Launching a thoughtful training program can help you quickly upskill your field. But poorly designed or ill-managed programs can quickly crash and burn.

As Hearsay’s Director of Training and Education, I’ve spent years building training and enablement programs for teams, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. For example, teams often fall into the trap of recommending the same training curriculum to the entire field without taking roles, interests, and current skill levels into account.

It’s also common to see firms take a ‘one-and-done’ approach to training that lacks follow-up and reinforcement. However, when done right—a training program can help you boost adoption and upskill your field.

Here are my top tips on how to build a winning training program:

Define clear learning objectives

‍Clear learning objectives tell your audience what they can expect to learn and what they should be able to do after completing a training session. Defining expected outcomes also allows you to track whether participants are using the knowledge they learned to improve.

Without clear learning objectives, it’s difficult for your audience to understand why they should attend training or feel incentivized to complete a curriculum. Your objectives define the purpose and impact of the material being covered.

Tailor content to skill level and interests

When it comes to training, there simply isn’t an effective one-size-fits-all way to build a curriculum. It’s best to meet your users where they are and give them the opportunity to learn what is most relevant to them. So how do you do that?

At Hearsay, we use a proprietary maturity model to group users with similar skill sets into cohorts. After every training session, we review each participant’s skills and determine if they should advance to a higher tier.

If you’re not using a maturity model, identify a logical way to group users and design multiple training tracks to help users develop skills incrementally. Doing so can be as simple as offering leveled courses (ex, 101, 201, 301), similar to what you’d see in a school setting.

Also, be sure to think long-term as you design your program. Set check-in points to assess and adapt training content and curriculum over time to ensure that training remains relevant to each user group and that you maintain interest and engagement across your user base.

Modify your curriculum for different types of learners

People have different learning styles, so it’s important to consider varied training modalities for your program. Some good examples of different learning tools include short-form videos on specific topics, one-pagers or guides, live webinars, and on-demand resources. Providing a range of learning options gives your field opportunities to engage in ways that are most effective for their learning style.

If you use webinars as a training tool, create a promotional plan to generate excitement and ensure broad reach among users. You can send an announcement when you’re several weeks out and follow up with “just-in-time” reminders the week of training in case they missed previous communications.

Reinforce learning

After each training session, share resources that reinforce the lesson. Resources can include things like one-pagers from the curriculum and three-question quizzes to encourage recall. Additionally, practical exercises, including simulations, or role-playing activities allow trainees to apply their learning in real-world scenarios. These help bridge the gap between what users hear and what they apply to their day-to-day routine.

Creating a feedback loop is another critical reinforcement step. Providing opportunities for the field to share their opinions on the training will help you capture valuable insight into how effective it was and on ways to improve. Implement assessments, surveys, or one-on-one feedback sessions with trainers to capture feedback and close the loop.

Integrate gamification

‍Gamification is a hot topic in training right now. Playing on your field’s natural competitiveness can be a great way to encourage engagement and attendance. At Hearsay, we use internal leaderboards to highlight power users and spark friendly rivalries. We also encourage training teams to be transparent by sharing users’ current maturity levels. Why is this effective?

Users who understand why they are included in a specific training program are likely to see more value in completing the training. They can also see a direct correlation between completing the training and moving higher on the leaderboard—and, ultimately, generating more new business.

Now, let’s talk about two more things that can have a big impact. First, think about incorporating peer coaching or group mentorship into your training program. Having these outlets provides a safe space for individuals to ask questions and learn practical tips for improvement. Second, think about ways you can recognize star students. Spotlighting power users allows your field to learn from successful peers who can share real-world examples of what’s working for them.

Follow these development best practices and incorporate coaching and high-performer recognition to create a stellar training program. You’ll be rewarded with better engagement and better outcomes.