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How do I market my workshop more effectively?

By Meena Waghray on 19 Comments / 4334 views

Hi Rodinhooders,

Here is a little about me. I am lawyer by profession and a Mediator and Meditator (note the ‘t’ in both words) at heart. I firmly believe that many cases can be settled without having to go to court at all. 

I practice at the High Court of Karnataka and take an early morning class for the 11th and 12th standards on Legal Studies at the Army Public School, Bangalore. I love this part best i.,e of teaching the teenagers. 

While I was baby sitting the last 14 years I took up a lot of short classes in various topics, theatre was one of them. I also learnt to meditate and teach Meditation as an Art of Living teacher.

And now, all this is coming together beautifully. 

HOW? 
Here is the story.

At school, the 12th standards have a topic on Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques, in order to make it interesting I got them to pick there conflicts and help each other to resolve them using techniques of listening skills, asking questions, group dynamics and culminating in an act (Skit). 

But this had a mind of its own. The students started opening up, sharing there deepest fears, and started helping each other come out of there fears and when the performed a quick skit at the end I could not believe what I has happened. I just put together a workshop on resolving conflicts.

I had to keep the ‘finishing portions’ mode away and just watched the kids blossom into happy very comfortable individuals. Suddenly the class looked like one happy bunch of friends.
37 kids gave there best. I was completely moved. The feedback they shared was awesome!!

One of it was “for the first time I actually stood quietly and listened to my parents when they were lecturing me, I did not stomp out. All of us were surprised by this. I usually stamp my feet and bang the door shut.“

There are many more stories. I realised the conflicts that the kids carry on there heads are humongous. Our education system nor many of us parents have a clue on how to resolve them. 

I could clearly see why we have so many cases in courts. 🙁 I believe that as teens they need to learn the language of empathy, listening, talking out, seeing from other persons perspective etc., etc., I can go on. These are key skills that will hold them in good stead in whatever career they choose to follow and in there relationships new and old.

I have now decided that this is one skill that kids need to learn while they are young and I am very keen to taking it to teens in the form of a workshop.

The workshop is an experiential one combining theatre, meditation and in-depth interactions that lead to learning the skills pertaining to Conflict Resolution.


I need help in packaging and marketing this workshop to the teens. The presentation has to lure them to come and attend. 

I ran one last week, I started by giving an ad in the local newspaper and the response was very feeble.This week too, I posted on many forums on FB and the response is lukewarm. I had also posted on explara and shared through my Social Media. 

I know that there is a need, kids who attend the workshop love it and want to come again. Parents that I talk too, want their kids to attend. However I am unable to perhaps package it properly and create interest in a wider audience. How do I do it?  

Do I rename the workshop, what wordings do I need to change? What else can I do to take this to the market? A market that addresses the teens. 

Your help and advice will be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks a lot!

Best,

Meena Waghray 
Twitter @MeenaWaghray
mpwaghray@gmail.com

(image source)

 

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19 Comments

  1. hi meena,

    what is your workshop called? pls add the name in the post itself.

    you might want to sit with a branding expert to seek advice.

    i would suggest first start a dedicated fb page or even better a fb group, where parents can join. that’s the easiest way to start promoting anything using social media at zero cost (except your time).

    (i’m not a fan of whatsapp gps though a lot of people find them useful)

    you will need to tap teachers, schools. first reach out to known folks and let it grow gradually. i am pinging priyadeep sinha who is based in b’lore and runs an edtech venture gyan lab to comment here. 

  2. also meena, there are a lot of hobby places that work with kids. have you approached atta galata?

    perhaps you could also reach out to teachers of art forms – dance, music, theatre. you have synergies…

  3. Hey Asha,

    Thank you. The inputs are very valid.
    I am thinking of a name. I am coming up with loaded legal names only.

    It would be great to meet Priyadeep Sinha.

  4. Hi Meena M’am,

    Practicing Law in India is distinctively known as a professional field and needs a mindset to succeed. Reading and interpreting Law coupled with the waiting in Courts for Justice is a process. Law touches human kind in different forms and sometimes without notice.

    Conflict Resolution for teenagers though very important but is always seen as a part of growing process and is never quantified. Teaching them at a right age is indeed a big step that you have undertaken.

    The best way to engage them in my personal opinion is to prepare them to solve day to day issues dealing with the establishment so to say for ex: Police Officers, Govt officers sometimes their own educational institution. 

    To attract them to or to engage them to a learning skills of conflict Resolution is a very tricky matter. Conflict resolution is believed to be the hand-work of political activism supported by the Political Parties.

    Workshops related to Deficiency in Consumer Goods and Services and how to solve them might be a better way to attract them. (Mobile companies, traffic violations, Insurance claims, food adulteration etc). This will encourage them to participate and bring a family or a friend issue to discuss. 

    My daughter in Mumbai was eager to do something in forensic science and she recently completed a year long course from Xaviers College along with her graduation. I mention this to point out each individuals personal interest counts too.

    I do not wish to make this too long but I am sure you have a good cause and direction. Approaching Colleges with detailed hour wise programme material  will help you reach more target audience so to say.

    I Wish you all Success!! 

  5. Thank You Vinodji.

  6. Hi Meena,

    Beautiful initiative. This is the need of the hour. What is the workshop called right now ? The name, like a headline would be a bait, and you should keep a nice name, targeted at parents. 

    Speak to Priyadeep Sinha and Sourish Ghosh in Bangalore. They should be able to help you out.
    I am also going to show this to Neha and Sonam of Boondein, who run a series of educational activity based camps for younger children. But since they have a lot of following in apartment communities, they can try and work with you to do something like this in apartment complexes.

  7. Thank You for the encouraging words.

    I need help with that..the name and the way to position it.

    One name that has come up is “Clarity Advantage for teenagers”.

    I look forward to the response from Neha and Sonam. And would like to meet them up too.

    Could you connect me with Priyadeep Sinha and Sourish Ghosh? Asha has mentioned too. The workshop is intact..I need a fantastic way to market it..the posters the wordings etc., that will appeal to the parents and teenagers is what i am working at.

    Colleges and High Schools are where I am planning to approach next.

    If anyone can connect me to the educators/principals that would be great.

    Thanks again.
    Warm regards Meena

  8. meena, 

    i’ve pinged priyadeep already. why don’t you comment on his ASK PRIYADEEP PAGE and reach out to him yourself?

    https://www.therodinhoods.com/forum/topics/ask-priyadeep-about-ed-tech-student-entrepreneurship

    also i would suggest you read all the articles by priyadeep and pardeep goyal who both have shared many learnings pertaining to the edtech scene in india. i’m sure it will be relevant to you!!

  9. Oh ok. I will look up. Tks Asha

  10. Hi Meena,

    I think you have a great idea. I’ve often thought to myself that if we had lessons in the art of managing conflict, we would be happier adults and more successful. All of life is a negotiation and we need to be able to create win-win situations for us to be happy and progress, taking colleagues, friends and family along, rather than go back and forth in disagreement!

    Kudos, do let me know if you’d like a sounding board, can definitely try help. I also run a brand communication and content strategy co. We do branding among other things. Cheers!

  11. WHOA! MEENA!! you just got lucky!! kaanchan is an advertising, branding & marcomm specialist!! 

  12. Hey Kaanchan,

    Thanks for the response. I like that bit about taking everyone along.How true.

    I need help with positioning it with the teenagers. In terms of a catchy poster and for an ad in the newspaper.

    It needs to talk about how it fits into the future and career chances of the kids. The words that resonate with the parents and the teenagers.

    Something that will bring them to the workshop.

    My kiddo..a typical teen came up with a name. “Clari’TEE’ (Techniques Expression Empower). Howz that?

    How do we go about this? My vacation is on so if you would like and have the time to spare for me we could meet up. 
    Do let me know. 🙂

  13. Asha, I am getting to know this space of Rodin hoods better. Enjoying the write ups. 
    And very glad about the responses. It’s a great community out here. 

  14. I saw the ‘poster’ on explara 

    – Very ordinary and fuzzy image – single poster type. Did not INSPIRE ME AT ALL

    I would do a poster with A CONFLICT (2 men arguing / Throwing stones) and then a QUESTION

    CAN YOU RESOLVE THIS?

    Lets get you an AWESOME GRAPHIC!

  15. Thanks Alok for the feedback.

    Graphics would be great.

    The challenge is to reach the parents and the students with the right words. 
    Conflict Resolution words doesn’t seem to resonate. 
    What words????
     

  16. Hi Meena, what’s your email ID? Cheers!

  17. mpwaghray@gmail.com

  18. Many members of the group have suggested great ideas and ways. Some more pointers :-

    1. You can discuss and collaborate with psychiatrist and counselors who will eventually sent their patients(kids).

    2. Govt also have similar initiative of mediation that involves property and other matter, may be alliance with them in this field can help. 

    3. Since you are already associated with Art of Living, there are other religious and non governing institutions and groups that do self-less service for humanity, pitching and associating may help.

    My 2 cents…

  19. Dear Varun,

    Thank You for the suggestions.

    The first one resonates with me the most. Will get started on that as I already know w few of them who refer people to AOL for learning meditation. 

    About the government connection I don’t know how to go about it. 

    About the last point on other institutions, I guess this will be most useful. Can surely explore.

    🙂 

    Valuable 2 cents indeed. 🙂

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