Hey there, fellow MS Teams hosts! You all know, keeping your audience engaged during a live session isn't just a nice-to-have—it's a must, especially when you're running something as critical as a sales training for consulting firms. If your sales team misses key info because their minds wandered off, it could cost your company big time. So, how can you make sure they stay glued to the session, absorb the information, and retain what they've learned? That's where boosting audience interaction comes in.

Mapping Out Engagement: Using Magic Maps

Alright, so picture this: You're kicking off your MS Teams session and want to get everyone feeling connected. What better way than showing where they're all tuning in from? With StreamAlive's Magic Maps, just ask them to drop their locations in the chat. This could be a fun 'Where are you joining us from?' or even a dream corporate retreat spot somewhere on earth. As their locations pop up on the real-time map, you've instantly got everyone invested. It's an awesome icebreaker and gets the chat buzzing right at the beginning.

Gathering Insights: Maximize Open-Ended Polls

When you want to harvest the depth of ideas from your audience, Open-Ended Polls are your best friend. Maybe you're discussing overcoming sales objections—ask them, 'What's your go-to response for common client pushbacks?' As answers roll in, you can read aloud some of the best suggestions and build on them. This feature is a great way to learn from each other in real-time, making everyone feel like they're part of a community effort.

Polling for Input: How Power Polls Work Wonders

Keep the pulse of your session with Power Polls. Ask questions like, 'How confident do you feel in closing a deal after today?' or 'Which sales strategy are you excited to try?' Have your audience type their votes in the chat, and, voila, results appear live. It's a fantastic way to check in on how your audience feels about the material. With real-time feedback, you can even tweak your presentation on the fly to keep everyone engaged and informed.

Winning Engagement: Using the Winner Wheel

We all love a bit of luck, right? Enter the Winner Wheel—a perfect tool to perk up your audience when some folks might be a little too quiet. Maybe you’re discussing sales strategies, and you want to reward participation. You could say, 'Jump into the chat with a challenge you've faced in sales. We’ll spin the wheel and see who wins a fun prize!' It's a great way to get those fingers typing and ensure everyone feels included. Plus, who doesn't love feeling like a winner, even for a moment?

Visualizing Thoughts: Creating with Wonder Words

Word clouds are a fantastic way to capture the mood or themes of a session visually. Using Wonder Words, you could ask, 'What's one word that describes your current sales strategy?' or challenge them with, 'One skill you want to build this year?' As attendees type in their answers, you’ll see the popular responses come to life. It’s a visual treat that not only breaks the monotony but also gives clear insight into common sentiments or goals among your sales team—right there on your MS Teams screen.

Making Decisions Together: Utilizing Choice Circle

Keep the pulse of your session with Power Polls. Ask questions like, 'How confident do you feel in closing a deal after today?' or 'Which sales strategy are you excited to try?' Have your audience type their votes in the chat, and, voila, results appear live. It's a fantastic way to check in on how your audience feels about the material. With real-time feedback, you can even tweak your presentation on the fly to keep everyone engaged and informed.