Marketing Concepts for L&D Professionals
Source 1: 5 Things Every L&D Pro Should Steal from Marketing
I. Introduction
- L&D and Marketing share the goal of capturing attention and influencing behavior but often approach it differently. The document aims to identify valuable marketing techniques applicable to L&D.
II. Speak to the Intuitive Brain * Introduces the concept of the intuitive brain, heavily influenced by early childhood experiences and driven by unconscious processes. * Outlines six key elements that engage intuitive thinking: Personal Relevance, Contrast, Tangibility, Memorability, Visual Emphasis, and Emotional Connection.
III. Learner Personas
- Emphasizes the importance of understanding the learner’s perspective through the creation of detailed learner personas.
- Highlights the need to consider both professional and personal aspects of the learner, moving beyond a solely organization-led approach to learning.
IV. Writing That Clicks
- Introduces the “SURE” principles of effective writing: Useful, Resonate Emotionally, Easy to Skim.
- Stresses the importance of writing for the learner’s needs and leveraging emotional impact for lasting learning outcomes.
V. Grabbing Attention
- Addresses the importance of capturing attention upfront, leveraging the concept of “Inattentional Blindness”.
- Highlights how the intuitive brain notices Relevance, Novelty, and Emotion, emphasizing the critical role of first impressions in shaping perception.
VI. Learning Campaigns
- Advocates for a shift from event-based learning to a continuous learner journey approach.
- Introduces the concept of the “5 Moments of Need”, focusing on providing learning support at critical points of performance.
- Illustrates the use of a “Marketing Funnel” approach to guide learners through a learning journey.
VII. Conclusion
- Encourages reflection and application of the discussed marketing concepts to enhance L&D initiatives.
Source 2: Design for Application: How to Apply Our ‘Sales Lab’ Format to Your Skill-Based Training
I. Introduction
- Presents a comprehensive guide for designing and implementing skill-based training using a “Sales Lab” format.
- Outlines the structure and flow of the training, including participant materials, agendas, and sample customer profiles.
II. Discovery Lab Structure
- Details the structure of the Discovery Lab, focusing on the application of sales skills through mock customer interactions.
- Provides a detailed participant guide, including agenda, learning outcomes, customer research information, and preparation guidelines.
III. Facilitator’s Guide and Implementation
- Includes a detailed project plan for organizing and executing the Sales Lab, covering aspects like approvals, logistics, content development, and stakeholder communication.
- Offers specific guidance for the mock customer role play, emphasizing realistic scenarios and relevant challenges for participants to address.
IV. Credentialing and Evaluation
- Presents a framework for credentialing participants based on their demonstrated skill proficiency during the Sales Lab.
- Includes evaluation tools and metrics for assessing the effectiveness of the training program, focusing on both individual performance and overall program impact.
V. Post-Training Application and Sustainability
- Emphasizes the importance of applying the learned skills in real-world scenarios and outlines post-training support mechanisms.
- Provides guidance for managers on how to support participants in transferring their skills to the workplace and reinforcing desired behaviors.
Source 3: CMI: Content Marketing Strategy, Research
I. Content Marketing Resources
- Highlights various resources offered by CMI, including e-books, templates, career advice, and research insights.
- Provides guidance on content marketing fundamentals, strategic development, messaging, planning, channel selection, content creation, operations management, and impact measurement.
II. Community Engagement
- Encourages connecting with other content and marketing professionals through various platforms like live events, Slack groups, and LinkedIn.
- Showcases current trends and topics in content marketing, including AI integration, analytics, audience building, content creation and distribution, optimization, and demand generation.
III. Featured Content and Research
- Features articles and research insights related to AI in content marketing, emphasizing the importance of human oversight in managing AI-generated content.
- Offers guidance on leveraging AI to repurpose existing content and create engaging learning experiences.
Source 4: Harness the Power of AI Video
I. AI Video Creation and Transformation
- Introduces key AI tools for video creation, including Descript for video format transformation and transcription, highlighting its use in repurposing long-form content into shorter learning snippets.
II. AI Image Generation and Integration
- Presents various AI image generation tools such as MidJourney, DALL-E, Leonardo, and Flux, emphasizing their application in creating visuals for learning videos.
- Explores image-to-video conversion tools like Kling and Runway ML for enhanced visual content creation.
III. Adding Talking Voices and Lip-Syncing
- Highlights tools like Live Portrait, HeyGen, and D-ID for adding realistic talking voices and lip-syncing to learning videos, enhancing the immersive learning experience.
- Introduces audio integration tools like Suno and Eleven Labs for high-quality narration in learning videos.
Source 5: The Intersection of Design Thinking & Generative AI Is Genius
I. Introduction to Design Thinking
- Defines Design Thinking as a user-centric approach to problem-solving and innovation, focusing on the needs of end-users.
- Outlines the five stages of Design Thinking: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.
II. Empathy and Persona Development
- Emphasizes the role of empathy in understanding user needs and highlights the importance of persona creation for representing target user groups.
- Provides guidance on developing personas, including gathering relevant information and creating empathy maps to understand user perspectives.
III. Problem Definition and Ideation
- Explains the process of defining a problem statement using insights gathered through empathy and persona development.
- Introduces brainstorming techniques like brainwriting and penny voting for generating and prioritizing potential solutions.
IV. Prototyping and Testing
- Emphasizes the importance of creating prototypes to test and refine solutions based on user feedback.
- Provides a framework for gathering and analyzing feedback through feedback grids, highlighting the iterative nature of the design thinking process.
V. Integrating Generative AI with Design Thinking
- Explores the application of Generative AI tools in each stage of the Design Thinking process, emphasizing the potential for enhancing user-centric solution development.
- Highlights the importance of a strong understanding of user needs and a clear problem statement when leveraging AI tools for solution development.
Source 6: L&D Solutions That Stick: Amplify Engagement & Enablement
I. Introduction and Program Overview
- Introduces a program designed to enhance L&D engagement and enablement within organizations.
- Provides an overview of the program, including its components, time commitment, and leadership support strategies.
II. Addressing the Learning Culture Problem
- Poses the challenge of amplifying L&D impact within organizations and highlights the need for stakeholder engagement and enablement.
- Engages the audience through a poll regarding their perceived influence on learning culture.
III. Communication Strategies for Engagement
- Emphasizes the importance of effective communication for driving engagement and enablement in L&D initiatives.
- Presents various communication strategies, including “Know Before You Go,” “After Action,” and “30/60/90” updates, leveraging email, newsletters, and leader guides.
IV. Leveraging Various Platforms for L&D
- Explores different platforms for delivering L&D content, including company portals, LMS systems, social and chat forums, and digital access points.
- Highlights the use of marketing techniques to promote L&D resources and enhance accessibility for learners.
Source 7: Making Measurement Easier: Find Simple Solutions for Program Evaluation
I. The Importance of Measurement and Evaluation
- Emphasizes the need to measure and evaluate L&D initiatives to ensure their effectiveness and impact on desired outcomes.
- Poses guiding questions to determine whether an initiative warrants measurement and evaluation, focusing on information dissemination versus behavior change.
II. Prioritizing Measurement and Evaluation
- Advocates for prioritizing measurement and evaluation based on the desired behavior changes, focusing on the most critical aspects of the learning program.
- Highlights the importance of measuring and evaluating both in the “classroom” setting and within the actual flow of work.
III. Developing a Measurement Strategy
- Distinguishes between measurement strategy and tactics, emphasizing the need for a clear strategy before designing an intervention.
- Introduces the concept of creating a hypothesis to guide the measurement process, focusing on connecting the initiative to desired outcomes and data collection.
IV. Alignment and Collaboration
- Stresses the importance of aligning measurement efforts with different departments and the overall work environment.
- Encourages connecting with the author for additional resources and support in developing effective measurement strategies.
Source 8: MarketingProfs | Improve your marketing right now. Marketing Training for Professionals.
I. MarketingProfs as a Resource Hub
- Introduces MarketingProfs as a leading platform for B2B marketing training and consulting, offering various resources, events, and a vibrant community.
- Highlights the diverse content formats available, including articles, guides, infographics, learning paths, podcasts, video tutorials, webinars, and a discussion forum.
II. Targeted Topics and Training Offerings
- Presents a wide range of marketing topics covered by MarketingProfs, including account-based marketing, advertising, AI, branding, career development, content marketing, customer experience, and more.
- Showcases upcoming events and training programs like Landing Page Optimization, Webinar Formats, and B2B Forum.
III. Staying Updated on Marketing Trends
- Features articles on current marketing trends, such as the impact of TikTok’s generative AI features on B2B marketing strategies.
- Encourages subscribing to the MarketingProfs newsletter for regular updates and insights on B2B marketing best practices.
IV. Leadership and Community Engagement
- Promotes leadership content and the MarketingProfs B2B Forum for connecting with fellow marketers and fostering professional growth.
- Encourages joining the MarketingProfs community for continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
Source 9: Beyond Competencies: Redefining Skills in the Era of Workflow Learning
I. Introduction and Redefining Skills
- Focuses on the need to redefine skills in the context of modern workflow learning, moving beyond traditional competency frameworks.
- Engages the audience by prompting reflection on their involvement in “skills” initiatives.
II. The Power of Workflow Learning
- Introduces the Workflow Learning Framework, emphasizing the integration of learning within the actual flow of work.
- Explores the concept of the 5 Moments of Need, advocating for providing learning support at critical points of performance.
III. Workflow Mapping and Skill Development
- Provides a practical approach to mapping workflows, breaking down tasks and steps for targeted skill development.
- Illustrates the application of workflow mapping through examples like auditing workflows and leadership skill development.
IV. Measuring ROI and Impact
- Emphasizes the importance of measuring the ROI of workflow learning initiatives, focusing on the impact on performance and business outcomes.
- Presents case studies demonstrating the tangible benefits of implementing a 5 Moments of Need approach through digital coaching.
V. Conclusion and Continuing the Dialogue
- Encourages ongoing dialogue and engagement with the authors and the Workflow Learning Alliance for further learning and collaboration.
- Promotes resources like the 5 MON Certificate Course and networking opportunities at DevLearn.
Source 10: The Little Black Book of Marketing and L&D
I. Introduction and Purpose
- Introduces the concept of applying marketing principles to enhance L&D initiatives, bridging the gap between marketing and learning.
- Provides an overview of the ebook’s content, focusing on key marketing concepts applicable to L&D professionals.
II. Chapter 1: Engaging Learners with a Marketing Funnel
- Explains the concept of the marketing funnel, a multi-stage process guiding prospects from awareness to conversion.
- Adapts the marketing funnel to the L&D context, emphasizing learner engagement and retention throughout the learning journey.
III. Chapter 2: The Power of Personas for Learner-Focused Success
- Introduces the concept of learner personas, fictional representations of target learner groups based on their needs, goals, and characteristics.
- Provides guidance on developing learner personas, emphasizing data collection, analysis, and categorization to create personalized learning experiences.
IV. Chapter 3: The Marketing Mix – The Secret of the Four Ps for Better Results
- Explains the marketing mix, a set of controllable elements used to achieve marketing objectives.
- Adapts the traditional Four Ps (Product, Place, Price, Promotion) to the L&D context, focusing on positioning and promoting learning solutions effectively.
V. Chapter 4: Content Strategy – The Right Stuff at the Right Time in the Right Place
- Emphasizes the importance of a content strategy for managing learning content as a valuable business asset.
- Provides a step-by-step guide for creating a content strategy, including analysis, strategy development, planning, creation, delivery, measurement, and maintenance.
VI. Chapter 5: Dump the ‘One and Done Model’ for Learning Campaigns: Your Learners Will Love You
- Critiques the traditional “one and done” approach to L&D, advocating for continuous engagement through learning campaigns.
- Introduces the concept of drip campaigns, a series of automated communications designed to nurture learners over time and reinforce learning.
VII. Conclusion and Acknowledgements
- Summarizes the ebook’s key takeaways, encouraging readers to apply marketing principles to their L&D practices.
- Acknowledges contributions and provides image credits.