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This post was originally published in May 2020, but has been updated with fresh new thinking – and fewer Covid references 😉
One of the most accurate descriptions I’ve heard of marketing is: “Marketing is a contest for people’s attention”. And if you’re in L&D, that might sound scarily familiar. Because it’s exactly what L&D are trying to do too. And it’s for that reason that using marketing for L&D is so impactful. Especially when you consider that both functions are aiming to:
Engage and drive interest with a potentially distracted, detached audience.
Instigate a change in behaviour, whether that’s to come to our website to buy something new, or visit a new LMS.
Create long-term relationships with our audiences, to have them coming back time and time again.
With all these similarities in mind, what differentiates marketing from L&D? Well, the answer is pretty simple… marketers have honed their craft by using psychology, theory and the full range of tools at their disposal, to achieve the above. And L&D? Well they just haven’t.
And instead of reinventing the wheel, it’s time to adopt marketing in L&D, using these tools, tactics and theories to transform our learning functions; in the same way marketing used them to transform theirs. So whether you’re launching a new piece of eLearning or trying to boost awareness of your overall learning offering, here’s my list of 6 approaches L&D departments can learn from marketing:
1. Learn to adapt
Disruption is rife in all industries right now. In the last five years we’ve had a global pandemic, new ways of working, unimaginable political unrest and so much more. And the best marketers have learned to take disruption in their stride.
The invention of the internet made printing press fall in popularity. Smartphones introduced just-in-time marketing messages. Streaming platforms like Netflix, meant we said goodbye to Blockbusters. Marketers moved with these periods of disruption. Because if they didn’t, they fell behind.
One of the biggest changes in marketing? Going to where our audience hangs out. Rather than relying on mainstream advertising channels (like TV, billboards and so on). Marketers now leverage remarketing, community groups and social media. Meeting people where they’re at. And guess what L&D? You have to do this too!
To get real engagement with marketing in L&D, you need to go digital, multi-channel, personal and targeted. Because Google, Amazon, Netflix and Instagram (and so, so many others) have taught your learners to expect immediate access to information they need or want, wherever they are. So if you want them to engage with your learning brand, you need to do the same - give them what they need, when they need it.
Accept that your audience is evolving and changing; and accept that the way you deliver training has to as well. You must be the driver of change.
2. Become a big data lover
Data is a big deal, particularly for marketing. Because of the volume and depth of data that can be captured, teams are able to draw insights into the behaviours of their audiences and understand in much more granular detail what’s working and what’s not.
So, rather than assuming your audience’s behaviour, why not take a leaf out of marketing’s book and use the data you already have to make educated decisions about what you should do next?
Don’t have data handy? Then start collecting it! Market research is key to effective marketing in L&D. So think about introducing surveys (which can easily be set up in SurveyMonkey or Typeform) and see what your audience really thinks about your training programmes. And if you haven’t already, definitely install Google Analytics on your LMS to monitor user behaviour. Like marketers do, use data to drive knowledge about what your audience is doing, and then adjust your approach accordingly.
A continuous capturing of data also allows you to track successes and prove the value (and ROI) of the training you implement, which is becoming more and more critical for any department responsible for budgets.
3. Repurpose your content
Marketing teams are a resourceful bunch, and often will produce several pieces of content from one source (i.e., a whitepaper could be transformed into a LinkedIn carousel post, an infographic, blog posts, webinars and more). This multi-content approach means you’re providing your audience with a variety of consumable information, and one version is certain to catch their attention.
L&D should be doing the same. Why can’t your eLearning course also be supported by a variety of different content, such as infographics and blogs on your intranet?
Remember, reach is really important. Especially given L&D’s long-term awareness problem. So don’t expect your audience to come to you. Transform your existing content into digestible snippets and share them where your audience is already hanging out.
4. Use all the channels you have at your disposal
When a marketing team has something to say, they don’t just say it once, in one place. They utilise a range of unique channels to ensure maximum reach. Sure, sending an email might be marginally effective, but pushing the same concept on social media and in a short video could well reach those untapped audiences.
So, time to reflect on your efforts when using marketing in L&D. How do you get your message out? Email should be just one channel you use for spreading your message. But what about social media, your intranet, internal chat channels, posters in your office, videos on screens? Implement learning campaigns to cascade your message through the organisation – and don’t be afraid to get visual!
5. Don’t be afraid to get personal
The modern employee expects personalisation. As we discussed earlier, Google has set the bar pretty high in terms of a personalised experience for its users. And pretty much every B2C organisation has followed suit. For example, marketing can provide relevant content to someone who’s looked at a product page, or send them key information when their product is up for renewal. This approach is a great way to provide a relevant and more impactful experience for audiences.
L&D can replicate this experience by focusing on personalisation and creating learner personas. Of course, you will need some data to do this (see point 2, above), but you can also consider:
Ensuring they have a unique experience when they land on your learning platform – many Learning Platforms do this with AI nowadays!
Tracking their progress in the LMS and sending reminders or nudges when new learning – that is relevant to them – is available
Provide your audience with a preferences selection, where they can identify key areas of desired personal development, then serve them information based on those preferences
The key here is serving up content and learning that is relevant to the learner, and ditch the age-old one-size-fits-all approach.
6. Testing is vital
Trying to get your marketing in L&D heard, amongst all the digital noise that exists in organisations already, can be a real challenge. So many different functions, organisations and platforms are vying for your audience’s attention – so how can you stand out? There is no silver bullet here, you have to do some testing to find out what works for your unique audience.
Think about what your learner is exposed to outside of work. They’re used to responsive websites, beautiful designs and seamless browsing experiences across smartphones, tablets and desktop, all of which has been tested by marketing teams across the globe to see what works best.
This testing approach can be applied to learning, as well as LMS layout and user interface to maximise results. Consider creating different versions of pages (especially those whose main goal is to instigate an action) that modify layout, colour and more. Test them over a set period of time to see which is the most successful.
Getting more from what you’ve got
I've often considered what the L&D industry can learn from marketing. The main challenge is that learning is internal and is so often locked in an LMS silo, whereas a marketing campaign can go to many channels and build impact over time. If we can overcome that key challenge and break down the barriers of the learning ecosystem, then we are revealing huge opportunities to engage our learners. (And time and space to tackle our real challenge, lack of audience awareness!)
So, if you’re already doing a bit of light reading every week to keep an eye on changes in the industry, why not add a marketing blog or two into the mix, and get yourself some fresh inspiration to connect with your audience?
My favourites are:
Or you know, you could stick around here, or check out our podcast, to learn from the marketing for learning pros 😉 But however you do it, start thinking about how you can connect with your audience more deeply, and leverage marketing in L&D in your organisation.
