When creating a training design (or learning content design as we prefer to call it), it is tempting to believe that the media in which the learning is presented is irrelevant. That you can take the same design and use it no matter how you learn.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

Your training design should be specific to the media in which you are presenting. While training needs may remain the same, or at least similar, the nature of how you meet those needs will change.

In this article I am going to identify x differences between a teleseminar and a visual or live seminar.

1. Reduce the number of points at a time to 3 maximum.

You’ve probably heard that you should only have 4 items on a visual slide. When writing a book, for example, you should try to limit the main chapters or segments to 7 (nine is the upper limit). There is a reason for that limitation. It’s called the cognitive limit, and it describes how many elements humans can mentally process. With a verbal-only presentation, the ability to process is greatly reduced. At most, you must present the equivalent of three items on one slide.

2. Describe rather than show.

We are a visual creature. A basic rule of thumb in training is that we retain 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, and 50% of what we hear and see. When preparing your generic training design, you will lean towards hearing and sight. Unfortunately, your audience cannot see what you are doing. To help them, you will have to describe to their mind’s eye. You should help them visualize what you need them to retain.

3. Have the audience draw.

In general, getting your audience to participate in a teleseminar can, and often is, done very amateurishly. However, when visualization is needed, you can help them draw the picture on a notepad. This is a step beyond visualization. It can be effective for both aid and participation. However, it can be very fond of if done too often.

4. Eliminate any subtopics that require a visual element to explain

I have mentioned two alternatives for presenting visual information. However, they are not particularly effective and cannot really be used for complex images. In fact, if you need a complex image to explain your material, you have two options. You can remove the subtopic that requires a visual, or you can use visual media instead of a teleseminar. In any case, no matter how you choose to exceed the visual requirements, you should always avoid the need for visual aids in teleseminars.

5. Give participants permission to participate.

In a live seminar, we have many ways to ask for audience participation. In a teleseminar these alternatives are reduced. However, the audience does not know what is or has happened on their side of the phone line. When you ask if there are any questions for the first time, it is unlikely that you will get an answer. Big surprise! With a teleseminar you can give your audience permission to participate by reading the questions that have been asked in the past or by email. A technique that tends to backfire when performed at a live seminar.

6. Develop a strategy to overcome the lack of feedback

In a live seminar, it is reasonably easy to determine when the audience disconnects. Tilting, drooping eyes, shuffling feet, head in hands are signs a facilitator hopes to never see. In a teleseminar you cannot see the body language of your audience. Therefore, you must determine a strategy to verify your acceptance and openness to what is presented.

7. Develop a strategy to overcome lack of participation.

People are not willing to be embarrassed. And answering a question is often considered embarrassing. In a live seminar, it is difficult to hide from the facilitator. However, in a teleseminar it is easy. Therefore, you, as the facilitator, must develop a strategy to encourage participation.