When we began our series of unique helpcards, at the request of a client, we didn’t really realize the value of what we created to trainers and instructional designers, regardless of the medium. Let me explain.
In tough times for trainers (wouldn’t that make a great movie title) money for training and course development is scarce. Budgets are pared down to support the absolute minimums for training required by law, and training staff is let go. It’s as it always is: Do more with less. If you are a corporate trainer, or even an independent training consultant you know the lay of the land.
That’s bad enough, but the trend of shoehorning training into small time slots (1hr-2hr) makes it really hard to accomplish anything meaningful. Training consumers want maximum bang for bucks PLUS reduction of time away from work.
Is There a Solution?
Actually, no. There are ways to still accomplish training goals, but it means having access to good, short material on which to base training, and good, concise material to provide to attendees as takeaways. That’s where we come in.
Our helpcards are two-sided 8″x10″ “cards that cover one topic in great detail but with a high degree of conciseness. We’ve gotten adept at translating essentials of say, progressive discipline, or delegation, or conflict management options into tightly written guides that can be used during seminars, and used after seminars as job aids.
The Value For Trainers and Developers
Trainers and developers can save large amounts of time putting together training programs and producing instructional materials by using our helpcards as the basis for shorter courses covering a single topic. We estimate that once you add in experiential exercises into the mix, that a single helpcard can be used as a springboard for seminars anywhere from 1 hour long to half-day.
The content is “all there”. Add exercises and you are ready to go, and at the end, the attendees have a nice portable job aid to help them. Our customers have told us that trainees just love these handy tools.
We suggest that trainers use the content as a basis for quick design work, and that they customize the training process to suit. If you are a trainer, and you do this you will:
- save time in the training development
- still have the flexibility and advantages of a “custom” program compared to a canned one
- be able to match the instructional techniques to time and attendees
- save time in the production of handouts (ours are really professional looking)
- provide a transfer enhancing tool as a takeaway
- be able to use the material instantly if you buy the downloaded versions. In a time jam? That’s the solution.
Prices – Another Advantage
Our helpcards, if bought singly and in printed, laminated format cost about $10.95 – $12.95 each, but there are HUGE discounts on multiple copies provided you purchase the electronic version. It may cost you as little as $3-$4 per participant to licence the material. Just download it, and print out the number of copies you purchased. Instantly.
More Information
We don’t do hard sells, or hardly any selling so the best way to see what we have and whether it suits you is to go to our products store for Busy Learners by clicking here. If you need more human help just email us at ceo@work911.com.
Join the companies and trainers who have gone this route. We’ve had companies purchase small numbers of cards to use as takeaways for training all the way up to a client who purchased an 800 copy license for one of our performance appraisal helpcards.
