Life-Saving Training Blog

What does it take to not only maintain a strong CPR training business, but help it grow over time?

With an influx of First Aid and CPR training centers, consumers have more choices than ever before to meet their emergency care training requirements. So, how do you make sure your training center stands out? We've put together a list of five ways you can start expanding your life-saving training efforts and your bottom line today. 

1. Focus on key audiences when they need training most

Timing is everything. One of the easiest and most effective ways to increase the number of students in your upcoming courses is to identify the target audiences that need training at that time. Each organization or workplace will typically have a set schedule when training or certification is needed and there are often specific times of the year when large group trainings are needed. Here are a few examples:

• Most summer camps require camp staff, from directors to counselors, to be trained and/or certified in CPR/AED, first aid, and sometimes even wilderness first aid prior to welcoming young people in their doors. Depending on the camp, a First Aid and CPR training business will be decided on the year before or up until the spring before the summer camp season begins.
  
  
• CPR and First Aid certifications are typically valid for a two-year period. Plan ahead and reach out to your previous students to proactively offer them discounted refresher training to ensure they return. 

Get to know the needs of your community and plan ahead to be the  business they choose for their unique training needs.

2. Understand your competition and add value to differentiate your training program

As life-saving training instructors, it is often in your nature to be selfless, giving individuals. It can be hard to remember that the important work being done also needs to benefit your livelihood. By understanding your local competition, you are ultimately finding ways to better serve your customers and provide them with a valuable training experience. Here are a few ways to get started: 

• Identify the key markets and training centers in your local area: There are many different groups that require emergency care training. Perhaps you'll find daycare centers, scouting groups, public safety agencies, large corporations, and parks and recreation organizations. Who is currently providing training for these customers?
  
  
• Determine if there are gaps in training programs offered by other local training businesses: Are the competition's customers content with their training? Do they need an additional course that is not currently being offered? Are they currently having to travel to participate in the course being offered? If so, would they benefit from your training business offering to conduct a course at their workplace? Asking questions like these will help you find a niche for your business.
  
  
• Ask your current customers for their feedback: You have a wealth of information available from your current customer base. Consider providing a brief survey at the end of your courses to ask for their feedback (strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement, additional ideas, etc.) or simply have a conversation to learn more.
  
  Did you know? As an ECSI instructor, a Customer Evaluation form is included in your Instructor's ToolKit to help gather feedback from your students. Please feel free to use or modify this resource to meet your needs.

And remember, although it may seem basic, consistently offering high quality service, training materials, and instruction at a reasonable price go a long way in helping your business stand out. 

3. Embrace hybrid courses for additional income from skills checks

Today's students are often trying to fit training into their already busy schedules so they will often choose a hybrid course option if it is available to them. Additionally, as we continue to see an uptick in cases tied to the COVID-19 pandemic variants, hybrid learning will continue to be a necessity in many instances. Although the didactic portion of the training for hybrid course students will take place online, they will often still need to have their skills reviewed by an instructor in order to receive their certification. The on-site skills check is indeed a service to the student and in turn, can often be monetized as needed for the training business. 

Did you know? Our ECSI team has seen a significant increase in students looking for an ECSI Skills Testing Center to complete their on-site skills check for our hybrid courses. If you are currently an ECSI Education Center (or sign up today), we want to help these students find your Education Center and provide you with the opportunity to earn additional revenue this year. Please let us know if your Education Center is currently able to provide in-person skills checks at this time by submitting the form on this page. This will allow us to provide students with an accurate list of ECSI Skills Testing Centers in their area. 

4. Market your business effectively (without a huge marketing budget!)

We get it. Your small business likely does not have a large marketing budget available. Luckily, there are many free or low budget resources to help you market your First Aid and CPR training business professionally. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Focus on word-of-mouth marketing: It goes without saying that happy customers are often the biggest promoters of your First Aid and CPR training business. Help this process along by: 
  
  
  • Offering a referral incentive: Referral campaigns are often welcomed since they provide something for the current customer and the new customer. Consider offering a blanket discount when a referral signs up for their first course or get creative with something unique to your business. In the end, more referrals = more business.
    
    
  • Asking your customers to rate and review your training business: Depending on where your online presence is, at the conclusion of a successful course, ask your students to rate and review your business. Do these reviews really matter you may ask? Absolutely. According to Qualtrics, "93% of consumers say that online reviews influenced their purchase decisions." In short, your online reputation matters for the success of your training business.
    
    
• Build a presence on social media: Love it or hate it, social media isn't going anywhere anytime soon. For a small training business, social media will undoubtedly be one of your most affordable and effective avenues to get the word out about your courses! Our hot tip? Don't spread yourself too thin by trying to be on every platform available (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). Do some research to determine the platform where your target audience already is and focus on that singular account to start.
  
  Build out the account completely and make sure the images representing your business are high quality and appear correctly on multiple devices (computer, phone, etc.). Not sure how to create professional-looking graphics? Sites like Canva offer free templates if you'd prefer to go the DIY route. Otherwise, hire a freelancer on a site like Upwork or tap your network to find a trusted graphic design contact for assistance.
  
  Once your account is completely set up, get the word out!:
  
  
  • Include the handle/username on your website, business card, in your email signature, etc.
    
    
  • Ask your current students to follow your account for upcoming course information. 
    
    
  • If the social platform has low cost paid advertising available, experiment with promoting some of your upcoming courses using geotargeting to reach new prospects in your local area. 
    
    
• Create a website: In today's world, a legitimate business will always have a website as a home base to provide more information on their services, contact information, etc. While this may seem like a daunting process, there are many low cost ways to have a professional website built in no time at all. 
  
  
  • There are many different platforms that you can build and host your website on. Many even offer easy-to-use templates! Check out this curated list for small businesses.
    
    
  • Not sure you can handle designing a website on your own? Sites like Fiverr and Upwork act as a marketplace for you to hire a website developer to do the job for you (rates are often negotiable).

5. Remember all interactions are opportunities for repeat and new business

When offering a service such as CPR training to an individual in your community, it is always important to maintain a sense of professionalism in all your communications. Whether conversing over email, on the phone or social media, or in person, remember that the way you treat your customers will determine whether they return to your business for future refresher or new training needs and whether or not they recommend your services to their network of colleagues, friends, and family. Be timely in your responses, check for spelling errors in any written notes, and maintain your composure should any complaints arise. In the long run, this attention to detail and general good business sense will take you far. 

The future of your First Aid and CPR training business is in your very capable hands! Thank you for all you do to keep our communities safe. For more information about training with ECSI, please visit our website today.

Experienced CPR training business owners: What would you add to this list? Leave your comments below!