Using eLearning Authoring Tools To Create Multi-Device Learning For Your Sales Teams

Using eLearning Authoring Tools For Sales Teams
Summary: Creating multi-device learning can be invaluable for your sales teams. Find out how to use eLearning authoring tools to build learning quickly and cheaply.

How To Use eLearning Authoring Tools To Create Multi-Device Learning For Your Sales Teams

Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever before. The explosion of the smartphone and tablet markets means our employees are available on the move, giving Learning and Development a prime opportunity to deliver learning directly to learners at the point of need. Sales teams in particular tend to be on the road often, whether they are traveling between meetings, heading to their next big pitch or off to a client lunch. Whatever their schedule looks like, there will still be training they need to take as part of their role, as well as valuable information they will need to access to help them whatever they are doing. But not everyone has the budget to commission a suite of mobile learning created by a third party. In this post, we are going to look at some of the ways you can use eLearning authoring tools to create your own multi-device-ready content for your sales teams, enabling them to take control of their own learning.

Blended approach

A just-in-case approach may be suitable to give salespeople a basic foundation for their sales technique, your organization’s pitching content and product knowledge training. But it will most likely not be enough to support them in their day-to-day roles. Many salespeople may only rarely be based out of an office, giving them limited time for training. A blended approach means you can give them a useful base knowledge through face-to-face workshops or a full eLearning course, and then supplement this with mobile learning created with your eLearning authoring tools. Building your own mobile learning means you can keep costs down and create new mobile modules as and when they are needed.

Create once, deliver to all devices

Whether or not your organization loans smartphones or tablets to your sales team or they use their own as part of a BYOD strategy, it can become extremely time-consuming creating multiple versions of the same course to work across devices. The best eLearning authoring tools allow learning designers to create learning once and publish it automatically across all devices. The new wave of HTML5 eLearning authoring tools create learning which adapts and responds based on device size, orientation and functionality. The real benefit of this approach is that your learning will be future-proof, even if your learners update their devices.

Mobile-friendly platform

Platforms are an expensive investment for many organizations, and many Learning and Development leaders can be reluctant to change what they already have. But if your current learning platform isn’t mobile-accessible, you could be missing a trick. Keeping all your learning modules and resources in one centralized hub means learning is organized, structured and easy to navigate, saving time for learners, even those on the move accessing material from a mobile device. Or, if a new or upgraded platform will not work in your current budget, it is possible to host your mobile learning yourself, providing mobile-friendly access from an existing LMS, an access point or even a direct link. Tracking standards such as xAPI (Tin Can API) are making it easier than ever to see exactly what your learners are doing and when, so ensure your tool is able to support Tin Can-enabled learning for the best results.

Interactions and assets

Mobile learning needn’t mean learning that isn’t media-rich and interactive. Designers just need to be smart about the type of multimedia assets they include to enable learners to make the most of their multi-device modules. When reviewing eLearning authoring tools to build your modules, make sure you find one which supports media assets and rich interactions. Short videos and zoomable graphics can be particularly effective - just ensure these are not a higher resolution than you need to keep loading times down. Short video clips can deliver vast amounts of information very quickly, whether it’s in the form of an animation or a live-action drama clip, providing engaging, just-in-time learning. You should also look for eLearning authoring tools allowing you to build assessments directly into the course, meaning learners can put their knowledge to the test wherever they are.

Keep it relevant

In the sales world, things change quickly. It could be as simple as a pricing structure, or as complex as retiring an old product range and replacing it with a new version, which must be rolled out to all existing users. The new eLearning authoring tools are cloud based, meaning content is updated once and automatically pushed out to every user. This means everyone always has the most up-to-date version of your course. For example, if you need to correct a price in your learning program, a learning designer can update it, and straight away, all the salespeople will have the new version on all their devices. This means that before going into an important meeting, the salesperson will be safe in the knowledge that all of the information available to them is the most recent version, enabling them to deliver their pitch with confidence.

Building Mobile Sales Training With eLearning Authoring Tools

In a time where training budgets are being slashed and expenditure is being scrutinized more closely than ever, building your own multi-device eLearning can be an invaluable way to keep learning programs cost effective and bang up to date. In today’s fast-moving workplace, don’t let your sales staff get left behind, and make sure they are always equipped with everything they need to secure that coveted sale.

Why not have a go at building your own multi-device eLearning with a free 21-day trial of gomo? You can see for yourself how easy it is to create beautiful, adaptive, responsive eLearning to help your sales team reach their targets on the go.