What’s Marketing Got To Do With It?
You’ve built a great compliance training program, but do your people want to do it? The secret isn’t just in the content, it’s in the marketing. Milly Gladstone shares how to position, promote, and package compliance training so it captures attention, drives engagement, and (dare we say it) even creates demand.
Learning objectives. Learner satisfaction.
Completion rates. These are all things we think about when it comes to mandatory compliance training. Of course, because these are the KPIs we’ll have to report back to the business. But what about marketing?
Usually, because learners ‘have to’ attend these courses, planning how to promote them falls to the wayside. And yet, so often we see last-minute drop-outs, low satisfaction levels, and leaving e-learning to the very last minute when it comes to mandatory training.
So, even if you’ve built the most engaging and informative compliance programme the world of L&D has ever seen, chances are it’s not getting the results you want and need to show your stakeholders.
The answer? Marketing! Imagine this isn’t a compulsory training and think about how to entice learners as if they had to register to attend. Below, we share how you can position, promote, and package training in a way that makes people actually want to attend.
Position with Benefits First
Ask not what your learners can do for you; ask what you can do for your learners. Even though it’s training they have to do, they still need to know what they’re going to get out of it. How you position the module should address the eternal question on the lips of all learners — WIIFM? (What’s in it for me? In case you didn’t know). Clue: This should go beyond “ticking your mandatory compliance training off for another year”.
Promote with a Range of Formats
How you promote the training will go a long way. Angry countdown emails reminding learners of how long they have until their certificate expires is probably not the way to go. Try gathering testimonials from former participants (bonus points if they’re in video format) or creating a mini-mag that details what learners can expect from the programme — and what you expect from them. And if you need some help with the graphic design, send it along to our Studio!
Package up the Content in a Slick Brand
Consider the branding of the programme. A good brand can add excitement and credibility to the training. Every part of the learner journey can feel like an experience if the brand is consistent and well thought out. Everything from the pre-work to the closing survey should look like it’s part of a learner-obsessed campaign to help participants feel valued and show how much effort has gone into the training.
Executing all three elements effectively might even generate demand. If the good reviews are flowing and participants are confident in the new skills and information they’ve absorbed, how could everyone else not be itching to join the programme?!
Tim Volans
For Tim, building great client relationships is an art form - literally. After beginning his career in enterprise account management in 2008, his took a 9 year diversion into the world of art dealership, an experience that honed his ability to see the bigger picture and delve into the alternative investment vehicles and wealth strategies.Having since returned to the corporate world to lead solutions in telemetry, secure communications, and L&D, Tim brings a wealth of cross-industry knowledge to the Cegos team. He is passionate about listening to the unique voices of his clients and tailoring solutions that don't just fill a gap, but drive real, tangible results.
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