Training executives might want to startthinking more like Hollywood producers, at least when launching learninginitiatives. This means allocating resources to effectively market and promotetheir offerings.
If a Hollywood studio makes a movie for $50million, how much would you expect it to spend on marketing? If you guessedmore than $25 million, you’re probably right. The amount studios spend on teaser trailers, movie websites,billboards, TV ads, and other promotional materials is typically 50 – 150percent of the production budget. This is because studios want to make surethat their films attract attention.
Can you say the same about the training andlearning programs you offer? If you want users to know about and take advantageof your offerings, you must actively market and promote them. Are you launchinglearning like Hollywood producers? Here are five tactics to consider.
1. Launch around amoment of need
The first step in launching a successfullearning program is to find or create a moment of need. A moment of need is amotivational window in which someone is open to help, guidance, or training. Momentsof need include:
- Starting a new job
- Being assigned a new project orresponsibility
- Using new technology
- Getting a promotion
- Receiving constructive feedback
- Going through organizationalchanges (e.g., merger, global expansion, launching a new product, etc.)
If there is no pressing point of need, aleader could create one by assigning a new project, giving someone a newresponsibility, or declaring a new company initiative to create motivation andemotional context around a learning program.
2. Get executive endorsements
In Hollywood, celebrity endorsements carry alot of weight. The same is true in the workplace. The right executiveendorsement will capture the attention of learners and create company-wideexcitement.
Holly Brittingham, senior vice president of globaltalent and organizational development at ad agency Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB), recruited apair of executives to endorse the Learning Curve, the company’s newmicrolearning initiative with Grovo. FCB’schief executive officer and chief talent officer appeared in a series of short videostouting the value of the program.
In addition to creating interest around aprogram, executive endorsements signal to the entire organization thatleadership is paying attention to the results. This is especially true formanagers, who tend to engage more deeply with training when they know that seniorleaders, as well as their direct reports, have expectations for the outcome.
Figure 1: In a series of short videos, FCB executives tout the new LearningCurve program
3. Run a messaging campaign
In Hollywood, marketers don’t just drop asingle advertisement to announce a new product. They send a series ofcoordinated messages over the course of several weeks or months. Similarly,L&D must think in terms of a coordinated campaign. Remember that your learning program doesn’t launch once; itlaunches every time someone engages with it for the first time, or for thefirst time in a while.
To maximize the number of successful launches,take stock of the channels your audience uses. This may include email,communication tools like Slack or HipChat, and even text messages, as long asyou have learner approval. Communicate and promote your program across all ofthem.
Drip marketing is a communication strategythat sends a set of messages to the audience over time. Adopt this type of approachwith your learning. Send messages before launch to create anticipation, launchwith fanfare across multiple channels, and then keep reminding people of theprogram.
A prolonged messaging campaign has threebenefits:
- It gets people into the habit oflearning regularly, which helps sustain learning programs.
- It encourages repeated access tolearning content. This spaced learning over time leads to stronger, moreresilient knowledge and skills.
- It develops a rapport withlearners that you can use when promoting future programs.
4. Create a teasertrailer
Hollywood creates teaser trailers to sparkinterest among potential viewers. L&D can do the same to alert learners ofwhat’s coming and why they should take advantage of it. Your short video should communicate the benefits of a learning program, preview somecontent, and tell the story behind the initiative.
Here are some questions a good trailer shouldanswer:
- What am I going to get out of thisprogram?
- How is it going to make my lifeeasier or better?
- Why is it important to thecompany?
Below is an example of a teaser trailer wecreated at Grovo for our own internal management training. Can you createsomething similar to promote your upcoming training program?
5. Don’t forget aboutpaper-based promotions
As work becomes increasingly digital, it canbe easy to forget about the power of paper. Use it creatively to help promote yourlearning programs. Here are some ideas:
- Posters hung in office hallwayscan inspire and remind your audience to engage with your programs.
- Cards or QR codes placed inrelevant areas of the office can also spur engagement. In conference rooms, promotetraining for running better meetings by placing a card or QR code with a linkto your training program on that topic.
- Surprise employees at their desks.To publicize their aforementioned Learning Curve initiative, FCB placed cardsdescribing the program, along with a new set of headphones, on workers’ desks.
Figure 2: When FCB launched its newlearning program, employees received this card detailing the initiative, alongwith a free set of headphones
In conclusion
Don’t be shy about applyingHollywood-style marketing techniques when launching your learning programs. Giveyour new initiative the start it deserves with a well-planned, coordinatedeffort. Using one or all of the techniques above will attract attention and getemployees excited. When launching learning like Hollywood producers, L&Dleaders may create blockbuster hits!
