2010 Marketing Training - Online or Bust!

I can't help but follow all of the industries that seem to be moving at an ever quickening pace towards an online only reality.  Newspapers, DVDs, Magazines, Video Games, Books and Newsletters are just a few examples of the real world shift towards online.  How much longer will Hollywood Video and Blockbuster be our corner video stores?  This intrigues me not only because of the magnitude of this shift, but also because of the applications it has in the training industry.

Over the past 10 years the training industry has taken drastic shifts, just as many of the industries above have.  The training industry was once focused almost solely on in-person training and networking events.  That dynamic has shifted over the years, but as with the online trend as a whole, the last 2 years has seen the industry hit a tipping point.  Webinars, teleconferences, on demand, virtual conferences and mobile applications are just a few of the options available to individuals seeking training.

As we have tried to stay ahead of the marketplace for these products, we have continued to offer our in-person seminars as well.  That being said, the volume of in-person events has continued to decrease as the demand has waned.  Are in-person seminars going the way of the Newspapers and the DVDs?  Is 2010 the year we will see the scales tip completely towards online options?

In all reality, the interaction and networking provided by in-person training events should keep them from going the way of 8-Track Tapes, but the number of options and providers will more than likely continue to narrow in 2010.  I used to get almost all of my training through conferences and seminars, but I found myself shifting to teleconferences and more and more I have been using on demand webinars.  That is not to say I don't still go to conferences and seminars, because I do, but the percentage of my training dedicated to those learning formats has definitely gone down.

With all that being written, I am the Marketing Director at a training company, so I'm not so sure my viewpoint isn't biased on this particular debate.  What do you think?  I would love to get feedback from other marketers out there who have probably also seen and felt this training shift.  You can comment on this blog or shoot me an e-mail at jkiefer@lorman.com.