Learners complete training when they have to; they engage with additional courses only if they want to. Turn your learning management system into a desirable destination for eager learners by providing an enjoyable learner experience. This requires some imagination on the part of learning administrators, especially when the learners are an external audience, such as customers, members or business partners. On the plus side, adopting these four strategies will attract learners who engage voluntarily—and even enjoy their compliance training.
1. Raid the internal marketing playbook
Marketing pros have figured out how to keep people's attention. When enticing internal learners to register for optional training, you use tools both inside and adjacent to the LMS to promote instructional content. Appeal to external learners using the same internal marketing strategies. In addition:
- Use social media platforms and email newsletters to let members and customers know about upcoming courses, online events like webinars and high-quality blogs and curated content.
- Remind potential learners of approaching registration deadlines, or offer incentives to register, such as membership discounts or unlocked access to premium curated content.
Your LMS makes it easy to deliver messages and incentives tailored to each audience, whether internal learners, partners, members or customers.
2. Preview coming attractions
Create very short—under a minute—engaging video promos or previews for optional courses, and attach them to the beginning of a required course video. Use branding and targeting to highlight courses that are related to a business partner's main function or tutorials that answer common customer questions about using your platform or products. Try animations, screencasts or realistic scenarios for an engaging learner experience.
3. Technology lends a hand
While pop-up ads might not be appropriate within a required LMS course, the same tools you use to liven up eLearning courses, create engaging videos and add interactivity can help you promote additional learning opportunities. Offer related courses with catchy titles and brief, engaging descriptions in a "learn more" sidebar, banner or in-text "ad" placed within a required course. Link a resources page or integrate an interactive activity that highlights courses offering deeper information or related skills. Mimic Netflix and Amazon by offering a selection of content that "learners like you" have also enjoyed.
4. Enhance required content
Maximize the time that you have with your learners' attention. If members of your professional organization are required to complete annual education or recertification, make that mandated training engaging and relevant. Build up your resources by adding related material that, not at all coincidentally, includes a selection of your optional courses. Provide an optimal learner experience by ensuring an attractive, intuitive user interface; up-to-the-minute, accurate content; powerful search and examples that evoke real-life scenarios learners are likely to encounter. Ensure that learners can easily find basic information, like how long a course generally takes to complete—and include a progress meter. Delivering high-quality, engaging, useful content in compulsory courses ups the odds that learners will turn to you first for optional additional learning.
Lifelong learners
Most humans are lifelong learners. Appeal to learners' innate curiosity and interest in your organization or topic by making it easy for them to discover and engage with courses in the LMS. Leverage your opportunity to show them that you provide an enjoyable learning experience and valuable, fun options for continual engagement. Tapping into learners' thirst for knowledge and showing how you meet their needs and interests can guarantee a steady flow of engaged learners who choose to use your LMS offerings to advance their careers.
