by Nancy Mann Jackson
As
options for learning online continue to expand, a growing number of
entrepreneurs are using them to keep their staff on the cutting edge. Using
tools for online training, including videos, apps, and webinars, rather than
sending employees to expensive training seminars or bringing in pricey
consultants to train on site, can save startups
and growing businesses both money and time.
Companies
with fewer than 500 employees represent one of the fastest-growing markets for lynda.com,
an online learning library with more than 1,450 video courses. "Small
businesses are turning to online training for cost, quality, and access
reasons," says Nate Kimmons, vice president of enterprise marketing at
lynda.com. "Gone are the days of sending employees off to a two-day,
in-person class. Online training serves as a 24/7 resource that the
learner can access anytime, anywhere at their own pace from any device. It's
simple to use."
If you
are thinking of trying online training, here are five things to consider and
examples of tools to get you started.
1. Get
specific. One of
the advantages of online education is the sheer volume of possibilities.
There's no need to attend a general seminar about Internet marketing if you
really just need a specific course about how to create daily deals that people
will buy.
"Online,
we can find training options for very specific and sometimes obscure
topics," says John Walsh, president of Total Mortgage Services in Milford,
Conn. "We've found that if we can think of it, then someone has put
together a video, slides, or a podcast covering it."
Related: Olympic Training Tips for Coaching Employees to Greatness
Related: Olympic Training Tips for Coaching Employees to Greatness
For
instance, Dave Handmaker, CEO of online printing company Next Day Flyers, says
his business has benefited from online training in online marketing from Market
Motive. The company offers courses in Internet marketing
fundamentals, search engine optimization, analytics, and conversion. Self-paced
courses start at $299 and courses with a personalized coach are $3,500 for 12
weeks.
2. Allow
for flexibility. With
face-to-face training, you usually get one chance to soak it all in. But many
online programs are on-demand, meaning learners can move at their own pace and
watch presentations again and again if needed.
"The
added flexibility allows everyone to work at his or her own pace and better fit
the training into a busy schedule," Walsh says. "For instance, the
technology training that we buy for our developers consists of a series of
videos covering a topic. During the videos, the instructor works on a project
and our developers follow along, recreating that same project. They're
constantly pausing, rewinding, or replaying the videos. The developers prefer
this style of training, and it's not possible offline."
For a
monthly subscription fee of about $50, Treehouse offers unlimited
access to more than 650 training videos, including quizzes and challenges, to
keep employees updated on everything related to designing and developing
programs for the web and mobile devices.
3. Go
mobile. Online
education also allows for flexibility across technology formats. Employees can
learn at home, on the job, or anywhere they use their smartphone.
During
the past year, mobile apps have become more popular, according to Kimmons. For
instance, AppSumo offers hundreds of training apps and
e-books selected specifically for entrepreneurs, on topics including design,
analytics, marketing, advertising and productivity, ranging in price from $10
to about $500.
4. Learn
from top dogs. The
Internet allows for opportunities to learn from those who are true experts in
their chosen fields. For example, Walsh says online training allows his
technology team to learn from programmers and software engineers who have
experience working at Google, Facebook and other cutting-edge companies.
For
instance, Digital Royalty University (DRU) offers courses
in utilizing social media for small business, created and taught by social
media experts who have run social media campaigns for major brands like
Shaquille O'Neal, the Chicago White Sox and DoubleTree by Hilton. DRU offers a
free introductory class on shaping a social media strategy. Other classes on
topics such as Facebook, Twitter, and creating an online brand, start at around
$40.
5. Do
your research. Not
every online course is worth the money. Chad Grills, co-founder of educational
software company Applet Studios, learned that the hard way, when he purchased a
large marketing training package and realized it contained very little
actionable content.
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