Workbooks are great tools to have on hand for learning and training purposes. Workshops, both virtual and in-person, are designed to help people learn new things or gain insight into familiar topics. Whether it’s for the sake of business training, self-help, or even a marketing seminar, for example, creating your own workshop workbook can be an invaluable resource.
People enjoy workbooks. They like getting something that they can use. When you have a colorful, engaging, printed workbook for them to reference in a seminar, training session or other workshops, they will be more engaged and more productive. Workbooks make learning and participating enjoyable and beneficial for everyone!
In this guide, we’ll cover how to come up with the ideal content and finished product for your workbook, as well as how to get it printed and delivered to your attendees, employees, or customers.
Step 1: Identify Which Information From Your Workshop to Include in Your Workbook
Workbooks not only offer a way to keep track of information, but they are also tangible assets that help people be more attentive. If you have people going through a workbook, especially in a virtual workshop, you will find that people are engaged, more so than if they are just expected to sit and listen.
If the workshop is a situation where people should be taking notes, workbooks are a way to guarantee that they’re prepared to do so. Plus, a workbook allows you to highlight the important parts of the workshop so that attendees have guidelines for their note-taking and learning. Make sure to include all relevant or important information that you want people to retain when creating your workbook. Consider adding things like:
● Terms and definitions that are relevant
● Industry rules, regulations, or laws
● Specific tasks or exercises
● Policy and procedure information
● Job skill or duty requirements and insights (for workplace training)
● Topical tips and questions that promote creative thinking
Make sure that you leave plenty of space for people to write, fill in answers, doodle, or do whatever else they need to to make the best use of the workbook, too! You might even want to add a few extra blank pages at the end for notes.
Step 2: Decide How Your Workbook Will Look and Feel
Workshop attendees will truly appreciate a workbook if it is done correctly. They will know that you are taking the time to invest in and assist them. Of course, doing it correctly is what counts. Part of that comes in creating a good design.
Is your workbook a physical product? Will it be virtual? Maybe you’ll offer it as a PDF so people can print if they want, but don’t have to. Think about these questions because they will determine your choices for publication partners.
Design
The graphic design of the workbook might not be your forte. That’s okay because you can find templates online or even outsource the work to a third-party designer or graphic design firm. If you happen to have someone in-house that can do the work, that’s even better. There are a lot of options here, so just find what works best for you.
Some people are limited in their options because they can’t afford to hire a designer. If that’s the case, don’t panic. That’s another reason that you can use templates. You can also enlist the assistance of a third-party printing and binding service to create the design for you.
Workshop Workbook Binding: Going the Extra Mile
Not only that, but you can create a beautifully bound workbook that is professional and sets a great impression for your brand, and you can do it for a lot less than you think. With Print Bind Ship, you can send us your completed workbook file and we will turn it into a tangible product, bind it professionally with our high-quality spiral bound book printing for easy page-turning, and then deliver it to you or your customers in a timely fashion.
When you deliver a workbook that looks professional, people feel more professional and get a sense that their contributions and learning matter. Anyone can print a cheap workbook or staple some copies together, but your brand is worth more than that. Consider workbook binding with our spiral binding services to enhance your finished product.
Step 3: Consider Partnering With a Fulfillment Center
Whether your workshop is in-person or online, a 3PL fulfillment service is the perfect addition to your team. A fulfillment service will kit and assemble custom workbooks, DVDs, apparel, or other tools and ship them directly to a workshop attendee. For example, when an attendee signs up for your virtual workshop, a 3PL fulfillment service gets the notice and puts together a “workshop kit” (designed by you), and ships it to their front door.
Offering custom-printed workbooks and gift kits in such a way will allow you to deliver greater value to your customers and attendees. Not to mention, it will also help your brand stand out as one that is incredibly professional and truly memorable. People will be able to relish and enjoy the unique products you deliver and
Print Bind Ship is perfect for all of your printing and fulfillment needs. We can create and print your workbook, bind it, and even ship it out to your workshop attendees or employees directly. We can also ship the books directly to your retail or office location if that’s what you’d prefer. And with on-demand services available, we can print as many or as few copies as you need.
Benefits of Printing a Workbook
Hosting an impactful workshop requires more than just great content and speaking skills. While PDFs and fillable documents are fine for some things, there’s something to be said for printing an actual workbook that people can use. Whether it’s for self-help, workplace training, or anything else, the physical product will do more for them than any computer file ever could. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of printing a workbook for your workshop.
Increased Information Retention for Attendees
Having a printed workbook to reference during the session and again afterward can boost knowledge retention sharply. Studies have shown that when people physically write things down, not type them, they retain the information better.
Allowing For More Valuable Note-Taking
A printed book enables scribbling annotations, questions, and ah-ha moments directly alongside the content. This can help attendees capture insights far easier while also allowing for more clear, organized note-taking. Plus, custom workbooks allow participants to quickly find relevant concepts to review later.
Boost Workshop Engagement
Custom workshop notebooks can foster engagement and fewer distractions, both in the workshop and outside of it. A durable printed guide focuses attention rather than dividing it between devices, apps, and open browser tabs, keeping both in-session and ongoing engagement high.
Allows People to Work Independently Outside of the Workshop
Beyond the workshop timeframe, a printed book empowers attendees to revisit activities on their own to really ingrain learnings. A workbook notebook is a great way to provide an additional resource to really help drive the message home.
Give Attendees a Lifetime Reference and Resource
Creating a custom workbook is another way to gift a heirloom reference piece attendees can keep and cherish for some time. Unlike tossed sheets, a well-crafted workbook becomes a prized reference carried home, gifting your best ideas reliability and longevity. You can count on your workshop staying in the mind of attendees long after the sessions end, as they’ll likely keep it around their home or in their workspace.
Additional Space for Breakout Activities and Exercises
Don’t worry about having to scramble for blank sheets of paper at the very last minute. With a custom notebook for your workshop, you can incorporate space for group breakouts, sketches, and activity worksheets. Doing so can help keep the workshop moving and even foster deeper group bonding and collaboration.
How Fulfillment Services Like Print Bind Ship Can Enhance Your Workshop
No matter what you’re planning in terms of a workshop, the workbook can be the icing on the cake that gives your attendees the added resource they need to truly drive your teachings home. For corporate events, educational events, and any other workshop, you can create the perfect custom workbook every single time by partnering with a professional book printing, binding, and fulfillment expert.
At Print Bind Ship, we have over 60 years of experience creating top-quality printed and custom merchandise. As a leading printing company and fulfillment solution in North America, we offer just the tools to help you create truly memorable products that reflect your brand and resonate with your audience.
Our solutions for custom workbook notebook printing and binding go beyond the norm. Operating some of the most high-tech printers on the market, we’re able to create workbooks in stunning color with fast turnaround times. Looking for something a little extra? We also offer custom kit creation services and custom packaging to help you create a truly one-of-a-kind experience for your audience. Plus, as a leading fulfillment provider, we can handle all aspects of picking, packing, and shipping your merchandise to customers. It’s never been easier to boost your brand and get your message out there!
Learn about our solutions and get in touch for a free quote for your project here.
FAQ
There are several key advantages, including better engagement through tailored interactive activities, building excitement and professionalism for the event through polished materials, and creating durable takeaways allowing for better comprehension and recall long after the session.
Elements like guided worksheets, group breakout spaces, diagrams to annotate, templates to practice building, and dedicated areas for calculations and note-taking allow attendees to immerse more deeply in workshop content together.
Spiral coil binding and booklet stitching add durability for frequent handling during intense workshops while still lying flat for ease of use. Stapled workbooks can work but wear faster. Hardcover books feel polished but sacrifice write-on flexibility and tend to cost more. Learn more about different book covers here.