STEPS-Marketing Plan

The Marketing Plan: everyone will tell you that you absolutely have to have one. Few of the people who say that, however, are able to tell you what exactly a marketing plan consists of. Creating a marketing plan for your small business shoul n!t take you a few hours. " eally, it shoul take you at least a few ays to o the research an have the necessary iscussions # potentially even a few weeks epen ing on factors like the si$e of your market an the uni%ueness of your pro uct line&s'. The following article may help you in eveloping your marketing plans.

Steps

e-Learning Trends

The E-Learning Industry (ith the cost of implementing e)learning tools falling, more governments, businesses, an schools have a e online courses an other forms of istance learning to their organi$ations. *y keeping an eye on the top tren s in e)learning, meeting some of the most influential experts in the e)learning fiel , an asking critical %uestions about your own strategy, you can make important ecisions about how you use e)learning tools in your own life an at your own organi$ation.

Top Ten Trends in E-Learning

*ase on research from the +artner +roup, the ,niversity of Pennsylvania, an other prestigious think tanks, we can i entify ten vital tren s that will influence the growth of e)learning over the next ten years. 1. Application Service Providers offer more quick start options. +overnments, companies, an learning institutions that on-t want to reinvent the wheel can lease or purchase turnkey e)learning systems. .s e)learning processes become more stan ar i$e , clients benefit from share research an evelopment expenses, lower costs, an fast eployment. /ven organi$ations on low bu gets can implement open source e)learning platforms like Moo le on thir party servers in a matter of hours. "*M /)0earning 1ystems

 2nowle ge.nywhere Corporate 1olutions Moo le 3osting Provi ers 4verview of /)0earning an Course Management 1oftware 2. Companies integrate e-learning into their infrastructure. .s more organi$ations eploy epartmental or company)wi e intranets to increase communication an pro uctivity, savvy managers use the same tools to release e)learning programs into the wil . Professional evelopment irectors can easily integrate learning mo ules into staff communications, while human resources irectors can a similar tools to web)base benefits an payroll systems. 5ot only oes this emphasis on learning encourage workers to participate in more training, the mo ular nature of e)learning content allows employees to learn at their esks in smaller chunks. "nnovative /)0earning 6eployment /)0earning via Po casting 1elf)1ervice Professional 6evelopment 3. Churning skill sets require e-learning initiatives. (ith 7ob escriptions an aily tasks evolving faster than schools can pro uce %ualifie 7ob can i ates, many employers rely on constant, on)the)7ob training to remain competitive. /)learning programs help companies push new skills an critical improvements to line)level staff members %uickly an efficiently, without the lag time of classroom or retreat)base training. (orkflow 0earning +ets 8eal 8api /)0earning 4. -!earning cuts the cost of high qualit" content. "vy 0eague institutions like the ,niversity of Pennsylvania once tra e on their exclusivity to 7ustify the high cost of enrollment. To ay, even the (harton 1chool of *usiness un erstan s the value of repurposing classroom content for istance learners aroun the country. *y eveloping classrooms without walls, e)learning programs can re uce the costs of participation without negatively affecting the compensation for renowne lecturers, researchers, an presenters. 1taffing an compensation issues at one e)learning university. .ban oning cookie)cutter courses. #. -!earning levels professional pla"ing field around the $orld. (orkers in niche in ustries once ha to travel to speciali$e learning centers to iscover the best practices in their fiel . To ay, e)learning connects stu ents in rural communities to urban experts, an vice versa. (e are only starting to see the effects that %uality e ucation is having on business an in ustry in eveloping countries. 0ikewise, small businesses can access the

same caliber of high)level information an insight that was once only available to Fortune 9:: companies with large human resources bu gets. /mpowering /mployees Through Training 1upporting 0earning in 1mall *usiness &.p f' %. &amers 'ring interactive skills to e-learning. 3uman beings love to learn through experience. Many e)learning provi ers have iscovere that they can use vi eo game technology to evelop fun, engaging, effective simulations. "n ustrial employers can train workers to han le sophisticate tasks without risking in7ury or pro uction %uality. 4ther types of teams can grow skills an learn best practices by participating in simulate %ui$ shows or treasure hunts. Fun e)learning programs help boost staff morale while re ucing the time it takes for team members to integrate new skills an i eas. *etter Training Through +aming . 0ittle Fun +oes a 0ong (ay (. &overnments deplo" e-learning at all levels. "n a ition to the obvious business uses for e)learning, governments aroun the worl have iscovere that e)learning programs can ramatically improve the %uality of life for citi$ens while re ucing the financial bur en on taxpayers. 0ocal schools in un erserve rural areas or angerous urban neighborhoo s can rely on e)learning to offset the lack of skille teachers in their istricts. 1tate university systems can keep talente stu ents from crossing bor ers by importing highly speciali$e programs from other schools. +overnments in eveloping countries have investe heavily in e)learning programs to buil eager, talente , work forces. +overnment 6epartments /mbrace /)0earning 1ystems ). Partners and colla'orators use e-learning to get ever"one on the same page sooner. .s conglomerates unbun le themselves into smaller, more tightly focuse companies, the connections between these operating units etermine the success or failure of pro7ects an pro ucts. 1trong e)learning systems allow team members at collaborating companies to un erstan share ob7ectives. (orkers can %uickly learn about the inner workings of technologies an techni%ues. .s a result, outsource call centers an repair facilities can serve customers transparently, while parts manufacturers can respon to en user eman with ramatic turnaroun time. . apt or ie. /)0earning 8eturn on "nvestment *. +ireless technolog" helps e-learning initiatives ,cut the cord., ,ntil istance learning programs brought speciali$e skills an best practices to far)flung corners of the worl , professionals often ha to travel to urban centers to benefit from innovative

research. To ay-s wireless technology allows e ucators an evelopment specialists to reach even further into rural areas, farms, eserts, an rainforests. (ith ra io, satellite, an (i)Fi signals beaming two)way information from istant locales, people can participate in an almost en less array of learning opportunities. (ireless /)0earning Teaches 3ygiene to 8efugees 1-. -!earning.s /overs and Shakers. *rian .lger wrote ;The /xperience 6esigner,; one of the first comprehensive gui es to mo ern e)learning, in <::<. .lger explores the connections between the way we learn through storytelling an experience an the kin s of technologies we can use to emulate the learning process online. To keep rea ers an colleagues up to ate on current evelopments in e)learning research, .lger posts new fin ings an links to his /xperience 6esigner 5etwork weblog. .my =o 2im has spent more than two eca es of her career stu ying effective online community esign. .s the foun er of her creative stu io, 5."M., 6r. 2im has collaborate on many of the e)learning in ustry-s groun breaking pro ucts an platforms. "n a ition to lecturing at e)learning conferences aroun the worl , she continues to evelop innovative new community systems for clients in the public an private sectors. 6r. 2im comments on her work an her in ustry on her weblog. 2evin 2ruse wrote a number of successful books about professional evelopment an training in the >??:-s before establishing himself as an expert in e)learning. .fter buil ing an selling his own e)learning company uring the ot)com boom, 2ruse toure the country as a feature speaker an highly sought)after e)learning consultant. 3e chronicles the e)learning in ustry on his website, /)0earning+uru.com.

Launching Your Own E-Learning Project

*ringing e)learning to your own organi$ation oesn-t have to wreck your bu get or your sche ule. .sk yourself these %uestions to etermine the right solutions for your nee s.

+hat 0utcomes do 1 2pect3 "f you want to measure incremental changes in your staff, you can use more informal solutions base aroun bulletin boar s an weblogs. "f, however, you re%uire your team members to achieve an official stan ar or a certification, you may re%uire a system that offers built)in testing solutions.

 4o$ 5o /" 6eam /em'ers !earn 7est3 6ifferent members of your team will respon to ifferent kin s of e)learning experiences. Take a poll or o a stu y to figure out some of the most common learning skills among your workers or your stu ents. "f many of the people you want to train learn more effectively through interaction than through lecture, you might want to avoi one)way e)learning solutions like vi eoconferences in favor of chat rooms an simulators. +here +ill the !earning 6ake Place3 (hen your team members work on their own computers, you can easily integrate e)learning into their aily routines using intranets, e)mail, chat, an other familiar tools. 4therwise, you might consi er setting asi e a space in your facility where workers can participate in conferences, complete assignments, or hol iscussions. 4o$ 0ften +ill 0ur 8eeds Change3 "f your organi$ation emphasi$es effective initial training for new hires, you coul invest in a simple system that meets your nee s an oesn-t re%uire a lot of care an fee ing. 4n the other han , if you work in a fast)pace in ustry that re%uires constant innovation, you may nee a more flexible solution. Consi er integrating news fee s, iscussions, an interactive elements into your e)learning plans. +here +ill +e &et Content3 "f you alrea y face hea count challenges in your organi$ation, you can easily get %uality e)learning material from outsi e your organi$ation. 1ome colleges an universities can help you integrate their existing classes an curricula into your e)learning initiative. (ith such high eman for professional evelopment, many solo entrepreneurs an specialty businesses now offer highly customi$e learning content that can be elivere by vi eoconference, telephone, or online chat.