Brennan Chui
A QUICK RECAP OF WHAT A CPD IS…
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to the ongoing process of learning, developing skills, and improving knowledge in one's chosen profession. It is an essential part of personal and professional growth for construction professionals as it allows them to hone their skills and knowledge, and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field.
An effective CPD can enhance the professionals’ competencies, improve their job performance, and advance their career prospects. But as a CPD provider, you’ll also earn a role as a trusted advisor and have a higher chance of getting your products specified.
Here are all the Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to CPD creation.
THE DO LIST
Define Clear And Relevant Learning Objectives
The learning objectives should be specific, relevant, and clear. They should be aligned with your target audience’s goals and should address the knowledge and skills they’re interested in developing.
Keep It Interactive
Interactive activities and content can increase engagement and facilitate learning. A major challenge of delivering a digitised CPD is the short attention span of the audience. Be sure to include quizzes, games, visual simulations, and compelling stories in your CPD to create a dynamic and positive learning experience!
Add Educational Value
Make sure your CPD offers new knowledge to your audience. A new and unique perspective creates extra value and can further establish your role as a trusted advisor. Include content that will potentially solve issues they’re facing which they can use to complete projects faster and more efficiently.
TOP TIP: Don’t leave out relevant legislation that supports your points to add credibility to your CPD.
Include Case Studies
Nothing screams EFFECTIVE & TRUSTWORTHY like a successful real-life case study. Include at least two case studies that solve different pain points to show the architects, specifiers, or other participants to see your product/solution in a variety of contexts.
PRO TIP: Including a testimonial from one of your clients will give your case study even more solidity, just save any company-centric content until the end of the CPD. Remember, you want to keep it educational.
Be Objective
Outline alternative solutions available in your space, and avoid being overly pushy towards your product. Avoid discussing your products or services at all during the educational section of the CPD to ensure RIBA approval.
Hard selling can create a negative experience for your audience and can even make you appear unscrupulous. Instead, keep the CPD session learner-oriented. Focus on educating your audience first.
THE DON’T LIST
Don’t Assume That One Size Fits All
One size does not fit all when it comes to your CPD content or delivery. Different target audiences have different needs and preferences. Your CPD should be tailored to your target group to ensure its effectiveness.
Don’t Repeat The Same CPD Without Updating Or Improving It
Repeating the same CPD without updating or improving them over time can lead to decreased competency. Consider updating your CPD content periodically to ensure that it remains relevant, includes the latest legislation and regulations, and remains appealing to the current needs of your potential prospects.
Don’t Mistake a CPD for a sales pitch
Keep in mind that your CPD is not a sales pitch, so avoid mentioning your product until the end. Instead, create commonality by identifying audience pain points, then lead with a solution. This way you get to showcase the value of your products/services by highlighting how it has helped other professionals like them overcome similar challenges.
Rather than claiming superiority over other products, focus on demonstrating your brand's expertise and commitment to providing solutions that meet your audience's needs.
Don’t Neglect Your Tech Stack When Digitising Your CPD
Digitising your CPD involves using the right tech stack to create and promote it effectively. Utilize automation to send thank you emails to new sign-ups and have lead capture functions on high-conversion landing pages. Also, consider how you will follow up with participants after completing your CPD. Simplify the process by using all-in-one software like HubSpot. Remember to choose software that allows you to do multiple things at once for a seamless experience.
CONCLUSION
Creating an effective CPD of value requires careful planning, execution, and evaluation. It’s important to be intentional and thoughtful in developing CPD activities, taking into account the needs and preferences of the learners.
Delivering effective CPD grants you a terrific opportunity to reach potential prospects and increase brand awareness by bringing your products and services in front of the decision-makers in the industry. So, if you haven’t already, now is the time to invest in planning and building one!
At Insynth, we can help you to build a highly effective, well-structured digitised CPD for your building product business. If you’d like any more information on how we can transform your CPD, allowing you to gain trusting relationships, promote your expertise and ultimately – increase specification, talk to an expert at Insynth today, or feel free to check out our CPD creation service.
ABOUT INSYNTH
At Insynth, we deliver a predictable flow of leads, customers, and specifications for building product brands through our inbound marketing approach, proven to reach a technically demanding audience.
We use the latest marketing techniques such as construction inbound marketing, to equip building product companies to grow sustainability in this era of digital transformation.
As the only HubSpot-certified agency to major in construction marketing. We have a proven formula for bringing a variety of functionalities together including CRM Implementation, Web Design, Sales Automation, SEO, and Email Marketing to achieve your ultimate aim: Growing your business and gaining new specifiers and customers.
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