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Travis Morgan 
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3 min read
Share It’s a great to time to be marketing and selling LMS! According to EDUCAUSE, by 2018, the market is projected to reach $8 billion. Naturally, none of this would be possible if buyers weren’t willing to spend money…and looking to spend more. Technology changes at a breakneck pace, so even the most powerful LMS has to quickly adapt to avoid becoming outdated. There’s a reason why almost 1 out of 5 institutions are preparing to replace their present learning management system. The good news is that there are plenty of hungry buyers. The bad news is that consumers have encountered every kind of headache in the book, so you’ll have a wall of skepticism to break through. No worries. We’ve got 3 sledgehammers (metaphorically speaking) that will help you get the job done!
Dissatisfaction makes consumers grumpy, but if you know what’s ailing them, you can be the remedy. So first we have to take a look at why so many buyers are itching to switch their LMS. If you guessed that it has something to do with functionality, then…you’ve done your research. EDUCAUSE found that users are craving better video conferencing, mobile learning, gamification, and social learning features. From this laundry list, it appears that much of the competition lacks what your LMS has in spades. Game over…but being customer centric is never that easy. It’s worth mentioning that more than half of the undergraduates in EDUCAUSE’s survey thought they would be “more effective” students if they knew more about their LMS. Additionally, 26% of faculty reported being less than pleased with their quality of training. What does this all mean? Offering a comprehensive solution isn’t enough; you have to educate your customers on how to get the most out of it. Top-rate tech support and training are clearly must-haves, but a helpful blog article or eBook can work to fill in some of the gaps. Which leads us to…
It’s a huge weight off your shoulders when you finally resolve a nagging problem. That’s exactly how you want your customers to feel after they’ve consumed your content. Now, you might have mixed feelings about giving away valuable information for “free”. Just remember that content isn’t meant to solve all of your consumers’ problems. Its primary function is to cement your brand as a valuable resource that, if need be, can tackle the issues that are beyond the scope of a blog article. Before a prospect even thinks of a learning management system, they’re probably losing sleep over how to hold on to their employees and improve performance. By creating content centered on these pain points, you provide suggestions on how they can begin to fix their pressing issues. At the same time, you subtly introduce them to the world of LMS. You get a new lead, and your prospect gets some much needed shut-eye. Everybody wins!
People these days are forever on the go, and they literally have the world at their fingertips. An LMS has to be able to keep up with them. You may or may not be familiar with responsive (mobile-friendly) design, but it’s essential that all learning management systems function smoothly on a host of mobile devices. This isn’t just about appealing to the young whipper snappers. Mobile technology enhances collaborative functions and gives both students and busy professionals the flexibility to access their lessons at a time that is convenient for them. Plus, in today’s world it’s more important than ever to be a good self-learner. Encouraging people to continue to educate themselves outside of the office and classroom can only help.
Attracting LMS buyers who are ready to make a change hinges on being customer centric. Content creation can be an effective way to build a bond with customers before they fall victim to information overload and the skepticism that comes with it. Once you’ve shown them that you’re a reliable, customer-centered resource, prospects will flow steadily down your marketing and sales funnel.
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