Ever wonder how you could add ✨instant value✨ to your live online sessions?
Let me share a little story with a super simple tip that may provide the answer.
I joined a webinar about how to write and publish a book led by Michael Bungay Stanier, the renowned author of The Coaching Habit.
If you don’t know MBS, he’s a superb coach. He also leads truly ✨exceptional✨ live online sessions.
Just 36 seconds in—right after a perfectly executed welcome—he dropped a simple yet powerful question in the chat:
📚 “What’s one book that really matters to you?”
Now there must have been 1500 people on the webinar.
The response was immediate and electric. That simple prompt unleashed a cascade of influential titles.
Less than 3 minutes into the webinar I – and everyone else on the call – had a curated lifetime reading list from our peers in the coaching space.
I had received instant value – even before MBS even started in on the main topic.
Here’s why an “instant value” prompt works:
1️⃣ It sparks curiosity
Suddenly you aren’t just attending a webinar; you are peeking into the bookshelves of 1,500 like-minded souls.
2️⃣ It increases buy-in
Seeing those titles, it clicked—these were my people. It’s a powerful way to affirm, “Yes, I belong here.”
3️⃣ It draws out collective wisdom
This prompt invites participants to contribute their experiences and ideas.
Here’s how to make it work in your session:
👉 Make it meaningful.
Relate it to your audience’s interest and your session’s purpose.
In our webinar, the prompt worked because we were aspiring authors interested in coaching. And we were there because we want to write a “book that matters.”
👉 Make it universal.
Choose something that will be valuable to everyone.
Who doesn’t want a curated list of seminal books that have impacted peoples’ lives?
👉 Make it simple.
Ensure that everyone can answer the prompt easily in a short chat message.
When I lead an online facilitation training I ask “instant value” prompts like:
“What’s your go-to digital tool?”
“… opening song.”
“… warm-up activity.”
“… closing prompt.”
Whatever happens in the rest of the session – everyone gets something instantly valuable.
💡Pro-tip: If your audience is skeptical, let them know why you are asking them this question.
You could say, “I know we’ve got a lot of expertise in the room, by answering the prompt we’ll get to tap your experience and we’ll all be a bit smarter and ready for the session.” (h/t Chad Littlefield)
How about you? What’s a prompt question that could add instant value to your next live session?
Not sure? Hit reply and let me know anyway! I’ll respond back with tips so you can make it shine. ✨
This Week’s Facilitator Finds 💪
In this section, you’ll find curated events, resources, tips, and tools that I’ve found super valuable — and I think you will too!
1/ 🎙️Gather Intentionally. A Think Fast Talk Smart podcast episode with Art of Gathering Author, Priya Parker. (Talk about a book that matters!) Golden insights on how to ask good questions and handle conflict.
2/ ✍️Still Lecturing? Here’s How to Do It Better. A Harvard Business Publishing Education article by Instructional design expert Sophie Oberstein with tips that are just as relevant to the classroom as they are to online sessions.
3/ 📈2025 Circle Community Trends Report. The 12 biggest trends in online communities by community platform Circle (where I host my courses). I especially liked trend #5 – Live virtual events are your secret weapon for engagement and retention. 👏👏👏
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
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Creatively yours,
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