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While both systems have similarities, there are several distinct differences that you should keep in mind.

Association LMS vendors exclusively work with non-profit organizations.

They enable associations to sell and deliver continuing education (CE) courses online. This type of LMS is also CE compliant and offers features like CE credit tracking, eCommerce functionality, and tiered pricing.

Corporate LMS vendors work primarily with for-profit organizations.

For-profit organizations don’t need to sell courses–they need to train their employees. Corporate learning management systems are used internally to provide training on health and safety, compliance, and management processes.

Though each type of LMS provides online learning, they are vastly different systems.

In this blog, we’ll be going over the 4 main differences between corporate and association LMS:

1. Corporate LMS are for employees; association LMS are for members

Associations have members, not employees.

While it may not appear so at first glance, providing continuing education to members is drastically different from training employees!

Association LMS vendors understand this and offer features that are tailored to the needs of associations.

These features include:

• eCommerce functionality
• Continuing education credit tracking
• Non-skippable video (used to ensure that members can’t skip to the end of the course without watching the entire video)
• Integration with Association Management Systems (AMS)

Your members are not your employees; they are the lifeblood of your association.

Ensure that you are selecting a learning management system that is designed specifically for the needs of your members–and your association! This will lead to improved member engagement and a higher ROI.

2. Corporate courses are free for employees; members pay for CE courses

Association members need to pay for courses, while courses for employees are generally free, as they are provided by the corporation itself.

Unlike corporations, who generate their revenue elsewhere, associations need their courses to generate non-dues revenue.

Corporations need to train their employees; associations need to provide value to members (at a cost).

Association learning management systems are similar to eCommerce sites like Amazon and eBay. Members can search, purchase, and complete courses directly on the LMS, much like searching for an ebook on Amazon, purchasing it, and reading it in the connected app: all-in-one functionality!

On the other hand, corporate LMS are similar to libraries: you can access information, but you don’t have to pay for it.

3. Associations need to promote their CE; corporations don’t

Associations that promote their continuing education to their members effectively see a significant increase in the number of members that enroll in courses, as well as an increase in non-dues revenue and member engagement. Because of this, marketing is essential to success for associations.

You may also be interested in: 3 Ways to Increase Non-dues Revenue for Your Association’s Online Continuing Education Program

Corporations, on the other hand, don’t need to promote their LMS.

Their courses are mandatory for employees, so enrollment is guaranteed. Additionally, their courses don’t generate revenue, so there is no ROI to worry about.

4. Corporations focus on compliance; associations offer continuing education

Compliance training helps corporations reduce risk (and physical documentation); it keeps digital records to prove an employee was trained and informed of specific laws and policies.

Compliance training is also a critical part of any corporate environment. It ensures that employees are well-versed in the laws and policies that govern their job, while also keeping employee records that can be used in audits or legal proceedings.

Associations offer continuing education courses so that their members maintain their right to practice their profession.

Many careers require certification for practice and require those certificates to be updated over time.

Continuing professional development is also highly prized, allowing association members to gain more skills and increase their career value. Compliance training is for protecting the company; continuing education is for enhancing members’ skills.

You may also like: How to Improve Continuing Education for Your Association

Associations Need an LMS That Is Made for Associations.

Now that you understand the differences between a corporate LMS and an association LMS, it should be easy to spot them when you’re looking to purchase your own.

Make sure you pick the learning management system that caters to your association; choose it for your members, focus on non-dues revenue, let it promote your programs, and have it offer big CE value.

Don’t go “corporate”–go “association”!

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1. Academic LMS focus on grades; associations focus on professional development

First, let’s look at the core reason for each LMS. What is the purpose of each?

Academic LMS

Academic LMS are used to accept assignments from students, answer questions, and grade work. They can host syllabi, unit information, due dates, teacher feedback, final marks–anything and everything a child needs to thrive!

Students can start a video course and walk away from the computer–learning is gauged through assignments and exams and conveyed with grades, so an academic LMS has no need to track student progress at a granular level.

Association LMS

Association learning management systems, while still made to educate, focus more on professional development. Associations must track their member’s progress in order to meet the rigorous requirements of offering professional development courses online.

Association LMS includes regular participation checks while completing a course.

To offer continuing education credits online, associations need to ensure that learners are actively engaged in the course content. Checks can come in the form of video hurdles, where members have to correctly answer a question related to the course content to continue watching the video. This is a form of knowledge reinforcement–which also helps with learning retention!

2. Academic LMS are for school communities; association LMS are for members

It stands to reason that one of the main differences between academic and association LMS lies in their target audiences. That being said, let’s delve into this idea for a moment:

Academic LMS

Academic learning management systems are used to help school communities–namely school staff, students, and parents.

Academic LMS allow children to ask for help outside of school hours by posting on forums, while parents can check in to see what their children are learning, thereby taking on a more active role in their development.

Academic systems also allow teachers to collaborate with each other easily and efficiently. They’re great for sharing resources and bridging the divide between technology and reality when it comes to education.

Association LMS

Association learning management systems exist to help their members. While association members can participate in continuing education courses, they are not students in the same way elementary, high school, or university students are.

Association members are professional, and they require a professional environment for their continuing education (CE). Referring to them as students can cast a negative, even infantilizing light because it suggests that these people aren’t capable of handling themselves professionally–something that is obviously NOT true!

Association learning management systems provide resources, forums, and continuing education courses for their members, allowing them to keep their existing skills sharp while also gaining new ones.

3. Academic courses are paid with tuition; association courses are pay-per-course

The next main difference between academic and association learning management systems lies in their finance systems.

Academic LMS

While not all academic LMS require fees, those that do typically come packaged as part of the course. When you pay tuition for your courses (e.g. at university), you are paying upfront to access the relevant material on the school’s LMS. Because the finances are taken care of outside the system, academic LMS doesn’t require eCommerce functionality.

Association LMS

Associations, on the other hand, sell and deliver numerous continuing education courses that members can opt to purchase. These are paid by the course through the association’s LMS; this means that, unlike with school LMS, their system requires eCommerce functionality.

Additionally, associations can offer different pricing options for different member types; for instance, a non-member may have to pay $80, while a member could pay $60. This could be broken down further if the association offers different tiers; perhaps a member pays $60, a retired member pays $55, and a student member pays $30–it’s all up to the association to decide how to market and price their products.

Regardless of the pricing structure, selling continuing education courses is how associations earn non-dues revenue, so when it comes to buying an LMS, eCommerce functionality is crucial!

4. Academic institutions aren’t required to promote their education courses; associations are

Promotion can be an important part of an LMS platform; let’s delve into the needs of each!

Academic LMS

Schools don’t particularly need to market or promote their specific courses; once a student enrolls in a program, they can select their preferred courses and proceed with their education.

While courses do occasionally require a minimum number of students to enroll, this doesn’t affect the school’s revenue. Instead, unpopular courses are simply swapped out for their more desirable counterparts.

Association LMS

On the other hand, associations must promote their continuing education courses in order to generate non-dues revenue. Without constant and effective marketing, opportunities for members to find and purchase relevant courses are missed and the association loses out. Associations make the bulk of their non-dues revenue through education and events. Every course must be valuable, desirable, and known–you can’t take a course that you never knew existed!

Related: 3 Ways to Increase Non-dues Revenue for Your Association’s Online Continuing Education Program

While there are many kinds of learning management systems to choose from, it’s important to pick the one that’s right for your organization. Whether you’re a school or an association, there’s an LMS out there for you–all you have to do is lay out your needs and find the one that fits them all!

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In this article, we’ll go over each option, as well as give you some tips to help you choose: custom-built or SaaS?

1. Customization Options

First, we’ll be looking at the main draw of custom LMS compared to SaaS LMS: the customization factor.

Custom-Built Enterprise LMS

The term “custom-built LMS” is often tossed around in association circles as a catch-all for enterprise-level learning management systems. As the name suggests, this type of software solution is custom-tailored to your organization’s unique needs and requirements. In theory, this makes perfect sense. After all, why wouldn’t you want an LMS that fits your association like a glove?

Unfortunately, in practice, things are often not so simple.

A custom-built enterprise-level software solution is a complex beast, and it can be difficult to know upfront what exactly you’ll need, or what features will provide your members with the best learning experience. Scope creep is a problem that can lead to spending money on developing features that your members/users don’t end up using.

If you build an LMS that is complex and feature-heavy, you will limit user efficiency and diminish the benefits of having it custom-made. In order to avoid this problem, it is important to carefully consider your needs and requirements before embarking on the process of custom-building an LMS. An experienced and knowledgeable vendor can help guide you through these decisions, ensuring that you get the most out of your software solution without wasting money on features that won’t be used.

Software as a Service LMS

A SaaS learning management system is a “ready-made” solution that can be quickly implemented and deployed. Modern SaaS learning management systems offer a variety of features, including content management, reporting and analytics, personalized learning experiences, and mobile accessibility. They are also scalable, meaning they can be sized to fit the needs of any association or organization.

The main advantage of a SaaS LMS is its simplicity. Users can be up and running with the software in a matter of weeks, and there is no need for complex customization that costs money and takes time to implement. Associations should focus on configuration over customization when it comes to their LMS technology philosophy.

Configuration is key when working with SaaS LMS. The user interface should be intuitive and easy to use so that users can change security privileges, page layouts, and more without any difficulty. This focus on configuration over customization allows associations to get the most out of their SaaS LMS!

2. Cost and Speed of Implementation

Comparing the cost and speed of implementation of custom and SaaS learning management systems is another way to help you make your decision; sometimes, it all comes down to the bottom line, after all!

Custom-Built Enterprise LMS

Custom-built enterprise software is significantly more expensive than Saas LMS. Many associations learn this the hard way when they invest exorbitant time and resources into building a customized LMS.

Investing in custom-built can be tempting; however, these cost-intensive programs usually require additional setup fees, maintenance costs, and licensing fees–adding up to a hefty price tag! An industry-standard custom-built enterprise LMS starts at 1 million dollars. Yikes!

The speed of implementation is also something of concern when it comes to custom-built enterprise LMS; this option will take months or even years to implement. This makes sense, of course; it must be created from scratch. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Software as a Service LMS

SaaS LMS is a much more affordable alternative. With a SaaS LMS, you pay a monthly or annual fee to use the software, and there’s usually no need to pay for extra maintenance or support. As your business grows, you can easily scale your subscription up or down to meet your changing needs.

When it comes to implementation speed, SaaS also has custom LMS beat; a SaaS LMS can be up and running in just a few weeks, leaving plenty of time to test, update, and test again! User training plays an important role in implementation; typically, a SaaS vendor will ensure your staff is trained and comfortable using the new LMS before launch. By ensuring your staff is savvy with the new system, you can avoid many potential hiccups down the road.

3. Cybersecurity

Another important consideration when making your choice is cybersecurity. You want to make sure your organization is safe and protected!

Custom-Built Enterprise LMS

It’s crucial for organizations to implement effective cybersecurity measures to protect their data and network from threats like hacking, malware, and unauthorized access. Because of this, some key steps in improving cybersecurity for your custom-built enterprise LMS include using strong passwords, encrypting sensitive data, updating online security with patches regularly, and implementing two-factor authentication whenever possible.

Additionally, it’s important to monitor your network traffic and user behaviour to identify any suspicious or unusual activity; make sure to have an incident response plan in place in case of a breach. By investing time and effort into protecting your LMS, you can help ensure the security and success of your organization!

Software as a Service LMS

With a SaaS LMS, you’re limited to relying on the security measures of the provider. While many providers take steps to secure their platform, it’s important to be proactive and implement additional security measures yourself.

Ask your SaaS vendor what steps will be taken to protect your organization, and decide whether you judge their answer to be adequate. Some of the questions you may want to ask include:

• What type of data encryption do you use?
• How do you protect user data?
• What type of security measures do you have in place to prevent data breaches?

Once you’ve gotten the answers you need, you can decide whether you’re satisfied with the protection they can provide. If yes, great! If not—keep shopping until you are!

You may also like: How to Protect Your Association from Cyber Attacks

So, which option is the best for your organization? The answer to that question depends on a number of factors, including your budget, organization size, and existing infrastructure. If you’re still not sure which option is right for you, or if you have any other questions about enterprise or SaaS learning management systems, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help you make the decision that’s right for your association!

Once you’ve made your choice, it’s time to purchase and prepare your new LMS. Then–get ready for rollout!

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Your LMS project can quickly go off the rails if it isn’t adequately planned and executed. According to the Project Management Institute, 30% of projects fail to achieve their original goals, and almost 40% exceed their budget. Neither of these is a category you want your association to fall into!

So, how can you ensure your LMS project is set up for success? With the right project management approach, you can avoid common pitfalls and launch your LMS with minimal disruption.

Without further ado, here are 6 simple steps to help you get started:

1. Establish Your Goals and Objectives

Before you even start looking at LMS software, it’s essential to take a step back and define your goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve with your new LMS? How will it benefit your association and its members? Answering these questions will help you choose the right software and set realistic expectations.

Make a list of your objectives and turn them into SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. Once you’ve decided on your objectives, you can map a timeline to reach your targets. Make sure to use an iterative, Agile approach; as your project progresses, you may need to adjust your goals and objectives.

Related: See 5 Things NOT to Leave Out of Your LMS!

2. Choose Your Vendor

Not all LMS vendors are created equal! When evaluating potential providers, it’s important to consider more than just the software itself. You’ll also want to look at the vendor’s reputation, customer service performance history, and implementation process. Make sure you choose a vendor that’s a good fit your organization and has a proven track record you can verify with their existing clients.

As you research different vendors, it’s important to make sure that they specialize in learning management systems for associations. University and corporate learning management systems are not a good fit for associations because they do not include built-in e-commerce functionality and they’re not designed to be compliant with continuing education regulations.

3. Promote Your New LMS Early and Often

When you’re launching your new LMS, make sure to give your members a heads up! Educate them on the benefits of the new learning management system, how easy it will be to use, and how technical support will be readily available. Then, continue promoting your platform even after launch to ensure that your members (and the public) know about it.
There are a few cost-effective marketing and promotion tools that can help your association do more with less.

Jasper AI (Artificial Intelligence Marketing): Jasper is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing assistant that can generate an array of different works, including persuasive blog posts, marketing emails, landing pages, and more! If you find yourself having trouble coming up with advertising copy, you may find Jasper a great help. You can find Jasper AI here.

Canva for Nonprofits: Canva is a website that hosts graphic design templates that can be tailored to fit your association’s needs. If you tend to require a plethora of custom graphics, check it out! You can find Canva for Nonprofits here.

4. Test, Test, Test!

You want to make sure everything functions properly on your new system. Run through each course several times, checking as many different variables as possible. You want to find all the bugs you can before you launch. Whatever you can think of, test it! Quality assurance is a vital step in the process, so give it the attention it deserves.

5. Train (and Test—Again)

Your vendor should teach your staff how to use the new system. This will act as an internal soft launch for the platform, where your staff can experiment with the LMS.

This step also doubles as another round of testing, so make sure to listen to any feedback your staff offers during this time; try to incorporate it before going live.

6. Launch! (and Provide Ongoing Support)

After testing the LMS and training your staff, it is time to launch your new LMS officially–but the work doesn’t end here! You (or your vendor) will need to provide ongoing support for your LMS. This may include providing technical support for your members and staff, uploading new courses, and preventing cyberattacks from hackers.

Technology is constantly changing, and your LMS will need to change with it. LMS vendors typically offer a subscription model (software as a service, or “SAAS”) that includes regular updates. Make sure to understand the terms of your agreement so you can budget for LMS support on an ongoing basis.

Conclusion

Launching your new LMS can seem like a daunting task, but by following these 6 simple steps, you’ll be able to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful launch. Keep in mind that proper planning and execution are key, so make sure to allocate the necessary time and resources upfront.

With careful preparation and a focus on detail, you’ll be able to confidently launch your new LMS and reap the benefits in no time!

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Whether you missed the original livestream or want to watch it again, you’re in luck! Vocalmeet, the CPA (Canadian Psychological Association), and the CSAE (Canadian Society of Association Executives) partnered to bring you a fantastic discussion on growth strategies for associations in 2022 and beyond—a discussion you can catch online now!

Meanwhile, in this webinar recap, we’ll explore the 5 powerful growth strategies that were shared during the livestream conversation. Join us as we discover the strategies other association leaders use to maximize their ability to generate non-dues revenue for their organizations!

1. The Benefits of On-Demand CE Courses

Does your association hold live sessions? Do you livestream continuing education courses and workshops? Well, you’re in luck; you can record these streams and transform them into continuing education (CE) courses. Your association gets more courses to package and sell, and your members get access to new, premium content–everyone benefits!

That’s not all; you can also use previously recorded courses to create something fresh and new. By re-editing and updating your older courses, you can offer your members improved, modernized content. Consider packaging it with new courses for extra value!

2. Cost-Effective Marketing Tools and Promotion

When it comes to earning more revenue, your members and the public need to know about the benefits and programs your association offers. Thankfully, there are plenty of economical assets at your disposal. In our discussion, Anthony Campbell, Growth Manager at Vocalmeet shared a few cost-effective marketing and promotion tools that will help your association do more with less;

• Jasper AI (Artificial Intelligence Marketing): Jasper is an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered writing assistant that can automatically generate persuasive blog posts, marketing emails, landing pages, and more! If you find it difficult to generate this kind of content, you may find Jasper a great help. You can find Jasper AI here.
• Canva for Nonprofits: Canva is a website that offers pre-made graphic designs that you can take and tailor yourself. If you find yourself needing lots of custom graphics, check it out! You can find Canva for Nonprofits here.
• Hootsuite: Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows you to schedule posts ahead of time, as well as keep track of your content streams, mentions, and more. If your association uses several social media channels, Hootsuite is the program for you. You can find Hootsuite here.
• Vidyard: Vidyard allows you to record your computer screen and webinar at the same time, making window-in-window a breeze. Use it to personalize your presentation content and more! You can find Vidyard here.
• Calendly: Calendly is a program used to book appointments online. You select the dates and times you’re available, and your members can book time with you in just a few clicks; what a time-saver! You can find Calendly here.

3. The Importance of the Strategic Plan

Having a clear strategic plan is important for any organization. Your strategic plan should outline the association’s priorities and how you plan to achieve them. This is essential in order for the organization to thrive and grow in a competitive environment. Will your staff be able to facilitate and manage your new priorities? Will your current budget allow you to build and support new programs? The key to successfully implementing your strategic plan is to avoid it from turning into your operational plan. Your strategic plan is designed to help you achieve your goals and mission. Your operational plan helps you carry out the tasks needed to achieve your strategic plan’s goals and mission.

4. Combined Dues and Non-Dues Revenue Initiatives

No one said dues and non-dues revenue streams had to be mutually exclusive! Try offering members free continuing education packages for early renewal. If you want to get even fancier, try creating membership packages based on what the member selects; you can run the gamut from low-cost, low benefits memberships all the way up to VIP premium memberships that include all the bells and whistles! The number of membership types and the perks they include is up to you.

5. Technology Consolidation

By consolidating your association’s technology, you can actually improve its ease-of-use and its value. Remember to KISS: Keep It Simple, Silly! Simplification will reduce both complexity and costs while improving the efficacy of your tools.

That’s not the only thing your association can condense, of course; consider having all of your technological needs filled by a single vendor! You’ll build a better partnership, and you won’t have to keep track of who covers what. One account, one vendor, one contact! Additionally, your vendor will become more invested in (and fond of!) your association–they may even be willing to go the extra mile for you as your business relationship develops. Better still, by sourcing all your technology from one vendor, you’ll have fewer compatibility issues when it comes to expanding your tools (they know what you have and what connects to it, after all). Streamline your processes; go for a vendor that offers all in one!

Has your interest been piqued? By offering on-demand CE courses, marketing with economic tools and promotions, directing in a plan-focussed manner, creating varied membership packages, and unifying technology and vendors, your association will be able to boost its growth and increase its non-dues revenue!

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