training, online.
| Problem | Solution |
| In virtual training, delegates are in greater need of mental stimulation. | The virtual trainer and the training must be on absolute top form, at all times. |
| The virtual trainer 's personality is not in the room, which means less emotional energy. | The trainer should compensate by being more energetic. |
| It is more difficult for the virtual trainer to keep the delegates attention for long periods. |
The virtual trainer should NOT become a "Talking head", sitting at a table talking directly into a computer, as are the delegates. Talking Head technique is insufficient to keep the delegates motivated. The trainer should set up a virtual classroom electronic green-screen technology that allows for interactive visual effects and which gives a full view of the trainer, who should be stood up, in full body view, and moving around, in front of the interactive green screen which is adapting and changing its content as the trainer explores and explains the course material. |
| The delegates are sometimes distracted by things going on in their environment. |
The course should become more content rich. The virtual trainer should weed out any potential weak points in their content and replace them with introspective activities designed to illustrate or apply the content being discussed. The virtual trainer must be creative and engage the mind and interest of the delegates who may be working in a room by themselves. |
| Some delegates switch off their cameras. | The trainer should explicitly ask that delegates keep their cameras on, since that makes the training better for everyone. |
| There is less scope for group activities. | There is scope to do break out rooms for group activities, but they don't work as well online as they do in live events. So, we recommend the trainer keeps most activities in full forum and ensures that each delegate is encouraged to speak their mind. |
| Internet problems can disrupt the transmission. |
Internet connections sometimes break which can leave the training in tatters. We recommend buying a backup internet provider package that you can immediately switch to should the need arise. Having a back up plan for internet connection may save you a lot of heartache. |
What skills does a virtual trainer need?
Here are the skills the virtual trainer needs and why.
| Virtual Trainer Skills | Reasons Why |
| The virtual trainer must become an "EnterTrainer". | Because the delegates are not being stimulated by a new environment or by meeting new people, they are in greater need of a terrific virtual trainer. The trainer should be more than simply an expert in their chosen field, they should also be an entertainer. An EnterTrainer. |
| The virtual trainer must communicate clearly, logically, enthusiastically, and with a nice sense of humour. The trainer must use all modes of communication: Spoken words, written words, visual images, pleasant voice tones, expressive body language. In addition, the virtual trainer should be humorous without trying to be a clown and engaging without coming across as being pushy. | When online, the delegates' attention and mental focus is always fragile and in doubt. Therefore, the virtual trainer must work harder to hold their interest. |
| The virtual trainer must be intelligent, well prepared and have carefully selected the material to be the absolute best. | The delegates may be easily distracted or demotivated, because they may be in a room on their own. They may have people coming in and out of their "training room". They probably have their phones on. The training must be SO GOOD that the delegate thinks the training is more interesting than any other option available. |
| The virtual trainer should be able to manage the technology, the delegates and the course material with speed and fluidity. | Virtual training is NOT the same as face to face. The trainer must work harder and be capable of doing many things at once. The trainer should practice their performance in front of honest colleagues, before they try it on paying audiences. |
| The virtual trainer should use all the rhetorical skills they possess to keep their presentation engaging. Analogies, reflex questions, anecdotes, "yes getters", humour and all the tricks of the trade they know. | Listening to someone who is NOT in the room is still NOT a normal way of training. The virtual trainer must compensate for this fact, by employing all the Trainer Tricks they have learned over the years. Virtual training will force trainers to up their game. |
| The virtual trainer should give clear definitions of the key concepts and ensure that they hammer home their main message. As well as being knowledgeable and well prepared, the virtual trainer should be standing, moving, motivated, confident and likable. | To keep delegates engaged, they must feel they are making measurable progress, in reasonable time. The virtual trainer must convince the delegates that they are learning a lot of useful knowledge in a relatively short period of time. Everyone loves making progress, and if you can prove to the delegate that, by listening to you, they are making terrific progress, then you will have their continued attention. The moment they feel they are NOT learning anything of practical value, they will disappear. |
Corporate Coach Group runs highly successful, interactive online virtual training courses. If you want to know more about virtual training, please follow this link.
Definition: virtual training
Virtual training is a live, online method of workplace learning. The trainer and learners meet on a video platform, join from different places, share screens, talk and work on tasks together. The trainer leads the session in real time, answers questions and checks understanding, so the experience mirrors a normal classroom without the need to gather in one room.
Show CG4D Definition
- Runs in real time through an internet connection
- Trainer and learners are in separate physical locations
- Relies on digital media such as video, audio and screen share as the primary communication channel
- Led by a trainer who guides, interacts and checks learning during the session
Article Summary
Virtual training succeeds when the trainer treats the webcam as a stage: stand up, add dynamic visuals, vary tasks, keep cameras on and back up the tech, so learners stay alert and knowledge sticks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
How can a virtual trainer keep delegates engaged for long periods?
Why should a virtual trainer avoid the "talking head" approach?
What equipment improves an interactive virtual classroom?
How do you handle internet failures during online training?
Should delegates keep cameras on in virtual training sessions?
What is an "EnterTrainer" and why does it matter online?
How can group activities work in a virtual training environment?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
The CIPD Learning at Work Survey 2023 reports that 81% of UK employers now use live online classrooms for most formal training, up from 54% in 2019. LinkedIn Learning’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report shows that 90% of learning managers plan to keep or grow their spend on virtual instructor-led training through 2025.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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