Life has changed a lot during the pandemic for trainers and coaches. A training colleague was telling me that before March 2020, off she would go with a car laden with printed materials and her laptops and presentation materials. Once lockdown hit, training opportunities basically fell off a cliff and she was left wondering how she could make a living. Once the initial panic died down, many trainers, including my colleague, began to turn their thoughts to online training using Zoom and/or Teams.
Of course, recent news has given us a roadmap out of lockdown, but none of us knows what the future holds, and we believe that:
- You can use printed materials now to enhance online training.
- In future there will be most likely be a hybrid approach to training, so you can use most of the traditional materials for both.
In many cases, for larger organisations, training is negotiated and booked via a training or L&D department – if the delegate moves to another organisation you want them to take knowledge of you and your business with them. Then if anyone asks for the type of training you offer, they can share your details. Referrals are very powerful – especially when you are in a competitive environment.
During lockdown one there were many debates and discussions on how to ensure that online training worked and that delegates had a good experience. All presentation materials were revamped, exercises were revamped, and much was changed.
However, one thing that no one gave much thought to was how to replace the training materials that delegates had previously been provided with prior to lockdown. In many cases, post lockdown, delegates were sent a PDF training manual, but trainers forgot that so many people were working from home and didn’t necessarily have access to a printer at home. Trainers focused on just the training manual and not other materials that would prove helpful to the delegate and to the trainer for further marketing. Therefore, all the carefully laid plans became less effective because delegates were making random notes, rather than making more structured notes in a purpose designed workbook and having access to other helpful materials.
How to use printed materials to enhance your training
Here are some ideas on how to use printed materials for your leaning deliveries:
Save the date cards
Once a training event is agreed and the date fixed, why not post delegates a branded ‘save the date’ card? This starts the training process for your delegate and gets them interested in who you are. You could encourage them to a website or specific page if there is information you would like to give them, or if there are pre-course questionnaires or work you may like to conduct.
It’s very easy for delegates to disconnect and even find something more important to do on the day, so it’s important to get their interest and engage them.
Course outlines
It can add value to your delegates if they have a clear outline for the day that they can see and follow. It’s also another touch point with your delegate. Make sure that this is also branded with your logo and colours. You can post it nearer the date of your training or send it with your save the date postcard.
Badges
Badges can be very useful, especially for courses where delegates won’t know each other. This is frequently the case in public courses, and of course for training for corporates where delegates may come from different departments. There are a range of options for badges, so just give us a call if you want to use them. They don’t work so well with online training, but don’t forget that many people use the speaker view in Zoom or Teams which means if someone is speaking, they can be seen full screen so their badge will be visible. However, meeting software does allow us all to add our names to our screen ‘real estate’ so it’s not for everyone.
Workbooks
The workbook or training manual is really the ‘hub’ of the training. It generally includes information that the trainer wants the delegates to have as well as space for notes and often exercises. It can also include discussion topics and generally is an effective learning tool.
More importantly the workbook is what your delegates will keep and refer to – and every time they do this, your business details are there for them.
Posting out a package to arrive just before the training (if it’s online) can be fun for the delegates. Who doesn’t enjoy receiving a package with useful and maybe thoughtful gifts?
Additional exercises
Some trainers like to keep some of their exercises on a separate sheet or deliver them last minute. If you run the same training regularly you can arrange to have a stock of any of these items printed, or if you have no storage you can arrange to have them printed on demand.
You can then send the answers if it’s a practical exercise in real time during the training – or hand them out if on a classroom. This prevents delegates copying the answer (and believe me they do!).
Random quote/comment cards
Although most trainers like to have a formal feedback form at the end of the training, some also like to provide cards that delegates can send anonymously after the training. In some respects, this allows you to gather their true thoughts around the training and how it can be better and aids continuous improvement. It is also another opportunity to use your branding.
Workshop summary sheet
Some trainers like to leave their delegates with an overview of the key learnings from the training on one sheet. In some cases, this can be designed to be visual and maybe something that can be pinned up. In fact, the quirkier the better. It’s also helps to those who learn visually to see everything laid out on one sheet. We can of course help you with the design of this piece – and remember that once you have it designed for a particular course, in most cases it won’t change for quite a long time.
Feedback forms
Feedback forms are a mainstay for trainers for end of training feedback. In fact, the main benefit is that they are a great way to get feedback from everyone in the room if you incorporate it into the closing part of your training. Most delegates will add something and hand it over before leaving. The only downside is that because you are present, and it is obvious you will read them; many candidates can just focus on the good bits of the training and not be brave enough to comment on things they didn’t like. This is where online feedback forms can be valuable. However, research indicates that you get a much lower feedback rate when delegates don’t feel obliged to complete the online form. One way to counteract this is to offer a prize of some kind, or something branded that you can send to each person who submits a response.
Tents for desks
These are particularly useful for live face-to-face training and typically have branding and a space for the delegates name. It can also be motivating to have some sort of quote on the side facing the delegate. Again, these items can be printed in bulk.
Pens
A free pen is always welcome and is a typical item given away with training. Whilst we don’t print these ourselves we can arrange for them to be printed and delivered to you as part of our holistic service for trainers using our trusted suppliers.
Notebooks
Everyone loves a notebook and they come in all shapes, sizes and price points. Find something that will work for your delegates. So, if you create an A4 sized workbook, think about provide some A4 sized notebooks so that any notes taken can added to the workbook.
Alternatively, you can provide more of a scratch pad with your logo on, or even a notepad with some tips and ideas printed onto the pages.
The most popular sizes for notepads are A4 and A5 with some going for something smaller in A6.
Thank you cards?
You could follow up your training with a thank you card, and maybe a reminder of any follow up training or support that you offer – either as part of your training or as an added extra. You may have additional services you can offer delegates too. You could also offer them something as a download in exchange for their email address so that you can retain them on your mailing list.
Don’t forget to send a thank you note to the person who booked your training too and maybe some sort of promotional gift.
Promotional materials
Promotion material is very popular to give to delegates at training and for online training you can send these items out to them. I have colleagues who train on office 365 and send out a USB stick with exercises and predefined information to work on and that works well because delegates often keep the USB to store other content too. There is of course the usual t-shirts and mugs (it’s great to get a ‘mug’ shot at your online event with everyone holding up their branded mugs – allowing you a great marketing opportunity).
I have a colleague who trains in business writing skills and likes to give delegates a mouse mat with flow charts for where to place apostrophes correctly and where to add commas. This is very popular – because of its practicality and usefulness.
Our one-stop-shop
If you need some support we have access to first class graphic designers who will turn your training manuals and other documents into something totally professional. We also have suppliers that can arrange to supply your promotional materials. This helps save you time and you can reply on our trusted brand to use the most reliable suppliers. Just pick up the phone and call us to discuss what you need.
Training manual distribution service
We can also offer you a distribution service. We will print and hold your materials and post out to training venues, companies or individuals as delegate packs. This means you don’t have to store them and can be confident they will be delivered and available for each of your training events. Please get in touch for more details.