Marketing For Learning®

The Canva Confession: the most expensive lesson in corporate AI Canva gave all 5,000 of its employees a full week off — cleared calendars, best tools, guided workshops, a hackathon, 26,000 hours of hands-on AI. Then its Chief Customer Officer wrote a confession in Fortune: "The bottleneck wasn't the technology. It was us." If it happened to Canva — AI-native, generously resourced, staffed with peo...

When the vacuum cleaner was invented, slightly dusty floors became socially unacceptable overnight. According to Mark Eggers, co-founder of micro learning platform Yarno , AI is doing exactly the same thing to your output expectations, and he's not wrong. In this episode, I'm joined by Mark and Tom Bailey, Head of Learning at OFX and L&D Professional of the Year 2025, broadcasting from Austral...

The conversation delves into the death of a campaign and the marketing strategy behind it. It introduces the fictional business Axion and its learning program Apex, highlighting the tragic death of Apex due to neglect. The importance of personalization in marketing is emphasized, drawing parallels with Netflix's approach to personalization. The conversation delves into the critical elements of suc...

Attention is our employee's most equitable asset - but there's fierce competition for it. Marking the first episode of 2026, Ashley joins Giles Hearn, Chief Marketing Officer at The Learning and Performance Institute   and unpicks the challenges L&D are really facing. A meaty conversation for a meaty subject.  Get stuck in!

Marketing in learning isn’t just about flashy emails or poster campaigns. It’s about trust, visibility, and staying human, especially when the ground is shifting under our feet. In this episode, Ashley Hinchcliffe and Hannah Clark unpack why silence is the enemy of People functions, and how to keep your audiences engaged when uncertainty, redundancies, and AI-fuelled upheaval dominate the workplac...

This isn’t your average EdTech chinwag. In this special episode of the Marketing for Learning podcast, Ashley is joined by Lori Niles-Hofmann (author of The 8 Levers of EdTech Transformation) and Dr. Serena Gonsalves-Fersch (Global Head of Talent at SoftwareOne) for a no-fluff, no-slides-needed conversation about what really makes EdTech work — and what makes people quietly nope out of your platfo...

L&D doesn’t need more content. Or more dashboards. Or more chaos. It needs structure. Strategy. And a system that actually works. In this final episode of Series 2, Han brings it all together — showing how every part of the People Impact Loop® helps you stop reacting and start delivering real, measurable change. You’ll learn: Why understanding your audience is the first, and most important, st...

L&D knows measurement matters. But when the pressure’s on to “prove impact,” most teams default to what’s easy, not what’s meaningful. In this episode, we’re joined by Nelson Sivalingam to unpack how learning functions can shift from reporting activity to demonstrating real business value. We explore: Why traditional learning metrics fall short How to connect learning with performance and beha...

Most L&D “campaigns” are a poster, an email, and… silence. This episode calls time on one-and-done launches — and digs into what it really takes to build marketing for learning® campaigns that cut through the noise and drive action. You’ll learn: Why real campaigns don’t end at launch How to apply multi-channel, audience-first thinking to internal comms What L&D can steal from politics, br...

Learning isn’t broken because people are lazy. It’s broken because the experience is. In this episode, we’re joined by Tom McDowall to talk about why most learning still feels like a chore, and how to change it.  We get into: Why more content ≠ more impact How to design frictionless, user-led learning journeys And what L&D can learn from UX, product, and service design This one’s for anyone si...

Too many L&D teams are building content for “learners” — not people. In this episode, Ash and Han dive into the one thing that makes or breaks every learning initiative: knowing your audience. Not their job title. Not their LMS login history. But what actually drives them. They unpack: Why “employees” and “learners” aren’t real personas How to ask the right people the right questions (and avoi...

This week, Han’s joined by the brilliant Heather Burright — and they’re cutting straight to the core of what’s holding L&D back. Spoiler: it’s not a lack of content. It’s a lack of curiosity. This episode covers: What it really means to identify root problems — and why content alone doesn’t drive change How to build trust with stakeholders (so you can disagree and still stay in the room) Why a...

Most L&D teams are stuck in a cycle of activity. Not impact. In this episode, your fav duo are back to rip into the status quo — and dig deeper into the People Impact Loop®: a no-fluff framework that helps People functions stop shouting into the void and start making measurable change. We’re talking: Why “aligning to business goals” isn’t optional (and how to actually do it) Why your learners...

Drum roll please... 🥁🥁🥁 After lots of speculation and guessing, it's time for you to meet the People Impact Loop™. You've got the potential. You've got the passion. Yet you are still undervalued and constantly fighting for relevance.  The issue isn’t effort or ideas – it’s the lack of a system that makes their work essential. For decades, the same challenges have persisted: low engagement, lead...

You’ve built an amazing learning product - now what? In this episode, Ashley and Hannah break down why marketing isn’t just a bolt-on to learning but a fundamental part of making it successful. They dive into how positioning, messaging, and audience research can transform a learning experience from nice to have to unmissable. Expect insights on emotional triggers, behavioural science, multi-channe...

Your favourite duo is back to discuss a contentious topic in L&D: The Technology Trap. Of course, we all know technology is a critical tool in forward thinking L&D teams, but can it solve all of our issues? (Shock horror, Ash and Han don't think so!)  In this episode we discuss:  The importance of understanding the user experience and the need for root cause analysis to understand engageme...

In this fantastic ep, Ash and Georgie Cooke dive into the crucial link between employee experience and L&D, covering everything from culture and management to learning opportunities. They explore why audience insights matter, how to personalise learning, and the necessity of aligning L&D with business goals. The conversation also tackles blended learning, accessibility, and the challenges...

In the second episode of our series "From Training to Transformation: Redefining L&D’s Role" Ash and Han delve into the critical role of stakeholders in transforming L&D from a cost centre to a strategic business partner. This ep is jam-packed with practical tips and insights including: Why it is critically important for L&D to align to the business goals. How you can engage with senio...

New Series! From Training To Transformation: Redefining L&D’s Role.  We're so excited to announce our new multi-episode podcast series on L&D transformation. Our first episode kicks off with Derek Mitchell, Analytics Partner at Novo Nordisk.  In this episode Derek discusses the critical role of data in L&D. He emphasises using data to proactively identify training needs, personalise co...

Grab your tissues... because this is the final time you'll hear from Ash & Han in 2024! 😢 But indulge us in an episode of reflections on the crazy year that was 2024. From their personal highlights (did they mention 2 weddings & a baby?!), they also share their highlights from L&D in 2024, and look ahead to a very exciting 2025.  See you on the other side, our dear Marketing For Learn...

What are the big L&D trends of 2025? Well we don't know... but Han asked Chat GPT, and unsurprisingly she didn't like it's answer. So in this episode Han discusses the 'trends' we see year after year, and what she thinks should be the trend of 2025.   

For all you lifelong, lucky listeners we're giving you 10% off our new 'Strategic Marketing for L&D Leaders' course, which kicks off on March 5th, 2025. It's our Masterclass, but it's getting a facelift and a much bigger emphasis on strategic marketing. Lots more information on our website if you want it .  If you want a 10% off voucher, just message Ash on LinkedIn and tell her you want to jo...

Does everybody just know the value of L&D? That's what most learning professionals seem to think. And shock... Han disagrees.  It's time L&D stopped assuming everybody knows our value... now is the time to prove it. In this episode, Han is going to cover: The danger of assumptions. Why data is your best friend. Why it's time to own our craft and align with the business goals. If you’re rea...

When we mutter the phrase "internal comms" to many of our clients, we see them shudder. "Do we have to get them involved? They're always a blocker to our plans!" We've heard it all before... So in this ep, Ash and Han address why internal comms *must* be involved in your marketing for learning initiatives, and how to make the whole thing smoother.  Happy listening guys!    LINKS: Internal comms, f...

Welcome to the 2nd edition of our Sunday Surgery - our brand new feature on the Marketing for Learning pod. These episodes are designed to help real L&Ders tackle their real challenges in a free consultancy session with Ash and Han.  In this session Vesta Charleshouse, Learning Coordinator at AMICULUM (and marketing for learning masterclass alumni!) joins Han to discuss getting more from what...