Study material, manuals and workbooks can make the training course a success or render it lack-luster. More important, the enrollment campaign can fill the classroom with students, or result in weak participation.

While many organizations and/or instructors produce their own collateral material and student solicitation efforts, the expertise of a marketing professional will greatly enhance the quality of the material and course attendance.

 Developing the manual or workbook. Much of the instructional materials used by Law Enforcement, Firearms Instruction, Disaster Preparedness and Business Training, are based on modified adaptations of previous material, similar courses, or patterned from generic templates. Effective course materials are best custom developed, from the ground up, with contemporary examples and graphics, and capitalize on the instructor’s experiences.

The layout should be formatted in an easy-to-follow outline, with large legible type and space for student notes. Text should be written in a user-friendly style to speak to the most naive level of student, without insulting the intelligence of the most informed. A glossary and references are important. Internet links can be included for additional information. One of the biggest mistakes instructors make, is they assume that all members of the class have sufficient or equal subject knowledge.

At the conclusion of the course, attendees should receive a validation of accomplishment. It may be a certificate of completion, a plaque, or a wallet sized accreditation card, etc. Additional promotional items like t-shirts, caps or other specialty items may also be given out. In some courses the highest scoring students, in various categories, may be presented with special awards. An evaluation questionnaire, filled out by students, is helpful in perfecting the presentation, eliminating problem areas and even as acting as marketing research for additional programs.

Enrollment Promotion Canvassing for attendees is more than just posting an announcement. Without students there will be no class! Attracting the right attendees is the most important function of any elective or mandatory training program. Creating an impressive advertising campaign that will reach, inform and motivate prospective targeted students requires special marketing and PR skills. Promotional elements may include, brochures, fliers, direct mail, print and on-line ads, email, Social Media and other coordinated advertising components.

Professional Assistance. An experienced Marketing Consultant is extremely beneficial in designing compelling training course materials and implementing student enrollment campaigns. Working with administrators and instructors, the professional offers outside objectivity, creativity and promotional expertise to create and produce professional quality material. Tom Smisek, Marketing Consultant has worked with tactical training programs and created successful campaigns for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department , Fire Safe Councils and other organizations. For more information contact: http://smisek.com/contact/