6 ways microlearning can boost your sales strategy
I know what you’re thinking: “Microlearning? What the heck is that?” or “I’ve heard of microlearning but I really don’t know what it is, so how can it help me or my team?” Well, at least if you’re from my generation (the 35-and-overs) that’s what you’re probably thinking.
But if you’re a millennial, you know precisely what microlearning is. In fact, you expect it.
So what is microlearning?
Microlearning is targeted learning in bite-sized chunks that focus on a specific product, feature or service in easy-to-consume learning modules.
Simple, right? Microlearning is important because the days of sitting down to long, arduous and boring “death by PowerPoint” training modules are gone. You know those ones that cover everything imaginable, from your entire product line to sales procedures from A to Z. Also, to take that kind of training, you need a computer with a high-speed connection, a notepad to take notes, and access to a strong pot of coffee to keep you awake (not to mention a bathroom because of all the coffee you drank!). And time. You’ll need a lot of that too.
But is that realistic in today’s fast-paced, gotta-have-it-now world? No.
6 benefits of Microlearning
Given the tight schedules, sales targets, and the always-on-the-go life of today’s learners, an outdated and over-complicated approach to learning won’t work. They need something they can access on-demand, and in small chunks that gets right to the point and reinforces what they need to know. So here’s why microlearning should be your new best friend when it comes to engaging your learners.
1. It’s targeted:
Microlearning courses are specific to just one topic, product, or feature. They can be used as a quick refresher to reinforce learning. The time spent is time spent learning and not searching for what you’re trying to learn.
2. Microlearning is convenient:
So you’ve just arrived at a client meeting 18 minutes early and you’re sitting in your car in the parking lot. A quick 4-minute course on your product’s key benefits over your competitors’ might just be the difference in whether you walk out with a signed contract or not.
3. Easy to update:
If you’ve invested in the right kind of eLearning authoring tool, updates to the courses can take anything from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.
4. Increased completion rates:
When you roll out training in bite-sized tidbits rather than long courses that take an hour or longer to finish, busy sales professionals can easily find the time to take them on their mobile phones or tablets. Which brings us to the next point...
5. Mobile friendly:
Courses need to be created in HTML5, and be both Adaptive and Responsive. Having an authoring tool like Gomo means you can create beautiful microlearning courses that will play on all device types without the need for creating the same course multiple times for different types of devices.
6. Increased retention rates:
Studies have shown that adults learn and retain information better when it’s given to them in short bursts. A quick review of a specific product or feature before your sales reps meet with a client can boost confidence and allow for better communication during the meeting.
