Knowledge base

What is a workshop?

In short

A workshop is a meeting, live or online, in which participants get hands-on with a topic themselves under the guidance of an expert. Where a lecture mainly broadcasts, a workshop lets people practise and experience.

Also known as: workshops, running a workshop, open course, open training course, hands-on session, practical session.

A workshop is the event where your client gets hands-on themselves. They don’t just listen to what you know, they feel what it’s like to work with you. That’s why, for trainers, coaches and training providers, a workshop is one of the strongest counters there is.

Why a workshop sells so well

Because people taste instead of read. A participant who achieves a first result themselves within an hour no longer needs convincing that your approach works. They’ve just seen it. The question is then no longer whether they want to go further, but how.

How a workshop brings in clients

A clear offer beforehand. Decide what someone can buy after the workshop: a training course, a programme, a follow-up session.
Fill the room. With your own list, LinkedIn, outreach and ads.
Make sure people turn up. Reminders by email and WhatsApp, with something they can prepare in advance.
An exercise that points to your offer. Have participants practise exactly the part your programme is about.
Make the offer and follow up. In the workshop itself, and afterwards with a follow-up email and a call.

More on the practical side in how to organise a workshop.

Where it goes wrong

Two classics. The workshop is so complete there’s nothing left to buy: everything’s been given away, everyone goes home satisfied. Or the workshop is a sales pitch in disguise, and participants feel ambushed.

A third, for training providers: every open course stands alone. There’s no next step, so every participant starts and ends on the day itself.

The OMB view

A good workshop shows what’s possible, not everything you know. Genuinely give away one part, so participants experience that it works. And show them how many steps are still to come. Knowledge proves your value; your offer cashes it in. A workshop without an offer is a free training course. Nice for the room, expensive for you.

Explained by Rubin Koot, Online Marketing Bakery. Updated 11 November 2026.

In the Sold-Out Recipe

Workshop belongs to Counter: selling and following up. This is how the recipe works. Together the four steps make up event marketing the way we do it: a full room that also buys.

Related terms

Questions about workshop.

What is the difference between a workshop and a masterclass?

In a masterclass, an expert mainly shares knowledge and experience; the room listens and asks questions. In a workshop, participants get to work themselves. So a workshop is more active; a masterclass is more about insight and inspiration.

How long does a workshop last?

There's no fixed rule. A workshop can last an hour or a whole day. Pick the length based on what participants should be able to do at the end, not on how much material you want to get through.

Can you run a workshop online too?

Yes. With breakout rooms, a shared worksheet or an exercise in between, you can get participants doing something themselves online too. The principle stays the same: practising instead of just listening.

Can a free workshop bring in clients?

Yes, if there's a next step built in. A workshop lets participants experience how you work. Make a clear offer at the end and follow up, and that experience becomes a conversation and sometimes a client.

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