By Mike Taylor
Want to know what effective learning programs and successful marketing campaigns have in common? They both capture attention and change behaviour. While marketing and L&D might seem like distant cousins, they're actually more like twins separated at birth – and reuniting them could transform your training impact.
The Marketing-Learning Edge
Organisations must navigate a maze of complex regulatory requirements, covering areas such as Work Health and Safety (WHS), privacy laws, and industry-specific standards. Meeting these obligations isn't just about avoiding penalties, it's about fostering a culture of accountability and trust. Instead of treating compliance training as a simple checkbox exercise, take your cue from marketing.
When you apply marketing strategies to learning programs, you create experiences that drive lasting change. Marketing excels at understanding audiences, crafting compelling messages, and measuring real impact. These same strengths can revolutionise your L&D approach.
Know Your Audience, Nail Your Message
Marketing pros don't guess what their audience wants, they know. Their secret weapon? Personas—detailed profiles of typical users that capture goals, challenges, and behaviors based on research and data.
Start with solid personas that reflect your learner segments. Consider role responsibilities, daily challenges, career goals, and preferred learning methods, amongst other things. Once personas are created, use them as your starting point for your design.
By applying this data-driven approach to L&D, you can transform how you design and deliver training. It ensures that your training content is relevant and resonates with your audience. Knowing your learners' goals and challenges allows you to tailor your messaging to address their specific needs, increasing the likelihood of engagement and retention.
Three Techniques to Transform Your Training Today
1. Write for Impact
Turn dense content into clear, actionable guidance. Replace walls of text with scannable layouts. Structure compliance documents with clear hierarchies and highlighted key points. Evidence shows that when policies are easier to read and understand, employees are better equipped to follow them correctly. Focus on:
- Chunking complex information into digestible sections
- Using clear headings and subheadings to guide readers
- Highlighting key requirements and action items
- Providing real-world examples that demonstrate proper application
2. Create Emotional Connections
Facts tell, stories sell. Turn dry policies into engaging narratives that highlight real-world impact. Incorporate authentic scenarios that resonate with your workplace culture and connect compliance goals to both personal and organisational values. When learners can see themselves in the story, they’re far more likely to engage and embrace the message.
3. Build Learning Campaigns
Move beyond one-time training sessions and focus on creating sustained campaigns that foster awareness and drive long-term behaviour change. Leverage a variety of channels, including email reminders, team challenges, quick-reference tools, and peer learning networks, to keep the message engaging and impactful. Monitor engagement closely to refine timing and delivery methods for maximum effectiveness.
Campaign Your Way to Compliance
By designing training as ongoing campaigns, you reinforce key messages through multiple channels, including videos, workshops, and interactive tools. This approach ensures concepts stick not just during assessment, but in daily decision-making.
Here's how to transform key requirements into engaging learning experiences:
- WHS regulations: Build safety awareness through ongoing micro-lessons and real-world scenarios
- Privacy principles: Use storytelling to demonstrate APPs in action
- Industry compliance: Transform ASIC and RTO requirements into engaging learning journeys
Transform Your Training Impact
In a world full of distractions and competing priorities, capturing your learners' attention is a challenge. By adopting a marketer's mindset, you can design learning experiences that not only engage but also inspire meaningful behaviour change. The outcome? Learning programs that achieve impactful results for your organization.
About the Author: Mike Taylor
With over 20 years of experience as a learning consultant, Mike Taylor helps organisations design learning that sticks and sparks action. As a faculty member in Franklin University’s Graduate Instructional Design and Performance Technology program, he bridges research and real-world practice to prepare the next generation of learning professionals. Mike is also the co-author of "Think Like a Marketer, Train Like an L&D Pro", a practical guide to creating learning that grabs attention and drives results. His popular newsletter shares fresh ideas at the intersection of learning, design, and technology. Whether leading workshops or speaking on stage, Mike’s approachable style and sharp insights inspire audiences to rethink what effective learning can be. Learn more at https://trainlikeamarekter.com
