What result signifies the success of a professional training course? Is it gifting of key skills to professionals and businesses? Is it the effective communication of key learnings? Is it an improvement in business operations and profitability as a result of the new skills and knowledge acquired? Or is it the commercial success of the course? The simple truth is that all of these outcomes are required for a training course to be considered a success.
But in order to achieve the ultimate goal of commercial success, you need to create courses that address specific needs in your industry – and then promote them effectively. There are several issues you should address when trying to maximise the potential of the training you provide.
Devise a comprehensive marketing strategy from the outset
You might have complete confidence in the efficacy of your training courses, but this will count for very little if your prospective customers can’t find them. Devise a detailed and joined-up marketing strategy that utilises the Internet and the offline world. Market your training course to the decision makers, businesses and individuals who are most likely to benefit from them, and concentrate on the benefits your training delivers, rather than the features. An online marketplace for training such as Jivjav allows you to market your training course and manage bookings using a single, easy-to-use interface.
Research the industry for training need
Before you create your training courses, you need to find the balance between a significant demand and a niche in the market. There might be other courses on the market that deliver similar skills and knowledge, but you might be able to offer your course at a lower rate. You might also be in a position to make your course more engaging – thus delivering enhanced levels of learning. Although you might have discovered a niche that isn’t currently being addressed by training providers, you need to be sure that the demand for your training is sufficient for commercial success.
Get out and about to talk to business owners, decision makers and key individuals in your industry. What training issues do they have? What professional skills are they lacking? What types of courses are they currently looking for? And what issues sway their decisions when choosing between the courses currently on the market? Find the right balance between meeting a demand and providing niche training, and you have a recipe for commercial success.
Create an eye-catching course description
The title of your course has to be concise and eye-catching; it must provide the most detailed description possible of what your course delivers – but it should do so in fewer than 10 words. Once you have done this, you can create a course description that puts the ‘flesh on the bones’.
It is not enough to simply create a list of the key objectives of your training course – although they are important. In order to persuade prospective clients to choose your courses over the competition, you need to give them some real-world relevance. For instance, if you offer TV production training, you should include details of exactly what students will be able to produce after the course. If you offer accountancy training, it might be a good idea to concentrate on the cost savings your training can help businesses to achieve.
Connect with decision makers on social media
The power of social media simply can’t be ignored in modern business. It provides you with the opportunity to connect with millions of potential customers around the world – but you need to use it properly. Simply using the likes of Facebook and Twitter to advertise and sell won’t give you the results you’re looking for. Connect with key individuals and businesses in your industry, and take a positive and active role in discussions. Wherever possible, provide valuable information and advice, which should build trust in what you have to say. This approach will help you to develop an organic following that will be receptive when you talk about the training you provide.
Be competitive on pricing
Being competitive with pricing is not always about charging less; it is often about delivering the highest possible value for money. There is nothing wrong with charging a premium for your product if it delivers something that the competition doesn’t. You can convey the value for money your courses deliver by communicating their benefits in terms of monetary statistics. For example: ‘Taking this course could save your business up to £1,000 every year’.
Streamline the booking process
Business owners and HR managers have a great many demands placed on their time, so anything that makes the booking process easier and quicker will be popular with your target audience. Offer secure, online booking that can be completed in just a few minutes, and your courses should prove very popular with large businesses.
Getting the most out of your training courses requires planning and a comprehensive marketing strategy. Get these processes right, and the courses you worked so hard to develop should deliver healthy returns.
