Marketing = Learning or Learning = Marketing

I am currently working for CLS Performance Solutions who are a great company providing blended learning and continuing performance support to workforces in medium and large companies that are installing ERP systems.  CLS do a really good job and are well appreciated by their clients, but are not widely enough known, which is why I am helping them improve their marketing and promote their brand.

The project appealed to me not just because CLS are good to work for and have a service which delivers real value to their clients, but also because of their field of expertise.  I was intrigued to find out more about modern learning and training techniques, because I felt they would be applicable in marketing.

In marketing you are trying to make your product and service attractive to prospective clients.  You want to convey messages about the features that add value for each particular client in such a way that they are memorable; your aim is for prospects to remember what your service can do for them and, even better, to be able to explain it to others (colleagues, other contacts) so that word of mouth expands the reach of your marketing.  To do this, you also have to be able to listen to your prospects so that you understand their needs, what benefits you can bring to them and how you can best convey the message.

This parallels closely the design of learning - understanding each learner's current position, their needs and the best way to put across the information or skill so that they will remember, understand and be able to apply it.  Learning as a field of knowledge has been heavily researched to determine and verify the best and most efficient methods and I feel that this research can be tapped to improve (my) marketing.

My belief in the cross-over between marketing and learning were re-inforced today when I read the Kineo Oxford Group guide "Blended Learning Today" which states that "Learning = Marketing" and encourages learning providers to think like marketers: "because blended design is really about engagement and persuasion. We’re trying to sell a concept to learners."  "Marketing professionals...talk about how you’re going to stimulate demand. Who are you trying to reach? With what message? Where do those people hang out now? How do we use those channels? How are we going to get action?"

Marketing and learning professionals have a lot to give each other and to learn from each other

Building your community

One of today's greatest marketing challenges is building the community around the company, brand or product that you are marketing. It no longer works to keep your company distant from your customers and expect them to be loyal because of they have purchased from you in the past or because today's products lead the market. Tomorrow's customers will be looking for something else and will want their supplier to listen to their changing requirements and to adapt their products and services accordingly. Good marketers will always have been listening to customers and asking for feedback as they test new ideas. But there is less and less room to hide for companies that do not connect with the market.

Social media provides us with the tools to connect and discuss. But how do we get the enough of our customers and prospects to engage in conversations and to comment on our website, blog, Facebook page or YouTube channel?

The good news is that a small core of followers can make for a lively debate. Ning's recent POV research showed that 20 people engaged in conversation with your company and with each other brings a reasonable level of activity and encourages others to participate more. If you take the rule of thumb that 1% of visitors become engaged advocates, you are looking for 2000 to visit your sites. Of these, 20 will then become excited enough to share regularly their enthusiasm, concerns and suggestions and form the foundations of a lively community.

Of course, you have to demonstrate that you are willing to listen to them and take notice of their views as well as producing content to interest them. But engaging the community feels like an achievable goal for all companies on this basis.

Combining brands

It is amazing how different brands can combine their appeal to bring compelling offers to customers. The latest example I have seen is Lego Batman game on the iPhone http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Venturebeat/~3/swne3jAFI2g/.

Lego, Batman and iPhone - now there is a combination of admired, attractive brands. But it does make me wonder which customer segment is going to be served by the game they are all involved in. Lego and Batman will appeal primarily to young children up to, maybe 14 years old. But how many of these will also own or have access to an iPhone?

Can combining brands help each of them extend the reach of their core market? Maybe, though in this case, I have my doubts