How can effective Customer Education increase the overall success of your business, beyond just the “user experience” of your product?
In this article, we'll:
This article is the first in a series on effective Customer Education strategies. Subscribe to the Customer Education Blueprint to have this delivered to your inbox.
If you’ve been on LinkedIn at all, you’ve likely seen the rise of Customer Education professionals, communities, groups, and others publishing content on everything from “supporting your learner through personalization” to “AI and Learning.”
Other posts focus on technologies that deliver and track learning content.
Some teams focus on “product training.”Other teams say “product training isn’t enough.”
Then there are discussions on certifications, communities, and learning journeys. And of course, debates on whether your training programs should “be paid or free.”
But, Customer Education is one part of a Customer-Led model that can make a difference in your customer relationships - and your revenue.
The premise of this guide is that often “Retained ARR > Leads.”
Meaning - it’s often more valuable for SaaS and B2B organizations to excel at customer retention. Rather than expending all resources on acquisition alone. This doesn’t discount the work of marketing and sales but rather highlights why Customer Education teams and programs need to be integrated into the other departments.
To better understand this strategy and perspective, we should define “Customer Education.”
Customer education is a framework for many customer interactions. And it's part of an overall customer success ideology.
But, it’s not just a “customer success” function. As teams work together more closely, much of what was “education” should become “marketing,” “sales,” and “success.”
As a result, having a clear definition of “Education” and the individuals served through the education team’s output is critical for scoping the initiatives and success of your customer education work.
A quick Google search will bring up all sorts of variations of what “customer education” is:
I’m a huge fan of these two authors, and the other referenced companies, but through our work at ThinkThru we have slightly adapted these definitions through the lens of the entire customer journey.
So for this guide, we’ll define Customer Education as follows -
Any educational activity that guides someone toward success in achieving their own personal, professional, or organizational goals as a result of a relationship with your product or service.
Notice the key points in this definition -
With such a diverse range of applications, implementing Customer Education in your organization demands a customized strategy.
Let's consider a few scenarios:
If your goal is to establish market leadership and build long-term trust, your approach might focus on comprehensive educational content that positions your brand as a thought leader.
For example, a previous client, Reveal Data, uses Reveal Academy (their customer education platform) to launch new platforms and features to the market - as well as certify individuals in their respective skills. The academy went from 0 students to thousands in the first year, our collaboration helped them create one of the most recognized and in-demand training academies in eDiscovery.
For those aiming to boost revenue or streamline resources, shorter, targeted training modules designed to quickly upskill users or free up your team's time can be more effective.
Another one of our previous clients, Cellebrite, created an industry-leading training and certification program that drove an entire business line complementary to their software and hardware product lines. These certifications are some of the most recognized in their industry, and they provided significant revenue before taking their company public.
Or People3, a consulting firm that needed a way to scale their consulting cooperation and provide flexible solutions to clients. Implementing online versions of their consulting programs and services unlocked a scale that they hadn’t previously experienced, and it gave them a platform with which to engage and retain customers.
Each of these organizations and objectives requires a unique combination of content, community involvement, and structural design.
The possibilities of “what Customer Education is for you and your organization” are limited only by your imagination and resources.
To recap:
In our next guide, Identifying the Role of Customer Education in Your Organization, we’ll expand on the process of using our definition to scope implementation, its impact on the customer journey, and more.