1. Industry Insight
2. E-Learning Marketing Tips

Industry Insight

Over the past year, we've talked with many e-learning companies about the need to help their customers market e-learning internally after the purchase. We've done substantial research into e-learning marketing best practices and have created a two phase action plan. Phase I - covered in today's newsletter - deals with change and the need to help managers and employees adapt to the change caused by e-learning. In a newsletter later in the summer we'll outline Phase II - the internal marketing campaign itself.

Please feel free to contact me at 978-745-4878 to find out how can help you - or your customers - implement internal marketing initiatives for an e-learning roll-out.

• Current Issue
• December 2003: Update on Federal Anti-Spam Legislation
• November 2003: Direct Mail Tips
• October 2003: Impact of Spam on Direct Email; Value of PR (Part III)
• July 2003: The Value of PR (Part II)
• March 2003: The Value of Public Relations (Part I)
• December 2002: Reader Feedback on Hawthorne's 50 Tips
• November 2002: Making Sales in a Tough Economy
• September 2002: The Secrets of Effective Communication with Customers, Employees and Partners
• June/July 2002: ROI & Distance Learning
• May 2002 Newsletter: Accelerating E-Learning Adoption Inside Organizations
• March 2002 Newsletter: Trends in the Training & E-learning Industries
• October 2001 Newsletter: Marketing Thoughts
• August 2001 Newsletter: E-Mail Direct Marketing Tips
• June 2001 Newsletter: Marketing E-Learning Inside Organizations
• May 2001 Newsletter: Sales & Marketing Tips for Tough Times
• March 2001 Newsletter: Search Engine Visibility Tips
• February 2001 Newsletter: Trade Show Tips
  
• January 2001 Newsletter: Marketing Tips

1. First, recognize and prepare for the fact that most people are fundamentally resistant to a change in the manner in which they engage training. Intellectually, managers accept the idea that training takes less time at the desktop than sending employees off to training. But they remain uncomfortable looking at these same employees learning at the desktop. Therefore, managers are much more comfortable if an employee is out of the office for the day doing the training. Employees may have similar reactions. They know the classroom. They don't know e-learning.
   
   
2. Manage the Change: You'll be addressing two sets of people - managers and employees. Talk to them in their own language about the issues important to them. By doing so you can present the change in a manner that illustrates the positive results for your audience
   
   
3. Get managers on board first. Have managers test the new courses themselves. Naturally, you want to be sure to offer managers the best courses you have available. Enlist managers known to be leaders and those who are known for their negativity. Surprised at this recommendation?. It makes sense to neutralize the naysayers by involving them from the beginning. The more ownership managers and employees take of your e-learning offerings, the more successful the initiative will be. Foster consensus among managers. Start by helping your company devise a list of objectives for e-learning that everyone agrees upon. In addition, make sure that all the managers understand why your organization has decided to use e-learning tools and the associated benefits.
   
   
4. Create an e-learning support team--Once the managers are enlisted, assemble a team to foster support for the change in your training methods. Include representatives from managers and employees from all the internal groups that will be affected and at every level. Team members who become believers will help spread the positive word about e-learning.
   
   
5. Enlist the support of a high level executive who believes in the benefits of e-learning and will speak up and promote it. Give them a communications plan including e-mail, appearances, etc.