Strategies for Training Organizations to Increase Learner Intake

As a management consultant with specialization in Strategic Branding and Marketing, I often get organisations asking on how they can improve on their sales. However, to see sales, you need marketing which is something most organisations are weak in because many do not understand the difference between sales and marketing. Anyway, in this article, I will focus on the training organisations.

In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, training organizations are constantly seeking innovative ways to increase their learner intake and maintain a competitive edge. Adopting strategies such as membership models, offering incentives, and incorporating gamification can significantly enhance the appeal of an organization’s offerings. Below, we explore how these strategies can be effectively implemented to attract and retain learners.

Establishing an Alumni Membership Model to Build Community

An alumni membership model is an excellent strategy for maintaining long-term relationships with learners. By treating past learners as members rather than former customers, organizations can create a community that continues to provide value even after course completion.

Benefits of Alumni Membership:

• Networking Opportunities: Provide a platform for alumni to connect, share opportunities, and collaborate professionally.
• Continuous Learning: Offer exclusive webinars, workshops, and resources to foster ongoing development.
• Special Discounts: Give alumni access to future courses at a reduced rate, encouraging lifelong learning.
• Bundle Courses: Bundle a few courses together and issue a Specialist Certificate by the organisation, and offers Achievement Award which gets a price cut for next course or bundle sign-up.
• Mentorship Programs: Pair new learners with alumni mentors for guidance and support.
• Live Events: Host meetups, seminars, or networking events to strengthen the community bond.

Incentivizing Enrollment and Completion

Incentives are a tried-and-true method for encouraging specific behaviors. Training organizations can use them to not only attract new learners but also to ensure they stay engaged and complete their courses.

Types of Incentives:

• Early Bird Pricing: Offer discounts to individuals who enroll in courses early, incentivizing quick decisions. Marketing has to be done 2 months in advanced though.
• Referral Bonuses: Provide benefits to learners who refer friends or colleagues to the organization’s courses.
• Completion Rewards: Recognize learners who complete courses or attain certifications with digital badges, certificates, or even tangible rewards.

Implementing Gamification

Gamification is the process of adding game-like elements to non-game contexts. In education, this can make learning more engaging and enjoyable, leading to increased retention and satisfaction.

Gamification Tactics:

• Most Punctual: Reward learners who come before the start time which will add into their Alumni Reward point system, which they can use for future course discount. For example, $1 each day for coming early.
• Lucky Dip: Raise excitement through lucky dip which get learners to win something, from a F&B coupon to discount, etc.
• Points and Badges: Award points and badges included into the Alumni membership and with acknowledgement of accomplishment on Linkedin for examples. However, need to ensure consent is obtained by complying with the PDPA.
• Challenges and Quests: Create time-bound challenges or learning quests that offer rewards upon completion. For example, complete how many courses in 3 months, etc.

Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Learning

The use of technology can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the aforementioned strategies. For instance, a modern Learning Management System (LMS) can seamlessly integrate gamification elements, track alumni engagement, and manage incentives.

Learners will forget whatever they learned, and having a LMS and offer it to Alumni, will provide learners to refer back to lessons and other useful resources. This will add on to the benefits of the Alumni membership.

Technological Integration:

• Mobile Learning: Ensure that learning materials are accessible on various devices, catering to the needs of mobile learners.
• Personalized Learning Paths: Use data analytics to offer personalized course recommendations based on past behavior and preferences.
• Automated Communications: Send targeted messages to alumni and current learners to keep them informed about new offerings and benefits.

Adopting User-Generated Content (UGC):

• User-Generated Content (UGC) can be a powerful tool for training organizations looking to increase learner intakes. UGC refers to any content — such as videos, blogs, reviews, or images — that is created by people, rather than brands, and is publicly available to other consumers. Here is a step-by-step procedure on how to implement a UGC strategy to help increase learner intakes:

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

Before soliciting UGC, define what you hope to achieve. Do you want to increase brand awareness, improve conversion rates, or boost learner engagement? Clear goals will guide your UGC campaign and help you measure its success.

Step 2: Identify Your Audience

Understand who your learners are — their interests, challenges, and motivations. This knowledge will help you tailor your UGC campaign to produce content that resonates with your target demographic.

Step 3: Choose the Right Platforms

Select platforms where your target audience is most active. For a training organization, this might include professional networks like LinkedIn, educational forums, or social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter.

Step 4: Create a UGC Campaign

Develop a campaign that encourages learners to share their experiences. This could be a hashtag campaign on social media, a video contest, or a call for testimonials. Ensure that the instructions are clear and the process for submission is easy.

Step 5: Provide Incentives

To encourage participation, offer incentives. This could be recognition on your platforms, access to exclusive content, discounts on future courses, or even small prizes.

Step 6: Make Submitting Content Easy

Remove barriers to submission by making the process straightforward. Provide clear guidelines on what type of content you’re looking for, how it should be submitted, and the format it should be in.

Step 7: Engage with Contributors

As content comes in, engage with your contributors. Thank them for their submissions, ask follow-up questions, comment on their posts, and share their content (with permission) on your channels. This engagement can foster a sense of community and encourage more contributions.

Step 8: Curate and Showcase UGC

Feature the best UGC on your website, social media, or in promotional materials. Create a dedicated section on your site or a regular feature spot on your social media channels. Always give credit to the original creators.

Step 9: Monitor and Moderate

Keep an eye on the UGC being created to ensure it aligns with your brand values and messaging. Moderate submissions to filter out any inappropriate or off-brand content.

Step 10: Measure Success

Use analytics to measure the impact of UGC on learner intake. Track engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates to understand what works and what doesn’t. Use this data to refine future UGC campaigns.

Step 11: Provide Feedback and Follow-Up

Provide feedback to contributors and share the successes of the campaign with them. If certain pieces of UGC have led to a spike in intakes, let the creators know their content is making a difference.

Step 12: Maintain the UGC Community

Continue to nurture the community that contributes UGC. Regular communication, ongoing engagement, and new incentives will keep them involved and motivated to create content.

Example UGC Campaign for a Training Organization:

Launch a Hashtag Campaign:

Encourage learners to share their study setups or moments of learning on Instagram using a specific hashtag, e.g., #StudyWithUsChallenge.

Feature Testimonials:

Ask graduates to submit short video testimonials discussing how your courses have helped their careers and feature these on your website.

Learner Success Stories:

Publish blog posts or social media content highlighting learner success stories, detailing how your training has impacted their professional life.

Create a Referral Program:

Enable current students to refer friends and colleagues, where both the referrer and the new learner receive a benefit, such as a discount on future courses.

By leveraging UGC, training organizations can create authentic and relatable content that resonates with potential learners, showcases the value of their offerings, and ultimately helps to increase intakes.

By embracing innovative strategies such as the alumni membership model, offering tailored incentives, and incorporating gamification, training organizations can significantly enhance their appeal to prospective learners. Coupled with the smart use of technology and a focus on community building, these approaches can create a dynamic and appealing learning environment that encourages enrollment and facilitates lifelong learning. As the educational sector continues to evolve, organizations that adapt and implement these strategies will be well-positioned to attract a larger, more engaged learner base.

Feel free to contact me on how to adopt these strategies, including the technology to use and their pricing model. You can also engage me under the Enterprise Singapore EDG grant to provide the consultation and setting up. Enterprise Singapore offers up to 50% subsidies to engage certified Management consultant. Contact me for more details.