Whether you're running a Carefrontation workshop or diving into any other sales enablement topic, your introduction sets the tone. It's your first chance to earn attention, build trust, and create energy in the room. A strong start can make the difference between a session that lands and one that drifts. So, what makes a great workshop introduction and what should you steer clear of?
Start by being clear on your why.
Why is this workshop important? Think about how often you hear salespeople attend your trainings and you hear the words, "They tell me I'm supposed to sell, but I'm always in enablement trainings."
If they don't know why they're in the room, what they'll get out of the session, they're more likely to start off from a position of bad taste. We can change that!
What’s in it for the participants? Grounding your session in relevance gives people a reason to care. Set expectations up front by covering the objectives, the flow of the session, and what’s expected of the group. This helps reduce anxiety and creates psychological safety, especially if feedback or interaction is involved.
Get people involved early.
This doesn’t mean jumping into a 10-minute share, but even a quick show of hands or a short reflection question can signal that this is a space where everyone’s voice matters. A little vulnerability goes a long way, too. When facilitators share a quick personal story or challenge related to the topic, it makes the content feel real and less like a lecture.
What to avoid.
Don’t spend 20 minutes on logistics. Avoid reading from slides or giving a resume-style bio. And steer clear of vague openers like “We’ll just see where this goes”. Clarity and structure build confidence. Instead, bring energy, purpose, and a sense of connection from the very beginning.
You are the source of information during these workshops.
But it's also ok to say, "I don't know"!
Something that trips us up is that we're supposed to be the expert, or at least a north star during these sessions. During your introduction, you want to foster and facilitate engagement. That means you might get asked a question that you don't have an immediate answer to. It's ok to set the expectation that walking out of the training won't give them every answer right away, but you can also set the tone that you're going to research the answers on their behalf and follow up with them at a later date.
How do you like to open your workshops? What intro moments have stuck with you as a participant? Share your go-to opening lines or tips below!
