The online learning market is growing rapidly. In fact, it’s expected to be worth more than $1 billion by 2020.
The growth of e-learning has been driven by companies that have adopted the model of training their employees on site with the help of a virtual instructor. This is particularly useful for companies that have employees spread across multiple locations or those that need to train large groups of people at once.
Although most companies have embraced the concept of e-learning, there are still some areas where they can improve their training methods and processes:
Online courses are critical to training employees and increasing revenue streams. Translating employee manuals and other process documents into systematic training is a skill to be coveted. Additional skills in production, engagement, assessment, and evaluation will complete the skillset.
Rinse & Repeat
In addition to these skills, it is important to have a strong understanding of the marketplace for training services. The competition is fierce, and you need to understand what makes your service unique. In this section I am going to cover some of the key components of marketing a training service. You will find that they are familiar because they are the same components you used to develop your course.
Target Audience. The first thing you need to do is determine who your target audience is going to be. Who do you want using your product? Are they novice users or experts? What level of expertise do they have? These are all questions that will help you define who your target audience is going to be so that you can develop content that meets their needs.
Problem. The next step in marketing your training service is creating content for them based on their needs and wants related to a problem that they must solve. If you have determined that there is a gap in their knowledge, then it would make sense for you to fill that gap with an online course (or even an offline course).
Solution to Problem. Your production was about solving the problem. Your marketing is about systematically connecting your solution to how your audience perceives the problem and expects the solution. Often, with organizations, this is formalized in a call for proposals or request for bids. With smaller groups, you can convene focus or beta-test groups to explore the connection between your solution and the audience's perception.
Convenience. Everything in marketing success comes down to convenience. If your audience must work hard to find you, they won't. If your product takes a long time to buy or learn about, people will find something easier. If the price is too high or too low, it won't sell. If it's complicated or confusing, people won't use it.
Additional Considerations in Marketing
Get Testimonials. Get testimonials from people who have used your product or service and are willing to say positive things about it. Testimonials can be in the form of case studies, customer success stories, or even just a quote from someone who has used your solution. This will help build trust with potential buyers and boost credibility of your marketing message.
Build Your Mailing List. Your list of contacts connects you with the most powerful marketing tool: word-of-mouth. A solid web landing page can be a great way to capture interested parties. Your course management system (CMS) should also have a capture function for abandoned carts--those people who do not complete the signup for your course. These are great people to follow up with. Rather than selling the course, inform them with information they would find helpful without giving the full course away. Consider sending an informative monthly email to keep them engaged in conversation.
Building Social Following. Your social following is another word-of-mouth marketing connector. It is supercharged because the platforms allow for multimedia expressions of your message, content, intent, and brand. Focus on telling a story about your course, production, or brand. Connect viewers to your website to add them to your mailing list.
