Promote UGotClass to Business in January – By Stephanie Bowlin

January is the best month to promote UGotClass certificates to businesses and other large organizations.
There are two primary ways to market specifically to local business and organizations. The first is through current students who are employees of that company. You already have a connection with the student, and they’ve had a good experience with a UGotClass course. Reach out to the student to find out if others in their department or company may have similar education needs. Or perhaps they can provide you with the contact information of the department head, or
human resources representative who handles training for employees.
If you do not have a current student or contact at an employer, start by doing some internet research. What large organizations are located in your area? Fortune 1000 companies, larger non-profit organizations, utility companies, law firms – just about anyone who has a large presence in your area. Find out what you can about the company or organization. What types of skills do their employees have or need? Do they have a training supervisor or human resources director in charge of training and development? You can usually find the contact information on the company’s website or on LinkedIn.
Once you have a contact at the company, reach out and provide them with information about UGotClass courses that may be beneficial for their employees. An initial introductory email or letter is best for outlining who you are and what UGotClass can offer the company. Provide information on potential discounts if multiple employees sign up for the same course or series of courses. Sometimes it is helpful for them to put one person through the course first, and then you can offer discounts for future employees once they realize how valuable the training is.
Another great way to draw interest for employers is to customize packages based on employee needs. Provide the company with a list of UGotClass courses in a variety of topic areas that would meet the needs of their employees in several departments. If you know a lot about the company, or have an employee who is a current UGotClass student, you might even be able to provide details on how specific departments would benefit from participating in certain courses.
In all communication with companies be sure to highlight the flexibility of UGotClass courses. Employees can participate during the work day or in the evening. Multiple employees can take the same course but they don’t have to be out of the office. Be ready to provide the detailed outline and number of continuing education units (CEUs) that are available. These are often key selling points for employers. Always follow up with continued communication, both email and mail, providing information about other UGotClass courses as well as f2f options. Even if you don’t receive a response or interest the first time, continue to follow up and provide upcoming schedules prior to the start of each semester. The company may not have money in budget one year, but the next year might be able to register employees for classes.