Marketers know how to grab attention and inspire action in people — so why isn’t L&D learning from their approaches and methods? In this smart crossover, Ricci Masero shares how marketing’s best strategies, approaches tactics can supercharge learning engagement, from storytelling and UX to journey mapping and business metrics inspired design.
As a marketing professional working in the EdTech space, I see a closely shared common goal with learning and development: capturing attention and driving behaviour change. While marketers have mastered the art of engagement, L&D often struggles with low completion rates and poor knowledge retention.
The marketing-learning connection
Marketers excel at something L&D professionals sometimes overlook – they understand that attention is earned, not given. Just as marketing teams wouldn’t release a product campaign based solely on bullet points and technical specifications, L&D shouldn’t rely on traditional slide decks and policy documents to drive learning outcomes.
Where marketing seeks to influence consumer behaviour, corporate training aims to develop professional capabilities. By applying marketing’s storytelling techniques, data-driven strategies, and user-centric design, L&D teams can reimagine dry training content into compelling learning experiences.
Consider how marketers approach content development:
- Focus on the audience’s needs and pain points
- Create emotional connections through storytelling
- Package information in digestible, engaging formats
- Measure engagement and iterate based on data
These same principles can revolutionise corporate learning.
Let’s explore how three proven marketing strategies can transform L&D approaches.
1. Experience loop: Learning from customer journey mapping
Marketers use customer journey mapping to understand and optimise the buyer’s experience. L&D teams can use frameworks for creating engaging learning journeys. Just as marketing teams guide customers through awareness to purchase, L&D can guide learners through experience to mastery.
Here’s how to apply this marketing journey principle to learning:
Start with a hook (link to experience)
Like compelling ad campaigns, begin with something that grabs attention – a relevant scenario, a surprising statistic, or a challenging problem. This creates the same emotional engagement that successful marketing campaigns achieve.
Build interest through discovery (self-reflect)
Similar to how marketing content guides prospects through product benefits, lead learners to reflect on their experience and discover key insights. Use discussion questions and guided reflection to deepen engagement.
Deliver value through understanding (understand concepts)
Marketing materials explain how products solve problems, so L&D need to help learners connect their discoveries to broader concepts and theories. Make these connections explicit and relevant to their work.
Drive action through application (experiment)
Marketing campaigns always end with a clear call to action. Similarly, give learners specific ways to apply their new knowledge in their daily work.
2. Skill-building pyramid: Content marketing strategy
Content marketers use different content types for different stages of the buyer’s journey and create awareness content before detailed product comparisons. Learning should progress from basic understanding to complex application.
Here’s how to apply content marketing principles to learning design:
Awareness stage (understanding)
Like top-of-funnel marketing content, start with engaging, easily digestible content that introduces key concepts. Use videos, infographics, and brief articles to build foundational knowledge.
Consideration stage (analyse)
Marketing provides more detailed content to engaged prospects, so too L&D can offer deeper learning experiences through interactive exercises, case studies, and practical applications.
Decision stage (stretch)
Similar to bottom-of-funnel marketing content, challenge learners with complex scenarios, project work, and opportunities to create their own solutions.
3. Transformation story: Brand narrative in learning
Great brands tell great stories. Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, a popular framework among storytelling marketers, can help L&D teams create transformative learning experiences. Just as marketing campaigns position the customer as the hero, learning experiences should put the learner at the centre of their development journey.
Here’s how to apply brand storytelling to learning:
Position the learner as the hero
Like customer-centric marketing campaigns, make the learning journey about the learner’s growth and transformation. Start with their current challenges and aspirations.
Introduce challenges and support
Marketing acknowledges customer pain points and positions products as solutions; present learning challenges while providing clear support and resources.
Celebrate growth and success
Similar to how marketing shares customer success stories and social proof, recognise and celebrate learner achievements and progress.
Practical marketing strategies for L&D Teams
Here’s an example of how you can implement marketing-inspired approaches:
1) Audit your current content
Review existing training materials through a marketing lens. Would they capture attention in a crowded marketplace of priorities? Consider these specific elements:
- Visual appeal and branded consistency
- Clear value proposition for each training module
- Emotional hooks and relevant scenarios
- Mobile-friendly, accessible formats
2) Invest in story development
Just as marketing teams invest in compelling copy and visuals, invest time in developing engaging narratives for your learning content. Create learning personas, similar to marketing buyer personas, understanding:
- Learner demographics and job roles
- Common pain points and challenges
- Career aspirations and motivations
- Preferred learning modalities
3) Focus on the user experience
Apply user experience (UX) design principles to your learning content and platforms, just as marketing teams optimise websites and campaigns. Key considerations include:
- Single sign-on and seamless platform integration
- Microlearning modules for busy professionals
- Social learning features for peer engagement
- Gamification elements to drive completion
4) Measure and iterate
Adopt marketing’s data-driven approach to measuring engagement and improving content based on learner feedback and completion rates. Track metrics such as:
- Course completion rates and time-to-completion
- Knowledge retention scores over time
- Learner satisfaction and NPS (Net Promoter Scores)
- Real-world skills application success stories
5) Create multi-channel learning campaigns
Like modern marketing campaigns, develop learning experiences that span multiple channels:
- Push notifications for micro-learning moments
- E-mail nurture sequences to drive engagement
- Social learning communities for peer support and mentoring
- Interactive webinars for live discussion
- Podcast-style audio content for on-the-go learning
Digital marketing framework for L&D success
The SOSTAC framework (Situation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Actions, Control), widely used in digital marketing, provides an excellent structure for L&D planning and execution.
- Start by analysing your current learning situation, including skills gaps, engagement levels, and available resources
- Set clear, measurable (SMART) learning objectives aligned with business goals, such as improving specific competencies or reducing time-to-proficiency
- Develop a comprehensive learning strategy that outlines your approach to content delivery, platform selection, and learner engagement
- Break this down into specific tactics like microlearning modules, social learning initiatives, or gamification elements
- Create detailed action plans assigning responsibilities, timelines, and resources for implementation
- Finally, establish control mechanisms through analytics and feedback loops to measure success and make data-driven improvements
This systematic approach ensures L&D initiatives are as strategic and results-driven as marketing campaigns.
Marketing inspired checklist for L&D teams
Before launching your next learning initiative, ensure you’ve incorporated (or at least considered) these marketing-inspired elements:
✓ Clear value proposition that answers “What’s in it for me?”
✓ Engaging hook that captures attention in the first 30 seconds
✓ Consistent branding and visual identity across all materials
✓ Multiple content formats to suit different learning needs
✓ Built-in social sharing and discussion opportunities
✓ Regular feedback loops for continuous improvement
✓ Success metrics aligned with business objectives
✓ Recognition and reward system for completion
Marketing for L&D into the future
As technology evolves, the lines between marketing and L&D will blur further. Augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and personalisation engines (already common in marketing) will become standard tools for creating immersive, adaptive learning experiences. L&D teams that embrace these marketing innovations early will be better positioned to meet the evolving needs of modern learners.
Stay ahead by:
- Following marketing technology trends
- Experimenting with new content formats
- Building internal marketing/communication capabilities
- Partnering with marketing teams for insights
- Measuring and sharing learning impact stories
L&D teams have much to learn from marketing’s success in capturing attention and driving behaviour change. By adopting marketing’s commitment to storytelling, user experience, and data-driven iteration, L&D can create learning experiences that engage, inspire, and transform.
Just as the best marketing doesn’t feel promotional, the best learning experiences don’t feel like traditional training. They feel like journeys that learners want to complete because they see the value and relevance to their own growth story.
The transformation of L&D through marketing principles isn’t just about better engagement – it’s about creating a learning culture that drives continuous growth and innovation.
Ricci Masero is Marketing Manager at Intellek
