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Prepare the Space and Run Your Learning Event

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

  • Follow best practices to set up a room for a learning event.
  • Run the learning event.
  • Encourage attendees to share on social media during the learning event.

Set Up Your Learning Event

Your location determines how much setup you do for your event. If you are meeting at a coffee shop, the only setup required of you is to buy a beverage and sit at a table. But if you are doing a classroom-style learning event in a conference room, make sure the room is set up and ready to go.

  • Remove any trash or leftover materials from the last meeting.
  • Set up chairs and tables.
  • Turn on the projector.
  • Post the Wi-Fi details for attendees to see.
  • Post the hashtag for social sharing.
  • Open the PowerPoint presentation on the presenter’s laptop, and turn on presenter mode.
  • Adjust the lights so the slides are visible.
  • Place a pen and paper at each seat for taking notes.
  • Get water for the presenter.

If you’re offering food or swag, set up those items on a separate table. 

Post Signs

If needed, tape a sign or two on the door for the learning event, to help attendees locate the right place. If you have a hard-to-find location, station one of your volunteers near the entrance to direct people coming to the learning event.

A volunteer with a sign welcoming people to an event.

Welcome Attendees and Have Them Sign In

As attendees arrive, welcome them to the learning event. Create a sign-up sheet and have them sign in, to track who attended. Have each attendee write their name on a nametag and wear it, to help people get to know each other.

  • Lay out a sign-up sheet and nametags.
  • Share Wi-Fi details.
  • Remind attendees of the hashtag for sharing on social media.
  • Invite people in and show them where to sit.
  • Encourage people to say hello and meet each other.

Start on Time

If people are still filing into the room, you can wait for a few minutes before beginning. But aim to start the presentation within the first 5 minutes of the advertised start time.

As you start the session:

  • Introduce yourself and your role.
  • Thank everyone for coming.
  • Introduce and thank your volunteers.
  • Introduce why you’re having the event.
  • Explain the agenda.
  • Share logistics, including where the restrooms are located.
  • Describe how to get on Wi-Fi.
  • Encourage social sharing.

If the group is small in size (less than 10 people), go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves. Ask everyone to share:

  • Name
  • What brought them to the learning event
  • A fun fact about themselves

Deliver the Presentation

Present the slides to your audience. Encourage the attendees to ask questions—the more engagement you get from the audience, the more they are likely to retain what they’ve learned and find value in the session. 

People watching a session who appear engaged by the speaker.

Sign In to Trailhead

At the point in your learning event where you have learners sign in to Trailhead, take your time. Make sure no one gets left behind. Hopefully, you encouraged them to sign up for Trailhead before attending the learning event, but if people need help signing up, this is a great opportunity to use your volunteers.

Be patient during this step. Some people will choose to sign in with a social account. If they don’t remember their password for that account, they may need to reset it. It can take a few extra minutes for people to get signed in and ready to go.

If learners do not want to sign up with a social account, you can help them get a free Salesforce developer edition and sign up for Trailhead using that. 

Guide the Learners Through Trailhead

Take the learners through the project or module covered in the presentation slides. Encourage them to ask questions. Getting hands-on with the technology is critical to remembering what they are learning! Have your volunteers walk around the room and check in with the attendees as they work.

As they finish each step in Trailhead, have them click the Check Challenge button. Encourage them to celebrate with a “Woo-Hoo!” or “Hooray!” when they pass the challenge!

Leave Time for Q&A

Leave about 10 minutes at the end of the session for questions from the audience. Invite the learners to ask about Salesforce, Trailhead, the project you just did, or even career advice. If you’ve decided to give out a prize or two, award those prizes. And invite everyone to keep the connections going after the event, by joining the online Trailblazer Community or their local Trailblazer Community Group. 

Encourage Social Sharing Throughout

Invite your attendees to share their experiences on social media with your hashtag throughout the learning event. Ideas for things to share include:

  • Photos during the learning event
  • Favorite takeaways and fun facts
  • Favorite slides
  • The best thing they learned at the event
  • Their Trailhead badge (once they earn it)

Remind attendees to use the hashtag! Let’s practice again one more time right now. Tweet about what you just learned, and then head to the last unit to learn what to do after the event is over.

“tweet

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