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BY PETE BENNETT ■ JAN 23 ■ 6 MIN READ

How to Buy eLearning Content: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re looking to enhance your employee training or upskill your team, buying elearning content is an excellent option. It provides your learners with flexible, self-paced, and personalised learning experiences that are both engaging and effective.

But with so many elearning content providers out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your organisation. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to buy e-learning content that fits your specific training needs and budget.

Define Your Training Goals and Objectives

Before you start shopping for elearning content, it’s essential to define your training goals and objectives. What are the knowledge and skills you want your learners to gain? What are the performance outcomes you want to achieve?

By clarifying your training goals and objectives, you can narrow down your search to e-learning content that aligns with your training needs. It will also help you evaluate the effectiveness of the e-learning content you eventually purchase.

Assess Your Learners’ Needs and Learning Styles

Next, it’s crucial to assess your learners’ needs and learning styles. What are their current knowledge and skills? What are their preferred learning styles and preferences?

By understanding your learners’ needs and learning styles, you can choose elearning content that caters to their learning preferences and provides them with a personalised learning experience. It will also increase their engagement and motivation to learn.

Research eLearning Content Providers

Once you have a clear understanding of your training goals and learners’ needs, it’s time to start researching e-learning content providers. Look for providers that offer elearning content that aligns with your training goals and objectives.

When researching elearning content providers, consider the following:

• The provider’s experience and expertise in your industry or field
• The provider’s reputation and customer reviews
• The provider’s pricing and licensing options
• The provider’s support and customization options

Compare and Evaluate eLearning Content

After shortlisting a few elearning content providers, it’s time to compare and evaluate their elearning content. Request demos or free trials to test the e-learning content’s quality, effectiveness, and relevance to your training goals and learners’ needs.

When evaluating e-learning content, consider the following:

• The e-learning content’s instructional design and pedagogy
• The e-learning content’s multimedia and interactivity features
• The e-learning content’s assessment and feedback options
• The e-learning content’s customisation and branding options
• The e-learning content’s compatibility with your learning management system (LMS)

Negotiate the Price and Licensing

Once you’ve selected the e-learning content provider and the specific elearning content you want to buy, it’s time to negotiate the price and licensing options. Most elearning content providers offer a variety of pricing and licensing options, including per-learner or subscription-based models.

When negotiating the price and licensing, consider the following:

• The number of learners who will use the e-learning content
• The duration and frequency of the e-learning content’s use
• The level of customisation and branding you require
• The level of support and maintenance you need

Purchase and Deploy the eLearning Content

After finalising the price and licensing options, it’s time to buy eLearning content and deploy the e-learning content. Make sure to review and sign the contract, and ensure that you have access to the e-learning content files and documentation.

When deploying the elearning content, consider the following:

• The technical requirements and compatibility with your LMS
• The learners’ access and permissions to the e-learning content
• The tracking and reporting options for the learners’ progress and completion

Measure the Effectiveness of the eLearning Content

Once your learners have completed the e-learning content, it’s essential to measure its effectiveness. How did it help your learners achieve the training goals and objectives? Did it improve their knowledge and skills? Can you prove it enhanced their job performance? Did the off-the-shelf content improve technical ability?

To measure the effectiveness of the e-learning content, consider the following:

• The learners’ feedback and satisfaction with the e-learning content
• The learners’ performance improvement and job performance
• The return on investment (ROI) of the elearning content
• The engagement and retention rates of the e-learning content

eLearning buyers summary

Buying e-learning content can be a great way to provide effective and engaging training for your employees or team. By following the steps outlined in this comprehensive guide, you can select elearning content that aligns with your training goals and learners’ needs, negotiate a fair price and licensing, and deploy it effectively.

Remember to define your training goals and objectives, assess your learners’ needs and learning styles, research and compare e-learning content providers, evaluate e-learning content quality and effectiveness, negotiate the price and licensing, purchase and deploy the e-learning content, and measure its effectiveness.

Moreover, by investing in high-quality e-learning content, you can improve your organisations performance, enhance your learners’ knowledge and skills, and achieve your training goals and objectives.

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