Training industry professionals seek to market their business projects, boost revenue, differentiate themselves from rivals, and stay abreast of the rapid developments and changes in this field.
This article explores several prominent marketing strategies that have proven effective in the training sector.
13 effective marketing strategies in the training field
1. Email Marketing
Implementing an email marketing strategy when you have a ready-to-use mailing list is advisable. Email marketing campaign tools like Campaign Monitor, Hubspot, and Mailchimp are well-known for being inexpensive and user-friendly. Most of these tools integrate with training companies' software, specifically the Arlo platform.
These platforms contain tools for client relationship management, email automation, and storing data on course completion rates, location, qualification levels, and other client-specific information all in one place. So, these platforms facilitate the automation, scheduling, and sending of promotional materials for upcoming courses to the target audience based on the information stored in the system.
Emails should be as personalized as possible, which requires greeting clients by name and customizing the content based on their personal information and needs. Try different email subject lines and styles, compare the results, and choose the best ones. The emails' content should be centered on brand identity, ensuring a clear and understandable "call to action" is included. These steps contribute to a higher visitor-to-client conversion rate.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO strategies help position your website at the top of search results for targeted clients and increase website traffic. This way, you can outperform your competitors in search results. There are simple techniques to raise your website's search engine ranking. One such technique is to ensure it shows up on all Google search platforms by doing the following:
- Create a free Gmail account to manage business accounts and activity lists easily.
- Create a free Google Business account and verify it to guarantee your website appears in Google Maps search results and local searches.
- Register for Google Analytics, which requires you to copy your account ID and add it to your website to complete the setup. You can research this topic further and benefit from this step by obtaining information that helps you assess your website's performance.
- Register for Google Search Console and link it with Google Analytics. Google Search Console provides useful information about your website's visibility in Google search results and helps you identify and resolve issues, improving website performance.
- Use the Lighthouse tool to evaluate your website's technical performance and identify and fix issues.
- Create a YouTube business account to publish short promotional videos about current or upcoming training courses.
- Utilize paid Google Ads, which ensure top search results and reach potential qualified clients. You can request a free consultation from specialists in Google Ads to choose a marketing campaign that suits your business needs.
3. Website Optimization
The website design must meet Google search engine standards, be mobile-friendly, and allow for online registration to rank high in search results. This can be achieved by using a well-known and reliable platform like WordPress, implementing measures that ensure usability, browsing through training course lists, adding sorting and categorization options, and speeding up page loading so that registration and payment processes are as simple and smooth as possible.
4. Creating a Blog
You can improve your website's ranking in Google search results by creating engaging, new content about training subjects. This step involves adding a blog to your website and publishing content that benefits your target audience. This improves the website's ranking in search results and increases visitor numbers. There are many resources and training courses available that explain content writing and search engine optimization.
5. Registering on Course Selling Platforms
There are platforms and websites specifically designed to help training providers market and sell their courses. Publishing courses on these sites helps attract potential qualified clients’ attention. These platforms allow you to filter search results by topic, certification, region, industry sector, and other factors, charging a certain commission on each sale made through them or fees for hosting the course on their site. This method ensures that the training course appears in search results for clients ready to purchase.
6. SMS Marketing
SMS marketing software such as ClickSend, Burst, and HeyMarket provides an effective means of communicating with current customers, promoting services, and selling courses. Most SMS apps integrate with other software like training management systems, allowing for process automation and reducing reliance on manual labor. SMS messages can be automated to previous subscribers to inform them about license expiration dates, new course launches, and upcoming qualification levels.
7. Social Media Marketing
This step requires creating business accounts on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). You can build a community around your brand by inviting current customers to like your business page and share their reviews and testimonials. Regularly post articles, announcements about upcoming courses, and industry-related news.
You can add an automation tool to your website that automatically shares blog content on social media platforms.
You should ask clients to share content to reach a new audience segment. Also, it is advisable to use paid advertising on social media platforms, which is considered a relatively inexpensive way since you pay to reach an audience likely to purchase your courses.
You can use the conversion pixel tool to track website visitors’ behavior and increase advertising ROI.
Additionally, you can benefit from free resources and consultations offered by Facebook and LinkedIn platforms.
8. Leveraging Unique Selling Propositions
Successful training companies collect data about their competitors, the market, and their ideal clients’ traits.
This data includes the features that distinguish the company from its competitors, the market needs it fills, the issues the training course resolves, and the advantages it offers to the ideal customer.
This data is used to create unique selling propositions and incorporate them into the website's homepage, course listings, marketing campaigns on social media platforms, advertisements, and emails, ensuring that the brand message and identity are clear and consistent across all platforms.
9. Client Reviews
Client reviews are an effective strategy for boosting sales. This is done by asking current clients to review their experience after completing the training course. These reviews can be gathered by sending out surveys requesting feedback on their experience to publish on your website in the form of quotes or case studies and sharing them on social media platforms. Alternatively, you can send an email asking your previous clients to post their reviews on your website, your social media accounts, and the marketplaces where your training courses are listed.
Clients are more likely to trust a brand that receives positive feedback and reviews. Also, they are more likely to purchase products and services that have been recommended by friends and family.
These positive reviews encourage potential clients to make a purchase decision if they are hesitant and unable to decide.
10. Providing Blended Learning Options
Blended learning is considered an effective way to stand out from competitors in the market, expand business activities, enhance capacity, and boost revenue.
11. Thought Leadership
Creating thought leadership content is an effective way to showcase your expertise and position yourself as a leader in the training industry. This approach helps build trust with your target audience, enhances brand visibility, and broadens your audience. You can share this content on your website, social media platforms, or reputable external sites to gain backlinks that direct traffic to your site and improve your search engine ranking.
Obtaining these external links requires reaching out to newspapers, news sites, blogs, and local organizations involved in training to inquire about their interest in hosting and publishing your content. Focus on creating useful content for readers, publishers, and your business on a topic in which you have extensive expertise while avoiding promotional language. Try to include internal links within the article directing visitors to other relevant content on your website. Additionally, consider adding a "call to action" at the end of the article to encourage visitors to make a purchase decision regarding your training courses.
12. Offering Free Services
This strategy involves providing potential clients with a preview of your training courses, helping to broaden your brand's audience. The goal is to build trust and increase brand awareness so that when clients are ready to make a purchase, they think of you first.
Participate in conferences, workshops, events, and local meetups where potential clients gather. Use these opportunities to network and distribute informative brochures while speaking on relevant topics within the training sector.
Additionally, consider offering a discount code for new clients on their first purchase.
13. Establishing a Referral Program
It's worth noting that people are more likely to buy from brands recommended by friends and family, which is why referral programs have gained popularity.
Some companies offer discounts, promotions, and rewards to their current clients for referring friends and family members. You can promote your referral program through email communications or by posting details on your website and social media channels.
