We’re hearing from many of our customers that recent events are causing them to move even more of their training to the digital, on-demand format. Making the transition from in-person to virtual training can seem daunting, especially for organizations that haven’t previously offered training modalities online. That said, there are a number of quick-start steps your team can take to help move your training into the digital sphere. In this post, we’ll share four ways to help you get started.
1. Determine how and where you want to host content
Transitioning to a digital platform doesn’t mean your in-person training is rendered worthless – trainers can record their lessons on video and then post them to a hub – like YouTube or Vimeo – or an LMS (learning management system) for users to watch on-demand. Alternatively, if you already have a schedule of training that needs to be honored, take advantage of live webinar technologies like Zoom or GoToWebinar to offer the same training in a virtual environment. And don’t forget to record those live events for later use or to distribute to students who were unable to attend. These videos will also serve as a great starting point for building up a more comprehensive library of resources for your target audiences.
2. View this period as an opportunity (and perhaps the push you needed)
Change is uncomfortable and it can be all the more challenging to enact change in your organization when others (particularly executives) don’t see the value in that change. While the current state of world events is far from ideal, consider using this “new normal” as a forcing function. Digital is already the way of the world and now it is even more clear why going digital is a business imperative.
3. Focus on a minimum viable product (MVP), rather than perfection
It’s easy to get caught up in the desire to make content perfect, but when it comes to making the transition to digital content, think about the smallest steps you can take that will have the greatest impact. Some information is always more important than others, so as you’re making the transition, strive to equip your customers with the top need-to-know information, rather than trying to give them everything they might normally receive in live training.
4. Spread the word
All of the digital content in the world is useless if people don’t know it exists. As you’re building out your content, make sure to partner with your Customer Success and Marketing teams to ensure current customers, prospects, and other audiences are made aware of your new resources. Consider email campaigns, social media touches, website banners, and/or other methods to drive engagement.
Transitioning from a largely (or entirely) in-person training program to a digital format doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. Keep these four tips in mind as you get started and don’t be afraid to start creating now, and optimize later.
Do you have other tips for getting started with digital learning? Let us know on Twitter or LinkedIn!
