Edition Six

Subject: Is Your eLearning Program the MOST Successful?

In this edition:

ToolBox Tidings
While companies with successful eLearning programs may have different objectives, a strong commitment at the executive level is usually a common denominator.   More and more senior executives around the country are embracing eLearning as a way to fulfill training requirements and close business-critical knowledge gaps.

If you haven’t achieved the level of management support you’re looking for, we recommend:

• Bolstering your communication efforts with one-on-one meetings
   

• Using budgets and forecasting to help support the eLearning story

Now, let’s go through a quick exercise to ensure that the rest of your program is making the grade.

Review: Marketing & Promotion
In our first few editions of MOST, we presented a set of eLearning marketing and promotion tools, and discussed the basics of program management.  To ensure that key components are still in place, let’s review the following checklist:

• Awareness levels are buoyed by on-going promotional efforts (ads on your Intranet, articles and ads in your organization’s newsletter, employee incentive programs, etc.)
   
• Trainers rally behind the program and are involved in its success
   
• Students receive an orientation to eLearning during instructor-led classes
   
• Your organization acknowledges eLearning course completion in a meaningful way.
  -Completed courses are noted in employee files and/or incorporated into performance reviews
   
• Supervisors and managers endorse the program
  -Employees are encouraged to train on work-related subjects during the workday, and/or employees are given specific blocks of time to utilize online courses and resources
  -Team leaders are identifying skill gaps that can be resolved through eLearning
  -Productivity is on the rise
   
• eLearning is part of new employee orientation

Did you answer "no" to any of the above? If so, revisit our In-depth Guide to eLearning Marketing and Promotion Strategy.

Training Administrator Expertise
Beyond marketing and promotion, ensure that your Training Administrator is maximizing their role as well.  Is your Administrator:

• Accessing your Learning Management System's "Announcement" section to communicate with site users?
   
• Familiar with the system's messaging capabilities to email users?
   
• Generating basic usage reports on a regular basis?

If you or your designated Training Administrator are not familiar with any of the above features or functions, please contact us at 888-887-8244 for a quick refresher session.

In Closing
You’ve been working steadily for a number of months now.  As you refine your promotional efforts, this is an ideal time to pat yourself on the back, and reflect on your accomplishments.  We are interested in hearing about those accomplishments.  Please send an email to Nedda Tichi (ntichi@enterprisetraining.com).  Cite your performance gains, cost savings, marketing successes or other eLearning accomplishments.

Marketing Tip
Send short, frequent e-mail announcements to inform students of new courses and My SkillSource site features waiting for them on their desktops right now!