What Consumer Realities The Learning Industry Should Not Be Ignoring
Should we think of the end-users of our training products as just learners, or does that put them into the wrong target audience? In the eBook 7 Consumer Realities That The Learning Industry Can No Longer Ignore you’ll explore why we, as learning professionals, must remember that our learners are also consumers in a digital world. As such, they seek custom knowledge and all types of information in very different ways than in the past.
The eBook explains that using the term “consumer” and “learner” interchangeably may not seem to be technically correct. After all, these are traditionally two very distinct and different roles we play. But when we consider the end state, which is essentially the acquisition of relevant answers to a question, or a solution to a problem, or directions on “how to” address an issue or challenge, then it is not hard to make the connection. Thinking of our target audience as consumers of information forces us to think differently about them, and helps us rethink, reframe, and reinvent our roles as Learning and Development professionals in a number of significant ways.
The purpose of the eBook 7 Consumer Realities That The Learning Industry Can No Longer Ignore is to help you become more aware of what consumers are actively choosing to do so that you can determine how this applies to your specific L&D needs and learners. It’s time for a change, and the solution starts with us becoming aware of the 7 consumer realities outlined in the eBook.
About The eBook
While none of the 7 consumer realities discussed in the eBook may be new to the reader, when considered in their totality alongside one another, and in context with Learning and Development, they make a strong argument for change and leave a lasting impression on all the possibilities.
As you look over these 7 realities, please replace the word “it” in the title with “answers”, “information”, “solutions”, “resolutions”, “personal development”, “tools”, “resources”, or anything that applies to the acquisition of knowledge, or desired behavior change:
- I Want It Now!
The first consumer behavior we have to consider is how we have come to expect answers on demand and just in time (JIT). - I Want It To The Point!
Along with consumers wanting immediate access comes a demand that whatever “it” is must be quick, short, and to the point or risk losing the content consumer to the next learning fragment. - It Has To Look Good, And Work Well, Or I’m dumping It!
With so many options at our disposal, consumers have the luxury of being hyper-selective. And they are. We don’t stand for a lag in performance, in fact, 53% of people will leave a mobile site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. 3 seconds! - I Don’t Want All This Other Stuff!
One of the biggest blind spots for companies operating in the L&D space is the belief that they have the “secret sauce” or perfect paradigm-changing experience, and that the only way to achieve behavior change is by going through a 3-day immersive experience. While immersive ILT training experiences can be very effective in changing behavior, it doesn’t work very well when you decide to “go digital” and throw all the ILT materials online and expect the same impact. Much has been said on this topic over the years – but has the consumer been considered? - I Want To Paint The Picture!
Today’s consumers are the most connected and looped in generation we’ve ever seen. And, as a result, consumers have allowed their digital sidekicks to inform their behavior and often rule over them. Whether it’s an incessant desire to belong or the adrenaline rush of generating likes, retweets, or follows, we have become a reactive society ruled by our technologies. So, how are L&D professionals engaging with this new reality? - I Want To Be Entertained!
Today’s consumer loves to be entertained. So much so that we tune in, plug in, turn on, whenever we have a spare moment, and often when we don’t…like while at work. What are we in L&D doing about it? - I Want The Same At Work!
Your learner and the modern-day consumer are one and the same, and they expect the same behaviors from their work environment as they do from their personal lives.
There is no question that these 7 Consumer Behaviors are influential factors when it comes to consumer conditioning. To learn more about why learning professionals must be more aware of these consumer desires and work to find innovative ways to bridge the gap between current state and ideal state, download the eBook 7 Consumer Realities That The Learning Industry Can No Longer Ignore today.