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© 2026 Marketing for Learning
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The world's only podcast dedicated to marketing for learning®. Short, sharp episodes packed with tactics, strategies and fresh thinking to finally crack your learner engagement problem. Hosted by Ashley Hinchcliffe, founder of MAAS Marketing.
132 Episodes
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L&D knows measurement matters.
But when the pressure’s on to “prove impact,” most teams default to what’s easy, not what’s meaningful.
In this episode, we’re joined by Nelson Sivalingam to unpack how learning functions can shift from reporting activity to demonstrating real business value.
We explore:
Why traditional learning metrics fall short
How to connect learning with performance and behaviour change
What it takes to embed measurement into the entire learning process, not just the end
This isn’t about dashboards or data overload.
It’s about designing for outcomes from the start — and knowing what success actually looks like.
Because if you don’t define impact, you’ll never be able to prove it.
LINKS:
Connect with Nelson on LinkedIn
Check out HowNow
Fancy reading Nelson’s book, Learning at Speed? Grab your copy here.
Most L&D “campaigns” are a poster, an email, and… silence.
This episode calls time on one-and-done launches — and digs into what it really takes to build marketing for learning® campaigns that cut through the noise and drive action.
You’ll learn:
Why real campaigns don’t end at launch
How to apply multi-channel, audience-first thinking to internal comms
What L&D can steal from politics, brand marketing and behavioural science
If your initiatives start strong and fizzle fast, this episode is for you.
Because attention isn’t guaranteed. You’ve got to earn it — and keep earning it.
LINKS
How to build a learning campaign guide
Learn more about our L&D campaign-in-a-box
Download our campaign-in-a-box brochure
Learning isn’t broken because people are lazy. It’s broken because the experience is.
In this episode, we’re joined by Tom McDowall to talk about why most learning still feels like a chore, and how to change it.
We get into:
Why more content ≠ more impact
How to design frictionless, user-led learning journeys
And what L&D can learn from UX, product, and service design
This one’s for anyone sick of seeing learning dumped on a platform and called a solution. Because if the experience sucks, the outcomes will too.
LINKS:
Tom McDowall on LinkedIn
IDT YouTube Channel
Too many L&D teams are building content for “learners” — not people.
In this episode, Ash and Han dive into the one thing that makes or breaks every learning initiative: knowing your audience. Not their job title. Not their LMS login history. But what actually drives them.
They unpack:
Why “employees” and “learners” aren’t real personas
How to ask the right people the right questions (and avoid confirmation bias)
What to do with audience research once you’ve got it — and how to avoid building blind
So, if you’re still building learning based on job titles, gut feel, or “what we’ve always done” — this one’s for you. Because relevance starts with understanding. And understanding starts here.
LINKS:
Free guide to building learner personas
Learner persona template
Follow MAAS Marketing on LinkedIn
This week, Han’s joined by the brilliant Heather Burright — and they’re cutting straight to the core of what’s holding L&D back.
Spoiler: it’s not a lack of content. It’s a lack of curiosity.
This episode covers:
What it really means to identify root problems — and why content alone doesn’t drive change
How to build trust with stakeholders (so you can disagree and still stay in the room)
Why asking better questions leads to better learning — and better outcomes
This is a must-listen for anyone stuck in firefighting mode, drowning in requests, or quietly screaming inside every time someone says, “we just need a quick e-learning.”
Because we’re not here to be content vending machines.
We’re here to drive real change.
And that starts with one simple shift:
Stop rushing to build. Start learning to ask.
LINKS:
Heather Burright’s LinkedIn
Learning For Good Podcast
Learn more about the People Impact Loop®
Most L&D teams are stuck in a cycle of activity. Not impact.
In this episode, your fav duo are back to rip into the status quo — and dig deeper into the People Impact Loop®: a no-fluff framework that helps People functions stop shouting into the void and start making measurable change.
We’re talking:
Why “aligning to business goals” isn’t optional (and how to actually do it)
Why your learners are subscribers — and should be treated like it
How long-term thinking beats one-off learning blasts, every time
And the big one: how to prove impact without needing a PhD in data science.
If your learning strategy feels more like guesswork than growth — this one’s for you.
LINKS:
People Impact Loop® diagnostic
Learn more about the People Impact Loop®
Follow MAAS Marketing on LinkedIn
Drum roll please... 🥁🥁🥁
After lots of speculation and guessing, it's time for you to meet the People Impact Loop™.
You've got the potential. You've got the passion. Yet you are still undervalued and constantly fighting for relevance.
The issue isn’t effort or ideas – it’s the lack of a system that makes their work essential.
For decades, the same challenges have persisted: low engagement, leadership buy-in struggles, and initiatives that fail to gain traction. And now, at last, the People Impact Loop™ changes that.
So get your listening ears on, and settle in for a podcast that is going to change the way you look at L&D, forever.
In the second episode of our series "From Training to Transformation: Redefining L&D’s Role" Ash and Han delve into the critical role of stakeholders in transforming L&D from a cost centre to a strategic business partner.
This ep is jam-packed with practical tips and insights including:
Why it is critically important for L&D to align to the business goals.
How you can engage with senior leaders and find out the crucial insights needed for success.
The power of shifting from a training-needs mindset, to a performance-needs approach.
Whether you're a seasoned L&D pro or just starting your career, this episode will challenge you to think differently about how L&D can truly serve as a driver of business success. Happy listening!
LINKS:
Strategic Marketing for L&D Programme
Ash's LinkedIn
Han's LinkedIn
New Series! From Training To Transformation: Redefining L&D’s Role.
We're so excited to announce our new multi-episode podcast series on L&D transformation. Our first episode kicks off with Derek Mitchell, Analytics Partner at Novo Nordisk.
In this episode Derek discusses the critical role of data in L&D. He emphasises using data to proactively identify training needs, personalise communications, and measure the impact of learning initiatives. He also highlights the importance of moving beyond traditional metrics like course completions to focus on performance, skills growth, and behaviour change.
It's a fantastic episode, and definitely sets the scene for this crucial series!
Links:
Derek's LinkedIn
Ashley's LinkedIn
Strategic Marketing for L&D Course
Sales funnels? Learning? You what?! Hannah and Ashley explore how we can apply the sales funnel to marketing for learning.
If we really want to connect with our learners, we need to understand what 'buying stage' they're at. Just like marketers apply the RACE model to help them better understand and target their audiences, so can L&D use it to adjust tone of voice, content, messaging and context, depending on what level of understanding your audience has about your learning proposition.
LINKS:
Check out the RACE framework here: https://www.marketingforlearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-RACE-model.pdf
User-generated content statistics: https://www.tintup.com/blog/user-generated-content-stats-2021/
If you like what we've got to say, why not follow us on LinkedIn too?
Ashley Sinclair: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashsinclair/
Hannah Waddams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahwaddams/
Don't forget to subscribe!
Struggling to get started with a new idea or concept? Hindered by analysis paralysis? That's because you're not making use of the incredibly important sh*tty first draft. It's a favourite amongst marketers; learn how to use it to be more creative.
Please note, this episode does contain swearing. A sh*t load of it.
Do you ever think about how your learners feel? Not what they do, what they think, but what they feel? Emotions are a powerful tool that marketers leverage wherever possible. How can you use emotions in your learning function to get better results?
Product, promotion, price and place. The pillars of any good marketing strategy. But what on earth do they have have to do with marketing for learning? Hannah explores.
What's in it for me? When it comes to your learners, this is the most crucial question you should be answering. Ashley talks to you about what it really means to meet the needs of your learners and target their emotional drivers for maximum effectiveness.
Adopting a marketing mindset in L&D will provide you will a wide range of benefits. Hannah Waddams and Ashley Sinclair delve into the merits of marketing for learning and why every L&Der should be shifting their thinking to incorporate marketing strategies.
Does L&D have an engagement or an awareness problem? Ashley Sinclair spends ten minutes exploring whether the root cause of most of our 'engagement' problems in L&D are actually due to a lack of employee awareness.
What is marketing for learning and what can you expect from this podcast? Our main host, Ashley Sinclair, talks you through some of the plans for the episodes to come and what we hope you'll gain from this podcast!
The conversation delves into the death of a campaign and the marketing strategy behind it. It introduces the fictional business Axion and its learning program Apex, highlighting the tragic death of Apex due to neglect. The importance of personalization in marketing is emphasized, drawing parallels with Netflix's approach to personalization. The conversation delves into the critical elements of successful campaigns, emphasizing the importance of design, copywriting, and strategy. It highlights the need for integrated and consistent marketing efforts that span a period of time to capture attention, build trust, and drive action.TakeawaysThe five things that make learning campaigns die prematurely Marketing Strategy Design is as important as your learning productsCampaigns need to span a period of time
Attention is our employee's most equitable asset - but there's fierce competition for it. Marking the first episode of 2026, Ashley joins Giles Hearn, Chief Marketing Officer at The Learning and Performance Institute and unpicks the challenges L&D are really facing. A meaty conversation for a meaty subject.
Get stuck in!
Marketing in learning isn’t just about flashy emails or poster campaigns. It’s about trust, visibility, and staying human, especially when the ground is shifting under our feet. In this episode, Ashley Hinchcliffe and Hannah Clark unpack why silence is the enemy of People functions, and how to keep your audiences engaged when uncertainty, redundancies, and AI-fuelled upheaval dominate the workplace. From K-pop obsessions to bluntly honest bank ads, they explore what makes campaigns stick in 2025, why hyper-realism beats sugar-coated spin, and how multi-channel, multi-touch campaigns are the only way to cut through the noise. If your L&D or HR team has ever wondered how to keep marketing alive in messy times, this conversation will show you why the fundamentals matter more than ever.
SHOW NOTES
Learner Journey Mapping Guide
Ashley's LinkedIn
Hannah's LinkedIn
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