First impressions count—even in a remote training project.
Yet, many people in charge of running remote training projects skip this important factor. They think:
“Our learners are required to do this training, so they’ll do it no matter what.”
Or:
“We all put so much work into this eLearning project that everyone else is going to love it too.”
Or some other thought that misses the point that you need to market your remote training course, whether your learners are internal or external, required to take the training or not.
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Why Break Training Resistance Barriers
Why?
Because resistance to training is a big barrier for everyone. Learners who aren’t in the right frame of mind to complete their training won’t learn well.
Your stakeholders or partners who don’t see the value of your online course could ignore your program and fail to promote it to the people who should be taking it.
Resistance to training usually comes from a mix of skepticism, unawareness, disinterest or annoyance.
Fear not. It’s possible to address each of these hurdles. We have some proven strategies to address reluctant learners and stakeholders. Read on for specific tips.
6 Ways To Promote An Online Training Project
1. Focus on the benefits
Focusing on the benefits of your remote training program can help everyone understand its validity, from hesitant subject-matter experts to learners who are dragging their feet.
Before you start explaining what your program is, think about why it’s a great program, and then relay that information. Think who else would benefit from your training, and what problem it would solve. Put those into solid concepts, and then think about how you can tell them.
If you’re trying to convince internal stakeholders or partners of the benefit of your program, try:
- Sharing statistics that back up your case, such as completion rates or success rates for online programs vs. in-person programs. Compare cost savings, especially over a few years. Online programs are more affordable the longer they’re around.
If you’re trying to reach reluctant learners, try:
- Describing the flexibility of an online training project that allows learners to learn remotely when it’s convenient for them.
- Let learners know how they can use what they learned in specifics, especially if it’s skill-based or can lead to promotions or higher pay.
2. Motivate learners
The secret to enticing your learners to enroll and keep coming back is to make sure they’re properly motivated. Is it relevant to what they’re doing now? Do they need CEUs? Are they in need of new skills? Do they have to satisfy compliance? Find out what the best motivators are, and they’ll keep coming back.
Demonstrating attractive and interesting programs is one way to motivate people who’ve seen too many bad “elearning” examples. Show them how engaging a course can be, and it will resonate with them.
3. Enlist supervisors
Supervisor support is critical for any training project, especially since they can influence (or require) staff to follow training. A supervisor can make sure employees participate and also help answer any questions that arise in the course. They are also more likely to mention it to their peers, who might see a need for the program.
Consider enlisting superiors as coaches for the best results.
4. Feature participants
Did a learner tell you about a valuable skill they learned through the trainer? Did a manager say something relevant to the subject matter? Include examples of real people directly involved in your marketing materials, and they’ll help promote for you.
Encourage community participation by asking participants to elect an “Inspirational Class Captain” to post motivational quotes in each module. The blogging tool or the discussion Forum is a good place for this contribution.
This strategy can also help convince those who think they don’t know anything about technology and are afraid of the new format. If they see someone relatable who succeeded, they’ll think they can too.
5. Give it away
Make it easy for people to sample your e-learning program with small snippets. Give a demo, make the first module available to everyone and print examples as part of case studies.
6. Call reinforcements
Remember to look at other internal resources for help when planning your online training project.
Does your organization have a marketing department? Schedule a meeting so they can help you brainstorm and ask them if they can help with developing marketing resources.
Do you already have Communities of Practice or other groups where you work? Create peer groups or peer partnerships to encourage collaboration and class participation. These could be community partners or interagency partners.
Every proud owner of an e-learning program needs a marketing push to succeed. Without support from key stakeholders, funders and learners, that program may fizzle. Follow the above tips, and you’ll have a much better chance of success.
Talance has hands-on experience developing e-learning and remote training programs. Contact us now for a free consultation about your project.
