Go-to-market tips for training providers based on trends

25 May, 2021| Danny van Rijn| 6 min read

The pandemic has changed learning and development enormously over the past year. This has brought (and continues to bring) challenges, but also opportunities for educators.

Springest offers a platform on which you can search and compare a large offering of training and courses. Based on the extensive database, they can provide training providers with valuable insights about what learners (i.e. their target audience) are actually looking for.

These insights are based on their platform data that collects and offers 89,000 training products from 8,100 training providers of mainly the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Sweden.

Three developments

Before the pandemic, learning most often happened where it always did: in the classroom. Although classroom learning is still the preferred method for many trainers and participants, Springest sees three interesting developments.

Offline or online classroom training

Thanks to webinar tools such as Zoom, Meets, and Teams, it is possible to organise classroom learning remotely. At Springest, we see that both trainers and participants are very happy with this. Even though now classroom learning on location is possible again.

Every month, around 15% to 25% of all registrations are for learning products that take place online.

The quality of e-learning improves

Also accelerated by the pandemic and backed by data: the rise of e-learning as a tool for learning. Not only has the number of e-learning products increased enormously, so has the quality, according to the participant’s rating.

Up until February 2020, e-learning products were rated with an average of 8.6 on Springest. Since then, the score has increased to an average of 9.3. A great achievement of all e-learning providers.

Want to know more about the value of blended or online learning? Read our blog on what to consider when making the business case for blended learning.

The demand for e-learning has also increased significantly. Before Covid19, between 8% and 10% of all enrolments were for e-learning products. Today, the figure is between 30% and 40%. Quite a shift, to say the least.

Subscription for unlimited learning

Imagine paying a fixed amount per month for unlimited learning at your convenience. Sounds good, right?

The end-users of Springest think so. On their trends site, you can see which subscriptions are popular per subject. At the top of the list are Marketing, Communication and Sales, IT and Project Management, and Legal.

Five questions from learners

How do you increase conversion? The simple answer: be clear. If you have developed a great learning product, you will want to sell it. You must position the learning product well and make clear what the participant can expect.

The learning consultants at Springest see many examples of how not to do it. We have listed the five most common questions from learners for you.

Will this course work for my job?

A desire to learn often starts with the user’s job. In their daily work, they encounter problems they cannot solve. They lack knowledge. Perhaps they are looking for a job and, to qualify, they need to have completed a certain course or training.

On the other hand, they may not be employable within their organisation. Often, a training course is then paid for them by the employer. A final option can be even simpler: to comply with legislation, employees are required to complete a course.

Work therefore often plays the main role in the trainee’s motivation. It is therefore important that you know how to link your learning products to concrete work situations. A simple way is to add the target group to the name of your learning product. Think for example of ‘Quality Management in Healthcare’ or ‘Effective functioning in a Management Team’.

Work often plays the main role in the learner’s motivation. Therefore, it's important that you link your learning products to concrete work situations.

Learning consultants, Springest

Which modules does this learning product consist of and which topics are covered?

This is one of the most common questions when it comes to complex learning products or learning products with a lot of content. Modules available, competencies acquired and topics covered are important information for users.

By clearly highlighting modules and topics, you show where the content of your learning product differs from others.

Will I get a certificate after the course?

The HRD Trends 2017 survey showed that 51% of respondents consider the value of the certificate to be the most important factor when choosing a learning product. Springest helps with this by automatically awarding certificates via LinkedIn when a learning product is completed.

On the other hand, users often want an official certificate that can be shown to potential new employers when they ask for it – usually in the case of a job application.

If your learning product provides a signed certificate, it is important to mention this on your product page.

Where and when does the training start (and will it actually take place)?

Picture this: you are enthusiastically building your career. To climb the organisational ladder as quickly as possible, you need more than just ambition. Knowledge will get you further.

To ensure your current project is a success – and thus have a chance at promotion – you need a learning product. You search, book and compare on Springest and want to get started right away… or at least that’s the intention, but there’s no indication of when ‘that perfect training’ will actually start.

So now what? If you’re lucky, the learning product is a 100% match with the user’s wishes and the user asks a learning advisor to find out when the course starts. But much more often, the user will look for a product that does have complete start dates. A new customer lost.

Complete start dates realize up to twenty times more conversion on your learning products. In addition, start dates are frequently asked for.

Learning consultants, Springest

One of the first things a user wants to know is when they can start their new course, training, or education. Complete start dates increase the conversion rate of your learning products up to twenty-fold.

In addition, start guarantees are frequently asked for – nobody likes to make plans only to change them. Don’t forget to display the price of our training product. This way, users immediately know where they stand (and you end up higher in the ranking on Springest).

What can I do with it?

There can be a big difference between what a user wants and what a learning product delivers. A sentence like: “After following this learning product, you will be able to…” creates a clear picture and clarifies the impact of your learning product on the life of the user.

About Springest

Springest helps people realise their full potential through learning. They're the largest search and compare platform (for companies) in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the UK and Sweden.

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Guest writer

Danny van Rijn

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