Recently, a participant noticed something in my live session that most people probably wouldn’t have thought twice about.
After the Making Your Virtual Training Stick workshop, he sent me some feedback:
“I liked how you kept extending little invitations.”
Such a simple observation.
But it reminded me of something powerful about engagement.
Sometimes, the smallest shifts in how we ask people to participate can make the biggest difference.
And that’s where ✨ Irresistible Invitations ✨ come in.
Irresistible invitations are when you give your group members an opportunity to participate that feels so easy, valuable, and welcoming it makes people think, “Ooh, I want in on that!”
The irresistible part is what makes people WANT to join in. It might be a juicy prompt question that sparks curiosity or an activity that actually helps someone solve a real problem.
The invitation part is how you draw people in.
For example, instead of saying:
“Hey everyone, let’s answer this question in the chat.”
Try:
“Before we jump in, I’d like to invite you to pop your answer to this prompt in the chat. Let’s see who’s in the Zoom room.”
It’s a subtle shift in language that can make a big difference to participation.
And here’s why it matters.
Invitations give people choice.
Most of us have spent years in classrooms where participation was something we were told to do.
No wonder so many adults are “allergic” to anything that feels like school!
Yet, when we’re faced with a wall of silent faces in a live session, it’s tempting to become more directive.
And what we’re really thinking is, “Come on, people! Participate!” 😅
But we want people to participate because they WANT to, rather than because they feel they HAVE to.
That’s where the art of the irresistible invitation comes in.
Here are 3 simple ways to make your invitations harder to resist.
1️⃣ Make it EASY
Lower the barrier to entry.
Instead of opening with a big, open-ended question like “What are your biggest challenges with virtual training?”, try:
“On a scale of 1–5, how confident are you at keeping people engaged online? I’d love you to drop a number in the chat.”
One number. A few seconds. Almost no effort.
Why it works: Small, low-risk invitations help people get comfortable contributing. And once they’ve participated once, it’s easier to do it again.
2️⃣ Make it VALUABLE
Give people a reason to WANT to contribute.
For example:
“I’m curious – what’s your go-to book, tool, or resource for designing engaging learning experiences. Let’s build a resource list together!”
Suddenly, contributing isn’t just about answering your question. It’s about creating something useful for everyone.
Why it works: When people can see the value for themselves and others, they’re more motivated to contribute. They are co-creating something useful for the whole group.
3️⃣ Accept your OWN invitation
This one is deceptively powerful.
When you pose a question, don’t just sit back and wait for responses.
Go first.
For example:
“I’m curious. What’s a small win you’ve had this week. I’ll start! Mine was receiving a lovely message from someone who tried a strategy from my newsletter!”
Why it works: You’re modelling what participation looks like, showing how much to share, and making it feel safer for others to jump in.
Plue, there’s something powerful about showing you’re willing to do what you’re asking others to do.
Do you always have to say “I invite you to…”?
Nope! In fact, that can start to feel a little scripted.
The key is to make people feel invited, without necessarily always using the word “invite.”
Try phrases like:
- “I’m curious…”
- “Feel free to…”
- “I’d love to hear…”
- “If you’d like to share…”
And remember, how you say it matters just as much as what you say.
A genuine invitation comes with warmth, curiosity, and a willingness to hear what people have to say.
Will everyone accept your invitation?
Probably not. And that’s okay.
But the easier, more valuable, and more welcoming you make it, the more likely people are to step in.
Over to you 🎤
Here’s my invitation to you this week:
What’s one irresistible invitation you could extend to your group in your next live session?
Hit reply and share it with me. I’d love to hear what you come up with!
How confident are you that your training team has the capabilities to deliver consistently engaging virtual learning?
My new Virtual Engagement Gap report reveals some surprising findings from 370+ trainers and L&D professionals.
It highlights 10 core capabilities to help you identify where your team is strong, where engagement is falling short, and where to focus your development efforts.
Especially valuable for L&D team leaders looking to create more consistent, engaging, and impactful virtual learning experiences across their programs.
Curious where the gaps might be hiding in your team?
Hit reply with “REPORT” and I’ll send you a copy!
And if you’ve already downloaded it – thank you!
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
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Creatively yours,
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